Vehicle recall R/2000/135

BMW 3 Series recall: Lower steering shaft may fail

DVSA recall R/2000/135 names the BMW 3 Series. It was launched 26 February 2001. It covers vehicles built 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1998.

Recall data updated 22 September 2026

Recall: R/2000/135
Launched: 26 February 2001
Issued by: BMW
Vehicles: 285,722 across the lines below

What can go wrong

Due to the long term effects of corrosion the above vehicles are being recalled. The corrosion is an age related problem and this recall action will target the oldest cars first in groups of 15000 to 20000. It is believed that as long as the vehicle has a current MOT and is serviced correctly any possible corrosion problems with the shaft will be highlighted as a matter of course. If customers are concerned they can visit any BMW dealer to have the shaft checked.

The fix

DEFECT (cont.) If the component is safe the car will not be repaired at this stage but will be recalled at a later date as originally planned. REMEDY Recall affected vehicles and fit modified lower steering shaft.

Models and build dates

As listed in the DVSA recall file. Vehicle numbers are DVSA figures for each line.
Model	Built	Vehicles
BMW 3 Series	1 January 1991 to 31 December 1998	285,722

Is a specific car affected? A recall lists models and build dates, not individual vehicles, so these pages cannot tell you whether one car is included. Enter the registration on the DVSA vehicle recall checker on GOV.UK, or give the vehicle identification number (VIN) to the manufacturer or one of its dealers. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof that any recall work was done.

Other recalls for these models

R/2001/146 Tyres may have cuts in side walls. 9 November 2001, BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series
R/2002/025 Possible detachment of ball bearing from front suspension strut top mounting 22 February 2002, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series
R/1999/104 Brake lights may fail to operate remain on or flicker 15 December 1999, BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 7 Series
R/1999/047 Possible unscheduled deployment of side airbags and activation of battery isolator switch 25 May 1999, BMW 3 Series
R/1997/005 Corrosion on lower steering shaft 27 May 1997, BMW 3 Series
R/2005/022 The bearings of the fuel injection pump may fail 8 February 2005, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X5 and others

Found one you might buy?

A recall is one part of the picture. See how often it fails its MOT at each age, or what the VetTheCar Buying Report tells you about a specific car.

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Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA vehicle recall records (RecallsFile.csv), recalls launched 1992 to 2026. Recall data updated 22 September 2026.

Recall wording is DVSA's, with capitals and punctuation tidied and American spellings such as tire, center and windshield given in British English. We list a recall when its make and model match a car or van family with at least 1,000 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2025, and when the maker of the vehicle issued it.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. Methodology · Data sources