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2002 BMW 330I Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 2002 BMW 330I, and owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
45
owner complaints to NHTSA
3 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire

6 safety recalls for the 2002 BMW 330I

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 20V018000 Reported 292,948 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  2. Air bags Do not drive

    NHTSA 14V428000 Reported 574,007 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners…

  3. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 15V318000 Reported 419,235 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners…

  4. Air bags Do not drive

    NHTSA 13V172000 Reported 43,204 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available,…

  5. Turn signal (exterior lighting) and 2 other components

    NHTSA 11V438000 Reported 241,000 vehicles potentially affected BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

    BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi vehicles manufactured from september 1, 2001, through march 1, 2005. Over time, resistance in the electrical contacts may cause one or more rear lamp functions (tail light, brake light, and/or turn-signal), within the vehicle's body panel, to stop working.

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on february 15, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.

  6. Suspension

    NHTSA 02V057000 Reported 4,672 vehicles potentially affected BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE

    On certain passenger vehicles, during the strut mount manufacturing process, the thrust bearing was not properly positions and secured. If the suspension is fully unloaded, the front strut could separate from the upper mount.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace both front spring strut upper mounts. Owner notification began march 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…

45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 BMW 330I have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 86,368 miles. Complaints peaked in 2016 with 13 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Loss of power the battery dies quick and alarm system goes off randomly and the car has lost acceleration air bag needs replaced and the car makes noises”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 21, 2021 · Engine

“Having a problem with my gm5 module which controls locking/ unlocking doors, windshield wipers and interior lights. Got stranded today because i could not unlock my car. The key fob wouldn't unlock it”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 2, 2020 · Electrical system

Compare BMW 330I model years

Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 330I model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1999 BMW 330I20
2000 BMW 330I30
2001 BMW 330I7116
2002 BMW 330I645
2003 BMW 330I677
2004 BMW 330I4113
2005 BMW 330I428
2006 BMW 330I7219
2007 BMW 330I30
2008 BMW 330I30
2009 BMW 330I30
2010 BMW 330I30
2011 BMW 330I30
2017 BMW 330I041
2018 BMW 330I132
2019 BMW 330I941
2020 BMW 330I1153
2021 BMW 330I729
2022 BMW 330I36
2023 BMW 330I24
2024 BMW 330I25
2025 BMW 330I15
2026 BMW 330I01

Checking a specific 2002 BMW 330I

How do I know if my 2002 BMW 330I has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2002 BMW 330I; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V057000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other BMW models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.