2001 BMW 1 Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 1 Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes133.3%
- Electrical133.3%
- Steering133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY DOWN MY BLOCK (2001 BMW X5) AND I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND I WAS INTENDING TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF MY GARAGE. AS I WAS JUST INTO THE TURN THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM 1MPH TO ABOUT 30 MPH OR EVEN FASTER IN LESS THAN A SECOND- IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS IN SHOCK NOT EXPECTING THIS SCENARIO- I TRULY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE OR CRASH. I WAS BRAKING ENTIRE TIME AND NO STOPPING WAS HAPPENING. I WAS HEADED FOR MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW. TRIED TO STEER IT AWAY AND ONCE I HIT THE LAWN MY STEERING ABILITY WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IF I SHOULD HIT THE TREE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS HEADING FOR MY NEIGHBOR'S FRONT WINDOW. TIRE TRACKS AND SKID MARKS ALL OVER MY FRONT LAWN AND DRIVEWAY. AT THAT POINT I TURNED KEY OFF. CAR STOPPED. HAD ABOUT 2 OR 3 SECONDS TO REACT . IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND OUT OF NOWHERE. BY THE WAY AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN MY STREET, I HAPPENED TO COMPLETELY STOP ABOUT 100 FEET FROM MY INTENDED RIGHT TURN. A NEIGHBOR WAS PULLING OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND I WAS GOING TO LET THAT PERSON HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR WAS AT A DEAD STOP 100 FT. FROM MY DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE. WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AS I APPROACHED MY DRIVEWAY. HAD NO VELOCITY AT THAT POINT- VERY SLOW ENTRANCE INTO DRIVEWAY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY DOWN MY BLOCK (2001 BMW X5) AND I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND I WAS INTENDING TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF MY GARAGE. AS I WAS JUST INTO THE TURN THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM 1MPH TO ABOUT 30 MPH OR EVEN FASTER IN LESS THAN A SECOND- IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS IN SHOCK NOT EXPECTING THIS SCENARIO- I TRULY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE OR CRASH. I WAS BRAKING ENTIRE TIME AND NO STOPPING WAS HAPPENING. I WAS HEADED FOR MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW. TRIED TO STEER IT AWAY AND ONCE I HIT THE LAWN MY STEERING ABILITY WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IF I SHOULD HIT THE TREE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS HEADING FOR MY NEIGHBOR'S FRONT WINDOW. TIRE TRACKS AND SKID MARKS ALL OVER MY FRONT LAWN AND DRIVEWAY. AT THAT POINT I TURNED KEY OFF. CAR STOPPED. HAD ABOUT 2 OR 3 SECONDS TO REACT . IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND OUT OF NOWHERE. BY THE WAY AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN MY STREET, I HAPPENED TO COMPLETELY STOP ABOUT 100 FEET FROM MY INTENDED RIGHT TURN. A NEIGHBOR WAS PULLING OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND I WAS GOING TO LET THAT PERSON HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR WAS AT A DEAD STOP 100 FT. FROM MY DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE. WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AS I APPROACHED MY DRIVEWAY. HAD NO VELOCITY AT THAT POINT- VERY SLOW ENTRANCE INTO DRIVEWAY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOWLY DOWN MY BLOCK (2001 BMW X5) AND I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND I WAS INTENDING TO MAKE A 90 DEGREE TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF MY GARAGE. AS I WAS JUST INTO THE TURN THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM 1MPH TO ABOUT 30 MPH OR EVEN FASTER IN LESS THAN A SECOND- IT WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS IN SHOCK NOT EXPECTING THIS SCENARIO- I TRULY THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE OR CRASH. I WAS BRAKING ENTIRE TIME AND NO STOPPING WAS HAPPENING. I WAS HEADED FOR MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW. TRIED TO STEER IT AWAY AND ONCE I HIT THE LAWN MY STEERING ABILITY WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IF I SHOULD HIT THE TREE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS HEADING FOR MY NEIGHBOR'S FRONT WINDOW. TIRE TRACKS AND SKID MARKS ALL OVER MY FRONT LAWN AND DRIVEWAY. AT THAT POINT I TURNED KEY OFF. CAR STOPPED. HAD ABOUT 2 OR 3 SECONDS TO REACT . IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND OUT OF NOWHERE. BY THE WAY AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWN MY STREET, I HAPPENED TO COMPLETELY STOP ABOUT 100 FEET FROM MY INTENDED RIGHT TURN. A NEIGHBOR WAS PULLING OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND I WAS GOING TO LET THAT PERSON HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY. THE CAR WAS AT A DEAD STOP 100 FT. FROM MY DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE. WAS TRAVELING AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AS I APPROACHED MY DRIVEWAY. HAD NO VELOCITY AT THAT POINT- VERY SLOW ENTRANCE INTO DRIVEWAY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .