2016 BMW 3 Series UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I have been waiting since October 2024 to get a remedy available to fix the recall on this vehicle. Dealership won’t even look at the car since the remedy is unavailable but this is a dangerous issue to have and know about without a fix anywhere in the foreseeable future.
A recall was issued by BMW in August 2024. As of today, April 14, 2025, there is still no remedy issued by BMW to repair this issue. BMW states that the issue with the Water Pump Electrical Connector can cause a short circuit and engine fire.
There is an issue with older BMWs (2016 BMW F30 body style in my case), the door handle stickiness issue. Even there's a name for it created by BMW service, it is called "Melting Door Handle". There are thousands of complaints and actually a solution (a bad one) by third parties, Lego-Like part to cover the sticky handle. I believe this should be recalled regardless if it is a safety issue or not. BMW charges $1000 to replace the handle. I had it once and it went bad again. Its the material they used so, it needs to be fixed somehow to prevent the ongoing problems. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=f30+door+handle+cover https://www.google.com/search?q=f30+sticky+door+handle
10/12/18 APPROX. 12:30PM, ABOUT 80 DEGREES, DRIVING ON TEXAS FREEWAY, 65MPH, LOUD POW, FRONT SUNROOF EXPLODED. GLASS SHATTERED OUTWARD, EXPOSING LONG OPENING IN FRONT OF SUNROOF.
10/07/18 DRIVING BACK FROM FLORIDA AN HOUR INTO MY RIDE ON A 90 DEGREE DAY, I HAD MY SENIOR GREAT DANE IN MY CAR RETURNING TO ATLANTA. THE AC STOPPED, I COULD HEAR IT BEHIND THE DASH, BLOWING FULL FORCE, BUT NOTHING COMING OUT OF THE VENTS. BEING SUNDAY, NO-ONE COULD ADVISE ON A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, CALLED BMW SOS AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, THEY COULD DO NOTHING. I THOUGHT IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THE COILS FROZE UP, LIKE IN YOUR HOME, I SHUT THE AC OFF COMPLETELY AND HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM, BRIEFLY. I HAD TO CONTINUE ON A 4 HOUR DRIVE IN THIS HEAT WITH MY SENIOR DOG, MISERABLE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT . I LEASE MY CAR, IT IS PERFECTLY MAINTAINED AND HAD JUST BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. MONDAY I CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, ESSENTIALLY FROZE UP AND THEY HAD A SOLUTION, A MANUAL OVERRIDE OF THE SOFTWARE. THANKFUL THEY HAD A SOLUTION BUT MORE CONCERNING, BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AS I FOUND OUT ON MANY POSTS. THE CONCERNING PART, I HAVE NEVER TAKEN MY CAR ON A DRIVE LONGER THAN AN HOUR EXCEPT THIS TIME AND THE AC GOES OUT, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN A LUXURY VEHICLE. THEY NEED TO NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS THIS IS A POSSIBILITY AND THAT THEY HAVE A SOLUTION, I WOULD HAVE NEVER TAKEN THIS CAR ON A TRIP KNOWING IT WAS ENDANGERING MY SENIOR DOG, WHAT IF IT WAS A CHILD? BMW SHOULD NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THIS OCCURRING SO PEOPLE CAN BE AWARE AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS BEFORE RISKING AND AWFUL DRIVE. UPON EMAILING BMW CORP, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON STATES THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HER AND SHE SHUT HER CAR OFF FOR 20 MIN AND THEN IT WAS FINE, SO THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT NOT KNOWN TO OWNERS UNTIL YOU ARE INCONVENIENCED AND ENDANGERED. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TWO LANE ROAD WITH NO CELL SERVICE, AND I AM TO SHUT MY CAR OFF IN THIS HEAT WITH MY DOG? ABSURD .
WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY ON THE 5 WHEN BOOM OUR SUNROOF EXPLODED SHATTERING GLASS EVERYWHERE. WE WERE IN COMPLETE SHOCK AS NOTHING HIT THE CAR OR ANY DEBRIS OR ROCKS. WE CALLED OUR LOCAL BMW IMMEDIATELY AND WE GOT TRANSFERRED OVER TO OUR STANDARD SERVICE TECH THAT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH US THIS MORNING. AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT A ROCK MUST HIT IT AND WEAKENED THE GLASS AND THE PRESSURE WHILE DRIVING WITH WEAKENED GLASS CAN CAUSE IT TO SHATTER. I LET THEM KNOW THAT I RESEARCHED "EXPLODING SUNROOFS" AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENCY AND THAT THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS TO DO WITH EITHER THE MANUFACTURING QUALIFY OR DEFECT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT BMW THINKS ITS OKAY TO HAVE A SUNROOF EXPLODE WHILE DRIVING AND NOT TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY AND ARE TELLING THEIR SERVICE CENTER TO SAY ITS NOT BMW'S FAULT AND THE OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY. THE TECH WOMAN WE SPOKE WITH IN PERSON AT THE BMW IN ENCINITAS SAID TO US THAT SEE HAS SEEN THIS 3 TIMES AT THEIR SHOP AND SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED PRESSURE CHANGE WITH WEAKENS GLASS ILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. I DON'T SEE HOW KNOWN ISSUES OF EXPLODING GLASS IS ACCEPTABLE ON OUR STREETS AND FREEWAYS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INSIDE SUNROOF SLIDER CLOSED GLASS WOULD HAVE RAINED DOWN ME DRIVING ALMOST CERTAINLY GETTING IN MY EYES AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AT HIGH SPEEDS
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WITH NO CARS IN FRONT AND NO OVERPASS, THE FRONT SUNROOF PANEL SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED. THE EDGES OF THE REMAINING GLASS BULGE UPWARD AND THE CENTER OF THE GLASS PANEL IS GONE.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2016 BMW 3 Series has 7 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.