2017 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 73 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 12th highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 2 involved a crash. 1 person was injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints
73 reports, newest first.
Engine, Sep 5, 2026
Diesel fuel pump failed while driving on the road. I also own a 2014 328d BMW which was recalled earlier where the diesel fuel pump was replaced by the dealership. While driving on the road, the car unexpectedly turned off in traffic. I managed to get the vehicle off the road and called a tow truck. I contacted my local BMW dealer and informed me my 2017 328d is not under a recall like my 2014 328d was. I then instructed the tow truck driver to take the car to an independent mechanic who specializes on BMWs. The diagnosis is a fail fuel pump.
Engine, Aug 27, 2026
Component: Engine Cooling System: Turbocharger Coolant Return Line/Fitting (Part # 11538854735). Defect Summary: The factory turbocharger coolant return line on the B48 engine uses a plastic quick-disconnect fitting and O-ring mechanism positioned directly under the turbo. Extreme thermal cycling causes this plastic to degrade, become brittle, and fail or separate without warning, resulting in immediate, catastrophic drainage of pressurized engine coolant. Failure of Manufacturer Requirements: This component fails basic durability, material safety, and engineering standards for pressurized cooling systems. The design is so fundamentally flawed that authorized factory-trained technicians cannot permanently remedy it using OEM parts; the connection mechanism fails to maintain a pressurized seal under standard operational heat. Freeway Safety Incident: While traveling at high speeds in high-velocity freeway traffic, the fitting failed catastrophically without warning. The sudden coolant loss forced an immediate engine stall/power failure in active lanes. Navigating the powerless vehicle out of the middle of the freeway while surrounding traffic swerved nearly caused a severe, high-speed multi-vehicle collision. Inadequate Remedy & Recurrence: The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership (BMW of the Woodlands, TX) for repair. However, within one week of dealership service, the new OEM line/O-ring completely disconnected again. This recurring separation completely drains the coolant within days, causing subsequent engine stalls, rendering the car undrivable, and repeatedly placing occupants in extreme danger. Thermal & Fire Hazard: Each failure sprays pressurized coolant onto a hot turbocharger and exhaust manifold, creating immediate risks of blinding smoke, vision obscuration, and engine bay ignition, compounded by thermal risks to the 330e hybrid powertrain battery electronics.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 19, 2026
Hybrid battery has a failed cell. It was confirmed by BMW diagnostics but BMW refused to repair/replace failed cell even though it was under full 8yr/80k mile warranty. BMW claimed it as wear and tear, even though 1 out of 5 cells completely failed. The failure caused the car to run at reduced speeds causing others cars around me on the freeway to be in danger as all of sudden I am unable to reach freeway speeds due to part failure. There was an error stored in the car per BMW diagnostics that called for failed Cell to be replaced per notes of the technician who ran the diagnostics. The vehicle was inspected and confirmed by BMW. Yes, there was an error on the infotainment of the car. I advised of the error to BMW.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 6, 2025
Unsure of the exact cause, appears to be the high voltage battery/electric drive function that is faulty. It is creating a hazardous condition causing the vehicle to propel itself forward while driving in traffic and almost hitting other vehicles on the roadway when the electric drive fails or it switches between battery and the engine. If it’s not propelling itself forward, it’s unexpectedly decreasing power and preventing the vehicle from driving after stopping for traffic, traffic signals and traffic signs. Increasing the risk for a rear-end collision. The electric drive is failing & rapidly switching between battery & engine multiple times in a short period. Likely increasing risk for a fire hazard. This is putting the driver & others on the roadway at risk due to increased collision and fire risks. Ferman BMW has recreated the issue. They advised it needed 2 new batteries, standard and the auxiliary battery. Those were replaced and the vehicle still is having issues. Six replaced 3 times. They now blame it on the high voltage batteries & their age. HV batteries are covered under warranty, yet Ferman BMW states they are not because there’s no fault code. Their position is the electric drive malfunction message is a notification & not a fault code. Despite duplicating the issues, having notice of the hazard they refuse to fix it. The message states “ Electric drive is temporarily restricted. You can continue driving. After cooling/heating of high-voltage battery full electric drive power will immediately be available.” A brief search will reveal many others with the same issue and some were successful in getting it handled under warranty. The car has been inspected by Ferman BMW 6 times. This is an ongoing issue with this model and a hazard to the driver, passengers and others on the roadways. Similar issues: [XXX] [XXX] Issue started 2022 car was only 5 yrs INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Exterior lighting, Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 BMW 330I. The contact stated that the rear driver’s side taillight cover loosened and detached but was able to be put back in place. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V074000 (Exterior Lighting); which the contact linked to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer referred to the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 BMW 320i. The contact stated that while his son was driving 35 MPH after an oil change was performed on the vehicle, the message "Engine Temperature High. Drive Moderately to Cool Engine. Consult Service Center" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the same independent mechanic, where an unknown diagnosis was made. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump electrical connector and wiring were corroded, fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump and the electrical connector needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. No further information was available. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.
