2008 BMW 1 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 1 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 BMW 1 Series. That ranks 2nd out of 13 1 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints, 33%), typically at around 118,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 18owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 BMW 1 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 6 | 33% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 28% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 17% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 17% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 11% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 11% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 6% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | 145,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 6% | 52,640 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 BMW 1 Series recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:retractor
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 1-series vehicles. In a crash of sufficient severity, deployment of the front pre-tensioner and load-limiter occurs.
Risk: The insulation around the pre-tensioner could ignite.
Fix: Vehicles produced up through december 2009 will receive new front safety belt retractor units and a modification to the sound insulation near the units, while vehicles produced between january 2010 and may 2010 will receive a modification to the sound insulation near the units. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on august 23, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
Seat belts:front; air bags:frontal
Problem: Bmw is recalling 2,350 my 2008 1-series and 3- series passenger cars. Incorrect crimp connectors may have been used on the side air bag and belt tensioner wiring. As a result sufficient contact between the crimp connectors and the corresponding plug may not occur which could lead to an increase in the electrical resistance of that connection.
Risk: If that happened, it would be possible for the side air bag and/or the safety belt tensioner not to deploy and will not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2009. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services toll-free at 1-800-525-7417.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Major fueling issues with my car. So far i've had to replace injectors, low pressure fuel pump, fuel control module, and now i'm being told i need to replace the high pressure fuel pump. From reading the forums online it seems to be that all these parts are very faulty on the car especially the…
The passenger seat occupancy sensor mat is defective and is a quite common occurrence on all bmw vehicles. The mat will send a trouble signal to the dash that brings up the airbag light on the instrument panel that will not go off.
Car goes into limp mode when passing car and goes into limp getting on interstate. The car has shown bad high pressure fuel pump but bmw will not stand behind there bad pumps.
The passenger seat occupant sensor began to sound off to secure the seat belt though no one sat there. I reported this problem to bmw when i got the takata airbag replaced and got a questions about my opinion on whether i considered it a safety issue. I declined to say and they just sent me away. A…
"3rd brakelight" lens continues to break. I purchased the car in july of 2008 and will soon be on its 3rd lens. This is a bmw defect and is a very expensive part. I'm concerned about re-replacing this defective part over and over again and if i choose not to, others being able to see me when i…
Other BMW 1 Series years
← 2007 1 Series · 2009 1 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 1 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 1 Series | 33 | 2 |
| 2010 1 Series | 8 | 2 |
| 2009 1 Series | 18 | 1 |
| 2008 | 18 | 2 |
| 2007 1 Series | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 1 Series | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 1 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 1 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2003 1 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 1 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 1 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 1 Series | 1 | 0 |
See all BMW 1 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW 1 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, exterior lighting, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 BMW 1 Series?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 BMW 1 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 1 Series model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.