2010 BMW 1 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 1 Series years
- Not enough data 4th of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 BMW 1 Series. That ranks 4th out of 13 1 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints, 50%), typically at around 93,000 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 8owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 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 | 4 | 50% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 13% | 1,530 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 13% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 13% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 13% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 13% | 40,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 BMW 1 Series recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Risk: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
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.
Failed passenger seat occupancy sensor. Does not detect passenger. "airbag off" is illuminated when passenger is present.
I received a letter from bmw advising that parts are available and to contact my local dealer to have them installed. I have contacted my dealer and they said that due to limited availability of parts, i could not have them installed until march 2018.
Takata recall
Takata recall
My wife was driving her car on the free way at night by her self and it went from 65 miles to hour to 25 miles an hour and then it stopped. I had to have the vehicle towed to my home and my wife was very scared. I then had the car towed to mag bmw in dublin ohio. Once there i was told that it had a…
Other BMW 1 Series years
← 2009 1 Series · 2011 1 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 1 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 1 Series | 33 | 2 |
| 2010 | 8 | 2 |
| 2009 1 Series | 18 | 1 |
| 2008 1 Series | 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 2010 BMW 1 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2010 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 2010 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 2010 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.