2011 BMW 1 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 1 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 1 Series. That is the most of any 1 Series model year in the database (13 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (15 complaints, 45%), typically at around 59,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 33owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 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 | 15 | 45% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 21% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 12% | 20,840 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 12% | 24,974 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 9% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 6% | 25 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 6% | 13,700 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 6% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 14,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | 4,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | 25 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 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.
I just had the bolts on both the (intake and exhaust replaced) this is listed in the unspecified recall and no one notified me on this recall i drive the 2011 128i series coupe and this cost me out of pocket $1,800 dollars to replace, what i do not understand is why i was not notified of this i…
I bring in to longbeach bmw dealers and they mass up the car and they wanted 10,000 dallors to fixed it and i only bring to in for recalls i don't let me pick up the car
The car was moving at highway speed with ac running. Smoke plumed from vents and under front passenger footwell. Electrical fire stemming from blower motor final stage unit and wiring harness.
The vehicle was in motion and the blower motor resistor harness began to smoke heavily. The a/c stopped working. I pulled over and disconnected the wiring harness and pulled the fuse. The wires melted, the connector melted, and the resistor is broken. After some research i see that bmw has recalled…
The high pressure fuel pump has failed and been replaced multiple times. It begins with the car taking much longer to crank and start. Then it completely fails potentially while driving, creating a safety issue, or will no longer start. The hpfp is easily replaced with just 3 bolts holding it to…
Other BMW 1 Series years
← 2010 1 Series · 2012 1 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 1 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 | 33 | 2 |
| 2010 1 Series | 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 2011 BMW 1 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.