2007 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 1,040 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2007 reports, 29 involved a crash and 61 involved a fire. 24 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, crankcase (pcv)Mar 2, 2022
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Campaign 22V119000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, cooling system, fanAug 10, 2012
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
Campaign 12E029000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: steering
116 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Nov 23, 2011
THE STEERING LOCK SENSOR IS ON. MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE STEERING WHEEL. GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AT IT SEEMS THAT IT IS A FACTORY DEFECT AS TONS OF PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED. *TR
Steering, Oct 24, 2011
THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK FAILED WHICH REQUIRED BMW TO REPLACE THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN AT $1,252.92!!! *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Oct 23, 2011
THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK. THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, BUT THE CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY DESPITE THE OWNER'S MANUAL SAYING THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE LIGHT, UNTIL I TRIED TO START MY CAR ONE MORNING. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, AND I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED. IT APPEARS TO BE A COMPLEX PROBLEM AS BMW DEALER MECHANICS CAN ONLY TELL ME THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME WHY IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR HAVE BEEN BETWEEN $1300 AND $1800 DEPENDING ON THE DEALER. I UNDERSTAND THAT CARS BREAK DOWN BUT, AFTER VISITING BMW FORUMS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS PLAIN TO SEE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT BMW REFUSES TO FIX. ONE POSTING DID INDICATE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN CAUSING A DANGEROUS SITUATION, BUT, IN MY CASE, THE CAR WAS PARKED. THIS DEFECT DOES POSE TO CAR OWNERS A GREAT INCONVENIENCE WITH POSSIBLE UNSAFE CONSEQUENCES DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE CAR OWNER GETTING STRANDED. FURTHERMORE, ONCE STRANDED, THE OWNER HAS LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO GET IT TOWED MOST LIKELY TO A BMW DEALERSHIP AND PAY THE LARGE REPAIR BILL. (I TRIED AN INDY BMW SPECIALIST FIRST. HE COULD NOT FIX IT OR EVEN DETERMINE WHY IT WAS OCCURRING.) I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN THE HOPE THAT ANY SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA WILL REVEAL THAT BMW HAS LET A KNOWN DEFECT PERSIST. ONCE THAT IS DISCOVERED, BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THE DEFECT AND REIMBURSE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR A COSTLY REPAIR. *TR
Steering, Sep 20, 2011
RED STEERING WHEEL WITH PADLOCK IN THE DASH. DOESN'T GO AWAY AT ALL. COST SEVERAL THOUSAND TO FIX. CAR WON'T START SOMETIMES OTHERS IT WILL BUT STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T LOCK. SEARCHED ONLINE AND TONS OF OTHER 2006-2007 BMW OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, ONCE THEY FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM THEY STARTED KEEPING ALL THE PARTS ION STOCK. I EVEN SPOKE TO A DEALERSHIP THAT SAYS THEY HAVE 2 CARS A WEEK FOR THIS; ABSOLUTELY INSANE FOR ONE DEALERSHIP. ITS A WELL KNOWN DEFAULT BUT NOT RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TO LOCK WHILE SOMEONE WAS DRIVING IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR
Steering, Equipment, Jul 27, 2011
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED ON 2007 BMW 328I COUPE FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO MONTHS! HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED, MISSED WORK, AND OUT OF A VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS FIXED...FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO MONTHS. I ALSO KNOW OF AT LEAST 4 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR BMW'S. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. *TR
Steering, Jul 8, 2011
DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, May 24, 2011
CAR DIED OUT OF NO WHERE WHO NOT START WOULD NOT JUMP START HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED FOR BIG MONEY ON A FLAT BED WITH SKATES. I WAS HOURS AWAY FROM HOME. STEERING COLUMN AND A NEW BATTERY OVER $1600. *TR
Steering, Apr 20, 2011
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ICON ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PANEL. IT KEPT GIVING THE WARNING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK AND IF I TURN THE CAR OFF, I WON'T BE ABLE TO CRANK IT. I DROVE IT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF, I COULD NOT CRANK IT BACK UP. I HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED AT MY LOCAL BMW REPAIR SHOP. I HAVE KNOWN OTHER BMW OWNER'S WHO SAYS THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM MORE THAN ONCE. I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE BMW 328I MODELS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COULD ALSO LOCK IF A PERSON WAS DRIVING, ALSO. *TR
Steering, Mar 31, 2011
BMW STEERING WHEEL LOCK CANT START VEHICLE LEAVES YOU STRANDED. HAD DEALER REPLACED ALREADY ONCE IN PAST PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR
Steering, Mar 23, 2011
RED STEERING WHEEL LOCK WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ONE DAY. I NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR STARTING EVEN WITH THE WARNING LIGHT ON. I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. NOT BECAUSE IT WAS BAD, BUT BECAUSE THE SENSOR WAS BAD AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WAS REPLACING THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. TOTAL COST WAS OVER $700. MY CAR WAS 3 MONTHS AND 5,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WARNING LIGHT SENSOR IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOPEFULLY ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND BMW RECALLS THIS PART THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR
Steering, Mar 6, 2011
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP UNEXPECTED AND CAR WILL NOT START. HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT SINCE 12/28/09. CAR HAS TO BE TOWED FROM LOCATIONS. *TR
Steering, Electrical system, Feb 17, 2011
RED STEERING WHEEL AND PADLOCK WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON - STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LOCK. THE MOST COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS FAULT CAN CAUSE A "NO START" CONDITION. THE "NO START" CONDITION CAN ARISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL COULD LOCK WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE WITHIN 4 YEARS AND COMMON IN BMW'S (SEE THREAD: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=316722 *AND THREAD: HTTP://WWW.E90POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=147586)
Steering, Jan 31, 2011, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK, CAUSING HIM TO HIT A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FILED A REPORT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION WHICH WAS INCONCLUSIVE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Steering, Sep 28, 2009
DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300. *TR
Steering, Jun 25, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT DROVE ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT CRASHING. THE BRAKES WERE SLOW TO RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED AND THE ABS LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STILL LOCKED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. WHEN SHE RESTARTED IT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN OPERATING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,183.
Steering, Mar 20, 2007
I LEASED A BMW 328I 4 DOOR, AND THE DEALER DELIVERED THE NEW CAR FROM SPRING VALLEY , NY TO LAWRENCE, NY ON MARCH 1 2007. ON MARCH 13 2007, 12 DAYS LATER & 200 MILES ON THE CAR WHICH THE DEALER DROVE AT LEAST 100 OR MORE OF THE MILES, AND WHILE DRIVING INTO A GAS STATION FOR FIRST GAS FILLUP THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE CRACKED OFF THE TIE ROD, JUST CRACKED MY PICTURES , WHICH WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER BY BMW. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER, AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT I HIT SOMETHING A FEW DAYS AGO, AND BMW WAS NOT RESPOSIBLE FOR THIS. I SHOULD CALL MY INSURANCE OMPANY. I WAS APPALED BY THE RESPONSE, SO I STARTED WRITING & CALLING BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. I WAS ASSURED BY CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT THEY WERE SENDING ENGINEERS TO SEE THE CAR IN SPRING VALLEY ,NY, AND RESPONDED TO THIS MATTER IN A TIMELY FASHION.*AK