2022 BMW M340I

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

The starter in my 2022 BMW M340I sedan was faulty after 54,000 miles. It began to take two attempts to start the vehicle each time and was at risk of not starting. The first attempt all electrical components would turn on but the ignition was unable to start the engine. Then the second attempt was generally successful. I took it to the dealer and had to replace my starter to return the vehicle to normal operation. BMW has recalled tens of thousands of other starters including my model but not yet for the 2022 BMW M340i I was told.

NHTSA ID

11738601

Incident

Apr 20, 2026

The vehicle displayed a “Passenger Restraint System Malfunction” warning. Upon diagnosis by an authorized BMW dealership (Fields BMW, [XXX] ), the issue was identified as a faulty passenger knee airbag wiring harness (short to ground). The dealer confirmed that this condition is documented in a BMW Technical Service Bulletin [XXX] ), indicating that BMW is aware of a recurring defect involving this component. This failure directly affects the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS), which is a critical safety system designed to protect occupants in the event of a crash. A malfunction in this system raises serious concerns about whether the airbag will deploy properly. Despite this being a known issue, BMW has not issued a recall and is requiring customers to pay for repairs once the vehicle is outside the warranty period. I was offered only partial “goodwill” assistance (20%), leaving me responsible for the majority of the repair cost. This appears to be a systemic defect in a federally regulated safety system, not normal wear and tear. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue for potential recall, as it may affect multiple vehicles and poses a safety risk if the airbag system does not function as intended. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11728350

Incident

Mar 26, 2026

On the day of purchase, while traveling at approximately 70mph on the Florida Turnpike, a large section of the lower dashboard assembly detached and fell onto my feet, obstructing access to the pedals., the vehicle displayed a "Powertrain Failure" warning light. Subsequent inspection of the tires revealed extreme pressure variances (ranging from 33 to 41 PSI) and multiple "sticky" or stuck tire valves, one of which remained open and caused rapid deflation. These defects represent a significant failure of the seller's advertised "150-point inspection" and posed an immediate life-safety risk at highway speeds. 01/05/2026 at 12:30pm ish

NHTSA ID

11715883

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

Water pump failure and coolant reservoir leak.

NHTSA ID

11648018

Incident

Mar 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2022 BMW M340I. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the power steering failure message was displayed, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn in either direction. After approximately one hour, the vehicle was restarted, the failure was self-corrected, and the steering wheel operated as normal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on two separate occasions due to the failure, but no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 300.

NHTSA ID

11545199

Incident

Aug 15, 2022

Mileage

300 mi

The brakes failed at high speed. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. The car hit a barrier and flipped on its roof. Yes, I and my passenger were both at risk of serious injury. No independent confirmation has taken place at this time. No warning lights indicated malfunction.

NHTSA ID

11485941

Incident

Sep 18, 2022

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.

An interference noise (groaning noise) can be heard from within the heating and air-conditioning unit in thecenter of the instrument panel. The groaning noise always occurs when either a ventilation flap, air stratification flap or the recirculated airflap moves to a different position. Due to the complex design of the heating and air-conditioning unit, the kinematics causing it (top or bottom,left or right) may not be able to be precisely located. Depending on the vehicle model, the number of servomotors (and the associated kinematics unit) varies.Various models use either 2 or 3 servomotors.

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.

Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material-

?A software error may cause an unwanted pressure pulsation in the transmission during a "Remote Engine Start."

BMW AG has issued an Emissions Recall (effective March 17, 2023) on a certain Model Year 2021 - 2023 BMW vehicles that were produced between June 16, 2020, and December 13, 2022. Due to a software failure, there is the possibility that the transmission does not go into "sleep mode" if the car is turned off.