BMW 330e

Where it stands out against its peers

• Engine and engine cooling: more complaints than 93% of 2016 cars — 13% of its 93 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

33% of 2021 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 4. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 18V465000

  A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.

  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.

• 18V652000

  An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 20V490000

  A short-circuited hybrid battery may increase the risk of a fire.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery modules, free of charge. BMW issued owners an interim notification on October 16, 2020. Although potentially affected BMW owners received interim owner notification letters, all potentially affected BMW owner vehicles have been remedied; therefore, BMW Final owner notification letters will not be necessary. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 20V601000

  The debris could result in a short-circuit, increasing the risk of fire or injury.

  BMW will inspect and, if necessary, replace the battery module free of charge. The remedy is currently being developed. Until the remedy is completed, drivers are instructed to not charge their vehicles. Drivers are instructed to not drive in manual mode, sport mode, and to not use the shift paddles. Owners were notified of the safety risk October 23, 2020. The recall began November 24, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 21V096000

  If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 21V298000

  An improperly installed seat belt assembly may not restrain an occupant as expected, increasing the risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat belt buckle assembly connection and, if necessary, replace it, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 21V554000

  During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.

  Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

BMW filed 10 bulletins about the 2024 330e.

• Electrical system: 3
• Engine and engine cooling: 2
• Engine: 1
• Equipment: 1
• Fuel system, gasoline: 1
• Steering: 1
• Visibility: 1

• The high-voltage battery assemblys refrigerant circuit expansion valves limited warranty for defects in materials and/ or workmanship has been extended to 15 years / 150,000 miles as determined from… · May 2025
• Electric driving: A power reduction while electric driving Electric driving is not possible even though the high voltage (HV) battery is sufficiently charged Starting of the internal combustion… · November 2024
• Check Control message (CCM) indicates: (ID 213): Stop, exercising due care. Voltage supply The Service Engine Soon light is on with the following DME Fault Code: 21B209 - Starter alternator / belt… · April 2024
• The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. · February 2024
• The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3). FaultB7F8F9 – “HU-H: Reset” will… · February 2024
• The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers… · February 2024
• Customer states one of the front seats is inoperative. The seat heater and power supply are inoperative. During the vehicle test, the seat module does not respond. The power supply fuse for the seat… · February 2024
• At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be… · February 2024

2 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.