Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 1 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2011 1 Series | 33 | 2 |
| 2010 1 Series | 8 | 2 |
| 2009 1 Series | 18 | 1 |
| 2008 1 Series | 18 | 2 |
| 2007 1 Series | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 1 Series | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 1 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2004 1 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Air bags39
- Electrical system18
- Exterior lighting16
- Fuel/propulsion system9
- Engine8
- Steering6
- Unknown or other5
- Seats5
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
In New Zealand
16,033 1 Series cars are on the New Zealand register; 71% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 71 | 71 | 0 |
| 2025 | 130 | 125 | 5 |
| 2024 | 79 | 77 | 2 |
| 2023 | 83 | 80 | 3 |
| 2022 | 104 | 100 | 4 |
| 2021 | 259 | 248 | 11 |
| 2020 | 250 | 198 | 50 |
| 2019 | 222 | 171 | 49 |
| 2018 | 212 | 169 | 41 |
| 2017 | 278 | 174 | 101 |
| 2016 | 454 | 219 | 231 |
| 2015 | 917 | 276 | 627 |
| 2014 | 1,367 | 439 | 919 |
| 2013 | 1,645 | 411 | 1,216 |
| 2012 | 2,314 | 334 | 1,936 |
| 2011 | 1,051 | 142 | 885 |
| 2010 | 1,125 | 184 | 916 |
| 2009 | 1,084 | 177 | 875 |
| 2008 | 1,486 | 190 | 1,267 |
| 2007 | 1,227 | 149 | 1,044 |
| 2006 | 954 | 211 | 717 |
| 2005 | 613 | 229 | 371 |
| 2004 | 107 | 42 | 61 |
| 1970 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
70,649 1 Series cars are on Dutch roads; 37% arrived later as imports, and 28,760 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,397 | €52,635 |
| 2025 | 2,004 | €49,824 |
| 2024 | 1,682 | €50,390 |
| 2023 | 2,144 | €46,979 |
| 2022 | 2,296 | €43,028 |
| 2021 | 3,540 | €42,099 |
| 2020 | 4,163 | €41,370 |
| 2019 | 3,311 | €39,537 |
| 2018 | 3,549 | €38,384 |
| 2017 | 3,245 | €36,864 |
| 2016 | 3,027 | €34,803 |
| 2015 | 3,143 | €34,093 |
| 2014 | 2,819 | €34,416 |
| 2013 | 4,378 | €34,061 |
| 2012 | 5,087 | €35,136 |
| 2011 | 3,725 | €33,675 |
| 2010 | 3,206 | €31,446 |
| 2009 | 4,160 | €30,784 |
| 2008 | 4,474 | €32,066 |
| 2007 | 2,824 | €32,043 |
| 2006 | 2,743 | €32,120 |
| 2005 | 2,938 | €32,537 |
| 2004 | 794 | €35,921 |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
9,945 1 Series cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 65% petrol, 35% diesel; 3% of all are hybrids. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 105 | — |
| 2025 | 139 | — |
| 2024 | 55 | 8,000 km |
| 2023 | 82 | 36,000 km |
| 2022 | 146 | 61,000 km |
| 2021 | 278 | 58,000 km |
| 2020 | 487 | 83,000 km |
| 2019 | 289 | 86,000 km |
| 2018 | 547 | 104,000 km |
| 2017 | 718 | 122,000 km |
| 2016 | 642 | 148,000 km |
| 2015 | 519 | 161,000 km |
| 2014 | 611 | 170,000 km |
| 2013 | 709 | 189,000 km |
| 2012 | 876 | 202,000 km |
| 2011 | 696 | 210,000 km |
| 2010 | 474 | 222,000 km |
| 2009 | 547 | 237,000 km |
| 2008 | 696 | 229,000 km |
| 2007 | 430 | 240,000 km |
| 2006 | 395 | 251,000 km |
| 2005 | 395 | 274,000 km |
| 2004 | 109 | 292,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 9,209 1 Series cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 129 of those collisions were fatal and 1,761 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,728 | 22 | 328 |
| 2024 | 1,599 | 25 | 331 |
| 2023 | 1,895 | 27 | 420 |
| 2022 | 2,050 | 30 | 350 |
| 2021 | 1,937 | 25 | 332 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
399,896 1 Series cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17,228 | 335 |
| 2024 | 20,680 | 95 |
| 2023 | 19,343 | 53 |
| 2022 | 11,007 | 37 |
| 2021 | 15,028 | 51 |
| 2020 | 20,238 | 84 |
| 2019 | 22,897 | 178 |
| 2018 | 21,787 | 259 |
| 2017 | 27,421 | 375 |
| 2016 | 28,252 | 499 |
| 2015 | 28,954 | 629 |
| 2014 | 27,238 | 1,025 |
| 2013 | 32,138 | 1,720 |
| 2012 | 25,696 | 1,901 |
| 2011 | 19,104 | 1,921 |
| 2010 | 18,918 | 2,205 |
| 2009 | 15,602 | 2,425 |
| 2008 | 11,312 | 2,990 |
| 2007 | 6,851 | 2,241 |
| 2006 | 5,631 | 1,847 |
| 2005 | 3,683 | 2,115 |
| 2004 | 888 | 761 |
| 1995 | 0 | 1 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
399,987 1 Series cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 76% passed first time, against 72% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,722 | 94% |
| 2020 | 25,404 | 90% |
| 2019 | 29,014 | 88% |
| 2018 | 27,437 | 86% |
| 2017 | 33,402 | 84% |
| 2016 | 32,460 | 82% |
| 2015 | 32,103 | 80% |
| 2014 | 31,367 | 76% |
| 2013 | 37,684 | 73% |
| 2012 | 30,000 | 69% |
| 2011 | 23,613 | 69% |
| 2010 | 24,644 | 67% |
| 2009 | 21,433 | 66% |
| 2008 | 17,674 | 66% |
| 2007 | 11,848 | 64% |
| 2006 | 10,405 | 62% |
| 2005 | 7,685 | 63% |
| 2004 | 2,092 | 61% |
Why they fail
Share of all first tests that ended in a fail because of each part of the car (one test can fail on several).
