RoadVitals

2019 BMW 230I

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
1
Latest May 6, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 9, 2019
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 2019 BMW 230I, most frequently naming the engine category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 61 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
19V352000

AIR BAGS:KNEE BOLSTER

May 9, 2019
5,079 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2 Competition Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, and 2019 330i xDrive Sportswagon vehicles. The driver and passenger knee air bag assemblies may have been improperly folded and assembled.
The risk: An improperly folded and assembled air bag may not deploy as intended, increasing risk of injury.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the knee air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed May 6, 2022

While driving the vehicle on the Florida turnpike I received the message that the coolant was low, then another message to pull over immediately to prevent engine overheat. I pulled over as soon as I could and the engine ceased to operate. Took the vehicle to a BMW dealership and they told me the engine overheated because a hose from the engine had come undone. They instructed me to file an insurance claim, I Learned that that same hose was part of a BMW service action under bulletin B170121. The car with this problem should be recalled. I contacted BMW OF NORTH AMERICA LLC and spoke with Seema Kumar and Walton Ariesos. They both told me they will not cover my engine. The damage to my engine was due to a faulty part and BMW needs to cover these repairs in full. Because the failure of the engine was due the failure of their bad part.

NHTSA ID
11463592
Incident
Apr 1, 2022

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B512022

STRUCTURE:BODY

While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area.

B010224

ENGINE

The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original first in-service / delivery date.

B010224

ENGINE

The EVAP systems purge (vent) valve limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.

B512022

While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area.

B010224

ENGINE

EVAP SYSTEM PURGE (VENT) VALVE EXT LTD WTY (ELW) 15/150

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 230I by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026100—
2025010—
2024120—
2023440—
2022230—
2021120—
2020210—
2019Viewing110—
2018421—
2017100147.3

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.