ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
2021 BMW 330I
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
NHTSA has issued a “park outside” advisory affecting this model year.
Campaign 25V636000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.
Check your VIN on NHTSA.govOverview
Our database contains 29 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2021 BMW 330I, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and airbags categories. 7 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 202 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2022 | 2 | 2 |
| Aug 2022 | 1 | 3 |
| Feb 2023 | 2 | 5 |
| Jul 2024 | 1 | 6 |
| Jan 2025 | 1 | 7 |
| Feb 2025 | 1 | 8 |
| Sep 2025 | 3 | 11 |
| Nov 2025 | 5 | 16 |
| Dec 2025 | 2 | 18 |
| Feb 2026 | 3 | 21 |
| Mar 2026 | 3 | 24 |
| Apr 2026 | 3 | 27 |
| May 2026 | 1 | 28 |
| Jul 2026 | 1 | 29 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Electrical1336.1%
- Engine925.0%
- Airbags411.1%
- Driver assistance38.3%
- Suspension25.6%
- Body & structure12.8%
- Powertrain (other)12.8%
- Visibility12.8%
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
7 campaigns 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.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; SEAT BELTS
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 330I. The contact stated that while entering the vehicle, there was an audible alert heard, and a red air bag light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failure in the driver’s side knee air bags. The air bags were replaced, and the airbag module was reprogrammed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 30,868.
- NHTSA ID
- 11751173
- Incident
- Jun 29, 2026
- Mileage
- 30,868 mi
25V-636 This has been unresolved for 6 months with no sign of a fix. It’s a starter motor, not the space shuttle.
- NHTSA ID
- 11736408
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2025
I am submitting a claim pertaining to NHTSA Recall Number 25V636000 which pertains to a engine starter issue that can result in fire. This recall was reported first on September 23, 2025 and has been gone without a remedy. Since as of today, it has been 212 days without a solution that I am driving a car that may catch fire. This is too long and I am seeking remediation in the form of a replacement vehicle.
- NHTSA ID
- 11732736
- Incident
- Apr 21, 2026
The contact owned a 2021 BMW 330i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V056000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the passenger side fender. The contact entered a nearby parking lot off the highway when the vehicle caught fire. The contact was able to exit the vehicle, and someone inside a nearby building extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. The fire department and police department arrived. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The contact did not sustain any injuries, and no medical attention was needed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and had opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 11731768
- Incident
- Apr 11, 2026
- Mileage
- 49,000 mi
I phoned BMW today for an update on this recall. After 6 months, Manufacturer still does not have a fix or repair for your recall 25V636000 and no solution date. This is completely unacceptable.
- NHTSA ID
- 11728747
- Incident
- Apr 2, 2026
My check engine light came on stating my engine coolant was low. I took it to a shop and was told I needed to replace my filter/coolant housing assembly.
- NHTSA ID
- 11727123
- Incident
- Mar 25, 2026
In September of 2025, I was notified twice by BMW via mail that my car is under recall. The NHTSA Recall Number is 25V636000. It is possible for water to contact and enter the engine starter. This could lead to corrosion which could cause a short circuit and ultimately a fire. They told me it would be fixed free of charge and I would be notified when the remedy was available. There were no such warnings or messages of the problem prior to being notified of this potential failure. Their mailed instructions told me to park the car outside which I did. My car was exposed to storms and hickory nuts from trees fell on my car causing damage. The extent of the damage was classified as the equivalent of "hail damage" and I had to pay $2000 out of pocket to a Paintless Dent Repair shop to get the damage fixed. I called multiple dealerships back in October and they told me to check in February of 2026. It is now March and a remedy is still not available. I called multiple dealerships today, March 16th 2026, and they have all told me that parts are still not available. This is infuriating. I had to pay a significant amount of money due to a defect on BMW's part. I now park my car in my garage where it belongs. It is infeasible for myself and many others to park a vehicle outside. My safety is put at risk every day and I worry constantly that my vehicle will spontaneously combusts and burns my house down. BMW must make this right. I am seeking a timely resolution to this recall as well as a reimbursement for the cosmetic damage I was forced to repair.
- NHTSA ID
- 11724701
- Incident
- Sep 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted, and confirmed the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
- NHTSA ID
- 11723257
- Incident
- Mar 10, 2026
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
The Radiator Grilles Lower Active Air Flap Assembly 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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
While driving on a smooth and/or uneven road, a “cracking” sound is heard from the rear wheel arch area (highlighted in orange) on either the right or left side.
AIR BAGS
The Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS) Front Passenger’s Seat Occupancy Capacitive Interior Sensor (CIS) Mat for defects in materials and/or workmanship that causes a false seat occupancy alert to occur has been extended to 10 years / 120,000 miles as determined from the vehicle's original in-service / first delivery date.
STRUCTURE:BODY
A vehicle listed above may arrive with a Check Control Message (CCM), and/or malfunction indicator lamp(MIL) illuminated. After carrying out the vehicle test, one or more of the stored faults indicate that the operation of the front bottomactive air flap is obstructed or blocked. Thoroughly inspect the front bottom air flap, when applicable, remove any contamination that is found caught inand between the bottom air flaps (aka “blinds”) and/or the housing.
STRUCTURE:BODY
A groaning noise is present from the door frame of any door, most commonly when driving over rough roadsor during body flex. This situation may be worse in vehicles which are regularly waxed in th e area of the door jamb.
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
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2021Viewing | 29 | 7 | 0 | 68.7 |
| 2020 | 51 | 11 | 0 | 70.2 |
| 2019 | 40 | 9 | 0 | 69.7 |
| 2018 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 53.2 |
| 2017 | 41 | 0 | 1 | 40.5 |
| 2011 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 219 | 7 | 2 | 58.3 |
| 2005 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 60.2 |
| 2004 | 113 | 5 | 6 | 64.5 |
| 2003 | 77 | 7 | 3 | 58.1 |
| 2002 | 45 | 7 | 3 | 62.9 |
| 2001 | 116 | 8 | 0 | 51.7 |
| 2000 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
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.