Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 230i, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine3
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Wheels1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 8.4–9.4 L/100 km (about 25–28 mpg US), CO₂ 197–219 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 230i Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 9.8 | 6.8 | 8.4 |
| 230i xDrive Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 9.9 | 7.1 | 8.6 |
| 230i xDrive Cabriolet · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.2 | 7.2 | 8.9 |
| 230i Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 11.1 | 7.3 | 9.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2, and X3 xDrive 30i SAV vehicles. These vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not properly illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2018 BMW 230i: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11005231 | While driving on rough roads, a cracking sound is heard coming from the headliner area. |
| 11000578 | EVAP SYSTEM PURGE (VENT) VALVE EXT LTD WTY (ELW) 15/150 |
| 10249027 | 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 important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 10249018 | 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 felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21. |
| 10245376 | The steering wheel heating takes a long time to achieve the desired temperature. |
| 10245372 | The paint finish on the door jamb (above the door striker) is scratched due to the inner door cavity window seal. |
| 10245365 | PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE (PCV) EXTENDED LTD WTY 15 YEARS/150,000 MILES |
| 10238090 | After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails. |
| 10235205 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice cont |
| 10230722 | After an automatic engine start (MSA start), the transmission intermittently goes into the Park "P" or Neutral "N" position without any customer influence. |
| 10225128 | Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. |
| 10218368 | The driver and/or passenger side floor mat/carpet are soaked during/after a car wash. |
| 10214990 | The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 4 (HU-H4, also called MGU21) superseded the MGU starting with certain MY2021 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional. This uses map North America JOY. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line business version of the navigati |
| 10214256 | The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine. |
| 10212788 | The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine. |
| 10212780 | Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension. This bulletin is notice of a limited emission warranty extension. This is NOT a notice of a Recall or Service Action. There is no immediate repair required unless the BMW vehicle is currently experiencing this problem. Customer Notification Letter Even though this is NOT a Recall, BMW NA is sending VIN-specific customer notification letters. The plastic fuel tank has two openings, one at the top right and the other at the top left. The top right opening (passenger's side, serviceable) provides a mounting point and rep |
| 10212779 | Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension. This component-specific limited emission warranty extension applies to defects in materials or workmanship. |
| 10205092 | Rattling noises heard from vicinity of glove box. |
| 10205068 | Customer may complain of reduced air flow when the air conditioning system is operated for an extended time, usually longer than 30 minutes. |
| 10203340 | Groaning, scraping, or squeaking noise coming from the steering wheel area in the interior of the vehicle,when turning the steering wheel. |
| 10200489 | TELEMATICS UNIT RETROFIT TO 4G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. |
| 10200487 | TELEMATICS UNIT DEACTIVATION DUE TO 3G CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY DISCONTINUATION: The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. |
| 10200249 | The discontinuation of 3G cellular communication for Combox, TCB 3G and ATM 3G (Telematics ControlModule) can no longer be supported by the cellular network provider starting February 2022. The decision to phase out 3G network technology was made at the discretion of the respective cellular carriers and lies beyond the control of BMW. Due to the phase-out, BMW Assist and ConnectedDrive services will no longer be supported after this date. |
| 10200238 | Groaning, scraping, or squeaking noise coming from the steering wheel area in the interior of the vehicle, when turning the steering wheel. |
| 10200228 | On rare occasions during an engine oil service, the BMW Original (Genuine) engine oil filter insert is either difficult to remove or breaks apart in the oil filter housing. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation