BMW 1 Series Recalls

The BMW 1 Series has 7 recalls covering 2007 through 2012 model years, with the most serious being a camshaft timing unit where loose or broken housing bolts can cause the engine to stall or drop into reduced power mode while driving on 2010-2012 vehicles, raising the risk of a crash.

The 2011 model year has a separate powertrain concern: the rivet connections holding the rear driveshaft's CV joint can weaken over time and cause the joint to break, leaving the vehicle with no drive power while in motion. On 2008-2011 models, the insulation around the front seatbelt pretensioner can ignite when the pretensioner fires in a crash, creating a fire risk inside the cabin at the moment of impact.

The 2008 model year has two additional issues. Wiring connectors for the cabin blower motor regulator can corrode, causing the wiring to overheat and melt, with smoke or a burning smell as possible warning signs before a fire develops. There is also a concern with incorrectly installed crimp connectors on the side airbag and seatbelt tensioner wiring, where poor contact can prevent the airbags or tensioners from functioning properly in a crash.

Going back to the earliest production years, the 2007 model shares a version of the pretensioner insulation issue: sound insulation in the B-pillar near the seatbelt pretensioner can catch fire when the pretensioner deploys in a severe crash.