2007 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 2007 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
- Electrical228.6%
- Body & structure114.3%
- Brakes114.3%
- Exterior lighting114.3%
- Steering114.3%
- Transmission114.3%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CAR DIED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, LEAVING ME STRANDED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND NOTHING ELSE OCCURS. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY DEAD. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND DURING THESE WINTER MONTHS IS A SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY FOR MY OWN CHILDREN'S SAFETY BUT ALSO MINE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, THE SAME OCCURRED BEFORE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW A COMPLAINT COULD BE FILED. THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FOR IT TO BE INVESTIGATED PERHAPS NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A "RECALL". I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE INCIDENT LISTED PERTAINS TO THE REMOTE CONTROL THAT FAILED TO FUNCTION IN ENTIRETY. I COULD NOT OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. AFTER ENTERING THE CAR WITH THE KEY, NOTHING IN THE CAR WOULD FUNCTION. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHICH WAS CLOSED. TOWING A BMW IS A FORMIDABLE TASK. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASCERTAIN THE CAUSE BUT CHANGING AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS RECOMMENDED AND THAT SEEMINGLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ON 7/14,2012, THE REMOTE WOULD NOT OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUT. ONLY THE DRIVE SIDE DOOR COULD BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. TODAY, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM AND UNRELATED TO THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REPLACE THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM AS IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS SUCH AS THESE HAVE BEEN REPORTED, BUT BMW WAS NOT REQUIRED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF AFFECTED CARS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. BOTH ARE SAFETY RELATED AS THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE REAR DOORS FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE ONLY WAY TO GET A CHILD OR PERSON OUT OF THE REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS TO SOMEHOW BRING THEM TO THE FRONT SEAT AND OUT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR. WHY HASN'T NHTSA DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH AFFECTED BMW VEHICLES? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
ACTUALLY, AFTER THE LIGHT SIGNAL BECAME GREEN LIGHT THEN I MOVED AND EVERY CAR MOVING NORMALLY I TOOK THE LEFT LANE THEN SUDDENLY I SAW A LAND CRUISER STOPPED ON MY LANE , I DON'T HAVE ANY OPTION SO I TREADED THE BRAKE ONE LONG TREAD , BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S DIDN'T HELP BECAUSE MY CAR SLIPPED UNDER THE LAND CRUISER !! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ACTUALLY, AFTER THE LIGHT SIGNAL BECAME GREEN LIGHT THEN I MOVED AND EVERY CAR MOVING NORMALLY I TOOK THE LEFT LANE THEN SUDDENLY I SAW A LAND CRUISER STOPPED ON MY LANE , I DON'T HAVE ANY OPTION SO I TREADED THE BRAKE ONE LONG TREAD , BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S DIDN'T HELP BECAUSE MY CAR SLIPPED UNDER THE LAND CRUISER !! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
ACTUALLY, AFTER THE LIGHT SIGNAL BECAME GREEN LIGHT THEN I MOVED AND EVERY CAR MOVING NORMALLY I TOOK THE LEFT LANE THEN SUDDENLY I SAW A LAND CRUISER STOPPED ON MY LANE , I DON'T HAVE ANY OPTION SO I TREADED THE BRAKE ONE LONG TREAD , BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S DIDN'T HELP BECAUSE MY CAR SLIPPED UNDER THE LAND CRUISER !! *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
THE CAR DIED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, LEAVING ME STRANDED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS AND NOTHING ELSE OCCURS. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY DEAD. I HAVE SMALL CHILDREN AND DURING THESE WINTER MONTHS IS A SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY FOR MY OWN CHILDREN'S SAFETY BUT ALSO MINE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, THE SAME OCCURRED BEFORE, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW A COMPLAINT COULD BE FILED. THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FOR IT TO BE INVESTIGATED PERHAPS NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED AS A "RECALL". I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW 120I AUTO WAS BOUGHT IN 2007/11. AFTER A FEW MONTHS 'ENGINE MALFUNCTION, REDUCE POWER' MESSAGE CAME UP. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THE VALVETRONIC WAS REPLACED. SINCE THEN, AT RANDOM OCCURRENCES, THE CAR FAILS TO PRODUCE FULL POWER ON ACCELERATION - ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING AWAY FROM JUNCTIONS. THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND START IT UP AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FAULT AS VEHICLE WILL STAGGER IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN BACK TO THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES AND BMW STILL CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM - ALL THEY DO IS RESTART/REPROGRAM THE CAR'S COMPUTER. *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 .