2016 BMW 330E 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 2016 BMW 330E, 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
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Electrical133.3%
- Powertrain (other)133.3%
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
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle disengaged itself from gear while driving on hwy going between 75-85 mph. Failed to re engage into gear when stepping on accelerator causing vehicle to just coast and slow down as fast moving traffic (semis) we’re approaching. Construction zone didn’t have shoulders to pull aside which made situation worst. Car did accelerate after a few attempts. The car did illuminate a “unable to recharge batteries, stop carefully and contact your nearest service shop” just prior to the situation. Seems like the i3 models are currently under a class action lawsuit for a similar defect and I fear that given that these cars are designed similarly within the same years using the same parts that this could be a similar situation. I noticed that the car acted in this way once the battery level indicated under 3% charge on the dash.
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
Vehicle disengaged itself from gear while driving on hwy going between 75-85 mph. Failed to re engage into gear when stepping on accelerator causing vehicle to just coast and slow down as fast moving traffic (semis) we’re approaching. Construction zone didn’t have shoulders to pull aside which made situation worst. Car did accelerate after a few attempts. The car did illuminate a “unable to recharge batteries, stop carefully and contact your nearest service shop” just prior to the situation. Seems like the i3 models are currently under a class action lawsuit for a similar defect and I fear that given that these cars are designed similarly within the same years using the same parts that this could be a similar situation. I noticed that the car acted in this way once the battery level indicated under 3% charge on the dash.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Vehicle disengaged itself from gear while driving on hwy going between 75-85 mph. Failed to re engage into gear when stepping on accelerator causing vehicle to just coast and slow down as fast moving traffic (semis) we’re approaching. Construction zone didn’t have shoulders to pull aside which made situation worst. Car did accelerate after a few attempts. The car did illuminate a “unable to recharge batteries, stop carefully and contact your nearest service shop” just prior to the situation. Seems like the i3 models are currently under a class action lawsuit for a similar defect and I fear that given that these cars are designed similarly within the same years using the same parts that this could be a similar situation. I noticed that the car acted in this way once the battery level indicated under 3% charge on the dash.
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 .