2018 BMW 230I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 230I years
- Not enough data 2nd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 230I. That ranks 2nd out of 10 230I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (3 complaints, 75%), typically at around 3,500 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 4owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 BMW 230I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 75% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 25% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 25% | 12,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 BMW 230I 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 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2, and X3 xDrive 30i SAV vehicles. These vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not properly illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: If the display does not illuminate during start up or does not illuminate various control and warning symbols while driving, it can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster display software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
oil filter/coolant housing fail at 69,00 miles. Dumped coolant and got quoted for an expensive mechanic fix $4000
The coolant pipe from the engine cylinder head to the coolant reservoir broke unexpectedly which left us stranded on a narrow shoulder on the side of a busy highway with cars streaming by at high speed. A warning lamp directed us not to drive. Our safety was absolutely put at risk obviously. We had…
I have a 2018 2 series xdrive convertible with 18' pirelli run flat tires. This is my second 2 series. I have had 6 of these tires blow due to potholes over the two cars i have had over 4 years. The last one that blew was on friday on i65 just south of louisville. I had to wait 4 hours for tow…
Driving down the freeway at 65mph, car engine just shuts down. No power steering, no way to get over. Car display says drive train error. Car got towed to the dealer for service, dealer "fixes" issue. 2 days later, exact same thing happens again on the freeway at 65mph. Engine just shuts down…
Other BMW 230I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 230I | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 230I | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 230I | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 230I | 4 | 3 |
| 2022 230I | 4 | 2 |
| 2021 230I | 1 | 2 |
| 2020 230I | 2 | 1 |
| 2019 230I | 1 | 1 |
| 2018 | 4 | 2 |
| 2017 230I | 11 | 0 |
See all BMW 230I 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 2018 BMW 230I?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, wheels problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 BMW 230I?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 BMW 230I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 230I model years, the 2018 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.