Engine, May 22, 2025
My BMW has had multiple repairs (3 incidents - 2 times repaired by BMW and 1 time repaired by a national mechanic garage) to the coolant system since I purchased it in 2018. BMW have verified the leaking coolant as well as the independent garage. Currently, the coolant system has another on going issue where it is still leaking and it's still unable to be fixed. This coolant issue has had catastrophic failures at times and more recently it has thrown a major engine overheating warning that has impacted the safety of my wife, kids and I as well as other individuals on the road as I have had to pull over quickly and turn the car off to allow the engine to cool down. I've had to drive the car at a reduce speed and acceleration which has frustrated many drivers causing them to over take me dangerously. Additionally, I've burnt my hand from opening the coolant expansion tank to add coolant on multiple occasions.
Engine, Apr 21, 2025
I noticed coolant leaking from under the vehicle. The message to add coolant was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the engine was inspected, and was notified of stains of coolant coming from the head gasket. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. I believe this is failure is related to NHTSA Campaign Number: Recall 18V755000, October ,24 2018, My car has only 73000 Miles
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 BMW 330I. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed coolant leaking from under the vehicle. The message to add coolant was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the engine was inspected, and the contact became aware of stains of coolant coming from the head gasket. The contact was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated there was a software update performed on the rearview camera. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V755000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 73,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 BMW 330I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low coolant warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the vehicle was consuming and excessive amount of coolant. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir was empty after being refilled the previous morning. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V755000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); the VIN was included, and the vehicle was already repaired under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Mar 10, 2025
Oil filter housing and or oil cooler failed. Leaking internally and externally. May cause fluid to leak on to hot engine and cause potential fire or short circuit wiring.
Engine, Feb 18, 2025
UNKNOWN, it has problems with stalling and starting up could be issues with the internal drive system that I’ve seen other types of similar models of bmw having these recall issues as well. When starting up after fueling up it over exerts the engine trying to start up. You kind of have to rev it to start it up. And driving it after that it has trouble keeping a solid drive.
Other or unspecified, Feb 13, 2025
2 low coolant warnings within 4 months ended up being an oil filter housing failure, leading to oil and coolant mixing and leaking. This failure could have lead to catastrophic engine damage. An ASE certified shop is doing the repair for around $2,950.
Service brakes, Jan 8, 2025
I started to hear a grinding noise from the center-underside of my car about 4 months ago. I did some research and found that many BMW customers had experienced the same noise and the diagnosis was a parking brake line that drops on the main driveshaft after breaking free of the plastic support that is supposed to hold it in place. A video with sound of of the problem can been seen/heard here - [XXX] I had my BMW dealer look into the problem and his diagnosis was the same. The plastic clip that holds the parking brake cable in place had broken. And when the cable drops it rubs on the driveshaft making the grinding noise. A copy of the estimate to repair is attached. So far this failure has not caused any problems with either the parking or drivability of the car. The concern that I have is that the clip failure could lead to either a brake failure or a failure of the driveshaft. The problem seems to occur for a number of BMWs and it appears to be a significant safety problem that should be addressed by BMW. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Dec 6, 2024
The vehicle had a recall on the engine coolant valve line which was taken care of by BMW dealership on November 1, 2024. In less than a month later, an issue has been noted of coolant leak which caused the engine to overheat causing a safety issue on the road while driving my kids to school. The service manager advised that the issue is not part of the open recall that was already done on November 1st. How can a recall for the same concern of coolant leak and engine over heat cover only one hose where the issue could be related to another hose connection?
Engine, Nov 26, 2024
On yesterday i went to the Bmw dealership for service. once i got there i reported that i been smelling a burning smell coming from underneath the hood. well the technician can back and reported i have 3 leaks. i was told i needed to replaced EG58 Gasket oil Filter housing, EN17 cylinder head cover Gasket. i need to know if my 2017 Bmw 320i have a Recall on this matter. i believe in 2022 from what i read today.
Engine, Oct 28, 2024
This is my second BMW 3 series. Both of my BMW 3 series have flaws in cooling system. Within 7-year of purchase, it has more than 7 leaking issues. In 2019, it has water pump issue In 2020 it has evaporative emissions vent purge valve issue In 2022, it has cooling system hoses leaks In 2023, it has cylinder head leak In 2024, it has coolant leaks, oil filter leaks, and front struts leaks. All these are related to a failed cooling system and overheating engine.