| Area | 1 Series | All cars, same ages |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.5% | 10.9% |
| Tyres | 1.5% | 6.4% |
| Brakes | 0.8% | 6.4% |
| Suspension | 0.8% | 8.7% |
| Visibility | 0.7% | 4.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.4% | 2.9% |
| Road Wheels | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 0.1% | 3.1% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
1,543,810 new BMW 1 Series cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Germany (16,399), France (8,392), Italy (6,907).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 49,497 | 133 (WLTP) |
| 2021 | 76,663 | 133 (WLTP) |
| 2020 | 105,743 | 139 (WLTP) |
| 2019 | 108,023 | 158 (WLTP) |
| 2018 | 121,514 | 162 (WLTP) |
| 2017 | 135,412 | 115 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 130,334 | — |
| 2015 | 127,836 | — |
| 2014 | 129,096 | — |
| 2013 | 147,329 | — |
| 2012 | 147,743 | — |
| 2011 | 122,959 | — |
| 2010 | 141,661 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Real-world fuel consumption
76,819 BMW 1 Series cars registered in Europe between 2021 and 2024 report their fuel use through the on-board meter. Petrol versions average 7.5 l/100 km on the road, against 6.1 l/100 km in the official WLTP test — 24% more.
| Fuel | Cars | On the road | WLTP | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 41,327 | 7.5 | 6.1 | +24% |
| Petrol hybrid | 1,364 | 7.1 | 5.4 | +31% |
| Diesel | 33,513 | 5.8 | 4.9 | +20% |
| Diesel hybrid | 615 | 5.7 | 4.4 | +31% |
Litres per 100 km: total fuel used divided by total distance driven, from the car's own fuel consumption meter (OBFCM), collected in 2024 by the manufacturers, mostly remotely, and by national authorities. WLTP figures are the type-approval CO₂ values converted to litres. Hybrids, including mild hybrids, do not plug in; plug-in hybrid figures include the distance driven on electricity. European Environment Agency, Real-world CO₂ emissions from cars and vans · CC BY 4.0
What it costs in fuel
On real-world figures the petrol BMW 1 Series uses 7.5 litres per 100 km, so 15,000 km a year takes about 1,130 litres: €2,451 at this week's average price in Germany, its largest market in Europe.
| Country | Petrol | Diesel | Petrol hybrid | Diesel hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | €2,451 | €1,985 | €2,317 | €1,948 |
| United Kingdom | £1,964 | £1,746 | £1,857 | £1,713 |
| France | €2,508 | €2,055 | €2,370 | €2,016 |
| Italy | €2,268 | €1,966 | €2,144 | €1,929 |
| Spain | €2,003 | €1,655 | €1,894 | €1,624 |
| United States | $1,273 | $1,452 | $1,204 | $1,425 |
Fuel for 15,000 km (9,300 miles) a year at real-world consumption. Pump prices with taxes, week of 19 October 2026: European Commission Weekly Oil Bulletin, UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, US Energy Information Administration. Non-euro EU prices are in euros as the Bulletin publishes them.
Work it out for your driving
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the 1 Series in at least 12 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of mo…
The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of mo…
The seatbelts in the second row may not have been manufactured correctly and could cause the car-sensitivity sensors to fail. This could reduce the protective effect of the seatbelts and lead to injuries. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the …
The front end may not be correctly bolted to the engine subframe. If one of the bolts has not been properly tightened and becomes detached, vehicle safety may be compromised in the event of a frontal collision. In this event, there may be an increased risk of …
The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments of the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surv…
The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of mo…
The propellant within the integrated inflator of driver airbags can deteriorate during time. If the airbag deploys, it could result in fragments from the inflator casing injuring the vehicle’s occupants. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the a…
The propellant in the driver airbag can deteriorate due to high humidity and temperature variations. In the event of an accident in which the airbag deploys, this could result in fragments from the inflator casing coming loose and injuring the vehicle’s occupa…
The propellant in the driver airbag can deteriorate due to high humidity and temperature variations. In the event of an accident in which the airbag deploys, this could result in fragments from the inflator casing coming loose and injuring the vehicle’s occupa…
The driver's airbag may be damaged during activation and may fail to inflate sufficiently. This will impair its restraining effect, increasing the risk of an injury.Furthermore, the driver could be injured by hot gases leaking from the airbag's gas generator.
The easy-entry system for the front seats with electric adjustment may have been incorrectly manufactured. This could lead to the back rest failing to lock adequately, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
The control unit of the electronic power steering may have been incorrectly manufactured. This may cause a fire even when the vehicle is parked. Furthermore, steering assistance might fail while driving.
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
3 campaigns cover the 1 Series.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 1-SERIES VEHICLES. IN A CRASH OF SUFFICIENT SEVERITY, DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PRE-TENSIONER AND LOAD-LIMITER OCCURS.
BMW IS RECALLING 2,350 MY 2008 1-SERIES AND 3- SERIES PASSENGER CARS. INCORRECT CRIMP CONNECTORS MAY HAVE BEEN USED ON THE SIDE AIR BAG AND BELT TENSIONER WIRING. AS A RESULT SUFFICIENT CONTACT BETWEEN THE CRIMP CONNECTORS AND THE CORRESPONDING PLUG MAY NOT OCCUR WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN THE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF THAT CONNECTION.
NHTSA recalls