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: fuel/propulsion system
7 reports, newest first. Show all
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)
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 15, 2023
Cracked fuel tank. Smells of gasoline when the tank is full but the odor goes away once the fuel level gets below 3/4-1/2 a tank. Here is a walk around video of when my car was in for this issue [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 9, 2022
We had a 2017 bmw 330i x-drive. It had approximately 67000 miles. The car stalled while driving about 6 times. The first time was in 3/2021. The diagnostics were for a faulty high pressure fuel pump. We replaced the HPFP. It stalled again while driving. The diagnostics were for a faulty low pressure fuel pump. We replaced this. The car then stalled while driving 2 more times. The car stalled again in 10/2021, and we towed it to the dealer, who diagnosed a problem with the electric fuel pump control unit., which the dealer replaced. We brought the car home for one day, and we had the same problem again. We brought the car back to the BMW dealer, who diagnosed a problem with the VANOS system. The BMW Peabody dealer directed us to BMW corporate for evaluation of available warranties and rebates given the nature of the problem (VANOS) being warranted under the California SULEV emissions standards and the fact that they dealer had diagnosed a separate problem the day before. We sent the diagnostics and the SULEV warranty info to Sean, as everyone at BMW seemed unaware of its existence and who was responsible for following it. He took weeks “looking into it,” and the dealer repaired the VANOS during this time without a final answer from corporate. A car stopping while driving is clearly dangerous to the occupants and surrounding vehicles. BMW did not honor the SULEV warranty, which clearly covers the VANOS and the fuel pumps until 70000 miles. The car was traded to BMW Peabody, as we no longer felt safe driving it. We do not know if the replacement of the VANOS fixed the problem.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 22, 2022
Hi, my vehicle has a recall, 21v586, for high pressure fuel pump. I suggest this recall should be elevated to a mandatory recall. When my fuel pump failed it immediately lost power while driving. I was fortunate to maneuver the car across traffic to a safe location. I consider myself a defensive and conscious driver. Had this been my wife or someone else I'm not real confident that they would be able to safely maneuver the vehicle as there was no warning. Moreover, my car has been unavailable since 5/19 when this occurred. This pump had a such a catastrophic failure that it sheared a mounting bolt holding it to engine. Metal fragments were displaced throughout the fuel system. Most recent estimate to replace fuel tank, fuel lines, low pressure pump and high pressure pump stands at $14,000+. I was just informed on 6/21, that the engine will need to be removed to extract mounting bolt of the high pressure fuel pump. At this point, I don't know when my car will be returned to me.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 22, 2022
On February 5, 2022 while driving on 70 mph on I64 my vehicle shut down due to the recall causing the the high-pressure fuel pump to shut down causing the engine to stall and a message that there was a powertrain malfunction and the vehicle would not start back or go into gear. The interstate was very busy and I could have been hit by a tractor trailer or another vehicle at high speed. I received a recall notice that stated there was a remedy available November 2021, but when I called the dealership I was told there were no parts available and they would call me when parts became available. A month went by and the issue with the recall happened leaving me in a very dangerous situation. The car was towed to Moses BMW on 2/6/22 and over 30 parts have been ordered. I have been told that there is no estimate on when the parts would arrive. There is a second safety recall with no remedy that has been present October 2018 and Moses BMW sold me the vehicle in June 2020. I received a notice January 2022. This recall is for the EGR Cooler developing an internal leak possibly causing the vehicle to catch fire. I have asked BMW to buy the vehicle back due to safety reasons and the long wait time to fix the one recall and no fix for the other, and they refuse. In addition, they sold me a vehicle that was under recall and according to S.1634 - Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act that was against the law.
Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 1, 2021
High Pressure Fuel Pump started going out on 15 April 2021 while under manufacturer warranty. Took to Moss Motors BMW in Lafayette LA. BMW found High Pressure Fuel pump issue, replaced fuel rail and sensors. Check Engine Light came back on 21 May 2021. Took to BMW of Mobile for inspection. BMW could find no issues and returned car on 5 June 2021. Check Engine Light came back on 5 June 2021 and car stopped function. Had towed to BMW of Mobile. BMW of mobile found metal shavings in Fuel tank, indicative of High Pressure Fuel Pump failure. BMW of Mobile cleaned tank, replaced compensation flow valve, and returned car on 5 July 2021 (now out of manufacturer warranty period). Check Engine Light came back on 22 July 2021. Limped car to Moss Motors in Lafayette, LA. Informed that car has High Pressure fuel pump failure and researching issue. BMW researching issue and as of 1 Oct 2021 still has no resolution.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 25, 2019
RECEIVED LETTER FROM BMW IN THE FALL OF 2018 STATING THE NATURE OF THE RECALL AND THAT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER 2018. AS OF THIS MORNING, PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND WAS TOLD IT'S AT LEAST 3-4 WEEKS AWAY. IS THIS TYPICAL WAIT TIME TO ADDRESS RECALL ISSUES?