Engine, Sep 14, 2024
In November of 2023 I was driving my vehicle on the highway when my vehicle's control panel notified me the engine was over heating and I needed to stop driving the vehicle immediately. All the engine coolant had leaked from my vehicle. I had to pull over on the highway and have my vehicle towed. My mechanic identified the problem as the coolant vent line and made the repair. Total cost was $2,052.16 including the tow. A few months later a message from BMW came up on my vehicle's computer display saying there was an "Important recall or campaign", a service action for the exact repair I paid $2,052.16. They now refuse to reimburse me because it is not labeled a "recall". This issue is widespread and needs to be labeled a recall for consumers. A known defect since 2022 that I was never notified prior to the incident and now they refuse to reimburse me for a know defect in their product. I believe this violates my rights under federal consumer protection laws. Please help the consumers and force BMW to label this safety issue a recall and stop hiding behind their euphemisms
Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 20, 2024
I’m not sure why my car was not apart of this water pump recall. I was driving without any warning my car started stalling and then completely stopped on me. I had to pay for a new water pump due to this. I thought that was was strange as I have always be up on all maintenance for my car. My car was in top notch condition and this occurred from no where. Thank God I was not hit.; but this did cause me a lot of hassle and money. I am asking BMW to refund me for my time lost and money spent. My car should be among BMW recall. Please add this car model to the recall and refund me my money.
Air bags, Jun 1, 2024, crash
On May 4th, at approximately 6:45 AM, I was driving in heavy rain at a speed under 65 miles per hour when my car hydroplaned and I lost control. This resulted in a significant accident. Despite the severity of the crash, the steering wheel airbag did not deploy, which resulted in a whiplash neck injury for me. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating a problem before the incident. However, after the crash, all the lights on the dashboard turned on. The malfunctioning airbag posed a serious risk to my safety. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer, manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or independent service centers since the incident
Service brakes, May 21, 2024
There is a well known issue with the clip on BMW 3 series (mine is a 2017 330i) that holds the parking brake cable assembly to the body if the car above the drive shaft towards the rear of the car. The plastic clips fail frequently, causing the parking brake cable assembly to fall and the brake lines rub against the driveshaft creating a metal-to-metal noise. Over time the friction between the drive shaft and parking brake cable will eventually create failure of the cable in my opinion. I have this issue and I have seen several online videos of others who have the same issue.
Air bags, Seat belts, Seats, May 6, 2024
Passenger restraint system malfunction just came out of the blue. In the morning it was fine, in the afternoon when I went out to my car it threw this error. Other cars in the 5 and X series with the sport seats I have were also recalled for this same issue, but there is no recall for my car. Please help!
Engine, Apr 8, 2024
Persistent Low coolant warning issue, Coolant leak was discovered to be coming from Oil filter housing. This is a $3000 repair on something that should last at least as long as the engine. If there are others with this problem, Then maybe a recall is due. Dealer is repairing now at my expense.
Other or unspecified, Mar 11, 2024
In October of 2023. I notice low coolant notification came on screen. checked coolant saw it was low. Added Coolants. 3 days later same notification. Took vehicle to Shop who stated the coolant cap seal was broken, so I had them replace the coolant cap. 3 days later the same Low coolant light came back. Every few days I had to put coolant in my vehicle. I went through 2 bottles of coolant. Over the Christmas holiday Dec/2023. I dropped my vehicle off at a shop. The oil filter housing and cooler gaskets was bad. BMW replaced this piece from a metal part with a plastic piece. This is my only vehicle and I had to pay for this expensive repair so I could get back and forth to work. Prior to me having the repair done, when I was trying to figure out the problem. I noticed a lot of online information of the same issues for 2017 BMW 330I. THe shop . did the repair told me he had done about 10 of these repairs for the same Year/Make and Model.,the past few months. I had to pay $2,637.20 for this repair. There is clearly a notable problem with coolant leaks. I make sure I have vehicle serviced when the notifications come on the screen and have documentation to show this. Please look into this issues.
Engine, Feb 6, 2024
BMW B48 engine. Coolant started leaking and the engine overheated. Unbeknownst to me caus the bottom of the car is covered. I had a mechanic look at it. Found the leak coming from the "oil filter housing unit". When he removed it it was broken at one of the 6 ports inside with the pieces missing presumably fell into the interior of the engine. BMW manufactured these units out of a composite material and not aluminum I assume to save costs and weight. This composite material has failed in many of their engines including the mini cooper. When I looked on line googling it I was shocked at how wide spread it was. It's a costly repair about 2000-2500 for parts and labor. This composite material is also used in their failing water pumps all the failing coolant hose connectors and more I believe.