2013 BMW Activehybrid 3 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 2013 BMW Activehybrid 3, 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
- Airbags430.8%
- Electrical215.4%
- Engine215.4%
- Seat belts215.4%
- Fuel system17.7%
- Powertrain (other)17.7%
- Brakes17.7%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
WASTE GATE RATTLE OR TURBO RATTLE, THE VEHICLE RATTLES DURING COLD START, RATTLE UPON DECELERATION,LOSS OF POWER, CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATION, MANUFACTURE SPECIFIC OBD TROUPE CODE P30FF, ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF AND OFF AFTER REFILLING GAS.THE TURBO CHARGER MUST BE REPLACED.
DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE WITH A WOMEN'S PURSE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SINCE THAT TIME, I GET TWO FAULT MESSAGES EVERY TIME I START THE CAR, REGARDING AN ERROR IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MESSAGE STATES TO ENSURE PASSENGER WEARS SEAT BELT AS THEY AIR BAG MAY NOT OPERATE.
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 PURCHASED 2013 VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS W SAME ERROR 4XS - ERROR "DRIVETRAIN - VEHICLE CAN NOT BE RESTARTED" I HAVE BEEN ON FREEWAY AND ON STREET WHEN ERROR HAS OCCURRED. WJEN THIS ERROR OCCURS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NO LONGER WORK. VEHICLE CAN STILL BE DRIVEN BUT WITH CAUTION. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND CANNOT TAKE LONG TRIPS AWAY FROM BMW SERVICE LOCATIONS SINCE THIS ERROR APPEARS WITHOUT WARNING. BMW DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 7 DAYS LAST REPAIRS, HOWEVER I STILL HAVE ERROR APPEARING AND VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. DEALER NONCHALANT SINCE WARRANTY IS STILL IN PLACE -- I BELIEVE THEY ARE IGNORING AS NOT TO RELATE DRIVE TRANSMISSION. TOMORROW I HAVE NO VEHICLE SINCE CAR WON'T START. CONTACTED DEALER TO COME AND DELIVER RENTAL VEHICLE. I HAVE TO WORK! ERROR APPEARS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ALWAYS. I AM CONCERNED WITH MY SAFETY - NOT SURE WHAT ELSE WILL TAKE PLACE WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. TODAY WEATHER WAS 112 AND NO AIR CONDITIONING FOR 40 MILES. I NEED VEHICLE REPAIRED AS TO PASS EMISSIONS AS WELL AS FOR MY SAFETY!!!
AT LEAST UP TO 5 ISSUES WITH THE BACK UP AND FRONT CAMERA SYSTEMS, AND AN ISSUE WITH THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE CAMERA SYSTEMS ARE ESPECIALLY TROUBLING SINCE THE GO OUT AT RANDOM. THE LAST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE CAMERA MODULE SYSTEM AND THE ISSUE CAME UP AGAIN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WASTE GATE RATTLE OR TURBO RATTLE, THE VEHICLE RATTLES DURING COLD START, RATTLE UPON DECELERATION,LOSS OF POWER, CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATION, MANUFACTURE SPECIFIC OBD TROUPE CODE P30FF, ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF AND OFF AFTER REFILLING GAS.THE TURBO CHARGER MUST BE REPLACED.
HIT A POT HOLE FOR THE SECOND TIME BLOW OUT A RIM BUT NOW THE INDICATORS SAY DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTIONS AND WONT START WHO KNOWS WHERE THE OIL GOES KEEPS RUNNING LOW EVEN THOUGH NO LEAKS HAVEN'T SEEN MY CAR IN MONTHS PUT SOMETHING ON THE SEAT IT SAYS TO LOCK SEAT BELT THESE CARS ARE LEMONS WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SENSORS BEFORE SENSORS CARS DIDN'T BREAK DOWN AND IF THEY DID YOU COULD FIX IT YOURSELF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE WITH A WOMEN'S PURSE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SINCE THAT TIME, I GET TWO FAULT MESSAGES EVERY TIME I START THE CAR, REGARDING AN ERROR IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MESSAGE STATES TO ENSURE PASSENGER WEARS SEAT BELT AS THEY AIR BAG MAY NOT OPERATE.
WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, I WAS BOMBARDED WITH DRIVER'S AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT FAULTS, INFORMING ME OF "MALFUNCTION IN SEAT BELT, AIR BAGS, OR BELT TENSIONER. CONTINUE WEARING SEATBELT, CONSULT NEAREST SERVICE CENTER". VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTS FOR "DRIVER'S SEAT BELT TENSIONER - LINE CONNECTED INCORRECTLY" AND "BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL 2 - LINE CONNECTED INCORRECTLY". BMW CORPORATE INSTRUCTED RUNNING NEW REPLACEMENT WIRING FROM THE BATTERY, AND I WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT BMW STANDS BEHIND THIS PRODUCT AND THEY OFFERED A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BUY MY SATISFACTION. I INFORMED BMW THAT AS A FORMER AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER, I FIND THE REPAIR JOB TO BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE FAULT AND EXPECT THE ERROR TO RETURN. BMW DID NOT RESPOND, AND SURELY ENOUGH ONE WEEK LATER I STARTED THE CAR TO FIND THE SAME TWO FAULT LIGHTS ON AGAIN AND THE VEHICLE IS BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP. BMW IS ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE ADDITIONAL PARTS IN THE CAR INCLUDING THE ACTIVE CRASH SAFETY MODULE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP FOR 21 DAYS IN THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT AND 4 DAYS AND COUNTING THIS TIME. I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE FOLLOWING THESE INCIDENTS AND WOULD LIKE THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY A NEUTRAL 3RD PARTY. THROUGHOUT THIS INCIDENT BMW REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS VEHICLE AS A LEMON OR ONE-OFF SO I AM LED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY AFFECT ALL 3 SERIES THAT USE THE SAME ACTIVE CRASH SAFETY MODULE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED 2013 VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS W SAME ERROR 4XS - ERROR "DRIVETRAIN - VEHICLE CAN NOT BE RESTARTED" I HAVE BEEN ON FREEWAY AND ON STREET WHEN ERROR HAS OCCURRED. WJEN THIS ERROR OCCURS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NO LONGER WORK. VEHICLE CAN STILL BE DRIVEN BUT WITH CAUTION. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND CANNOT TAKE LONG TRIPS AWAY FROM BMW SERVICE LOCATIONS SINCE THIS ERROR APPEARS WITHOUT WARNING. BMW DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 7 DAYS LAST REPAIRS, HOWEVER I STILL HAVE ERROR APPEARING AND VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. DEALER NONCHALANT SINCE WARRANTY IS STILL IN PLACE -- I BELIEVE THEY ARE IGNORING AS NOT TO RELATE DRIVE TRANSMISSION. TOMORROW I HAVE NO VEHICLE SINCE CAR WON'T START. CONTACTED DEALER TO COME AND DELIVER RENTAL VEHICLE. I HAVE TO WORK! ERROR APPEARS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ALWAYS. I AM CONCERNED WITH MY SAFETY - NOT SURE WHAT ELSE WILL TAKE PLACE WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. TODAY WEATHER WAS 112 AND NO AIR CONDITIONING FOR 40 MILES. I NEED VEHICLE REPAIRED AS TO PASS EMISSIONS AS WELL AS FOR MY SAFETY!!!
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
HIT A POT HOLE FOR THE SECOND TIME BLOW OUT A RIM BUT NOW THE INDICATORS SAY DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTIONS AND WONT START WHO KNOWS WHERE THE OIL GOES KEEPS RUNNING LOW EVEN THOUGH NO LEAKS HAVEN'T SEEN MY CAR IN MONTHS PUT SOMETHING ON THE SEAT IT SAYS TO LOCK SEAT BELT THESE CARS ARE LEMONS WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SENSORS BEFORE SENSORS CARS DIDN'T BREAK DOWN AND IF THEY DID YOU COULD FIX IT YOURSELF
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
DURING LOW SPEED BRAKING BRAKE PEDAL FEELS HARD, BUT PRESSING HARDER DOES NOT STOP CAR. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU LOST CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. CAR WILL ROLL AND SLOWLY DECELERATE, BUT NOT ENOUGH. AFTER A FEW FEET OF SLOW DECELERATION, BRAKES KICK IN AND PROVIDE A LARGE BITE WHICH STOPS THE CAR. *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 .