2021 BMW M340I problems, complaints & recalls

2021 BMW M340I recalls (6)

• Recall 23V584000Aug 16, 2023144 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · SEAT BELTS

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2022 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, 2022 430i Coupe, 2021-2022 430i, M440i Convertible, and 2020-2022 228i xDrive Gran Coupe vehicles. The receiver audio module control unit software may fail to properly generate audible seat belt warnings to the driver to fasten their seat belt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

  Risk: An audible chime that does not properly alert the driver to fasten their seat belt increases the risk of injury in a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will update the receiver audio module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 12, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• Recall 23V211000Mar 29, 202351 vehicles
  SEATS

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i xDrive, 2020-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, 2021 X3 xDrive30e, X4 xDrive30i, and X4M vehicles. The seat frame may not have been welded properly to the seat rails.

  Risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat frame and back rest, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• Recall 21V554000Jul 21, 202121,537 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

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

  Remedy: 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).

• Recall 21V298000Apr 28, 202112 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M3, and 330e xDrive vehicles. The bolt securing the seat belt assembly to the frame was not tightened to specification.

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

  Remedy: 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.

• Recall 21V096000Feb 19, 202113,858 vehicles
  BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA · BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

  Risk: 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.

  Remedy: 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.

• Recall 20V761000Dec 9, 2020812 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

  BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 M340i xDrive, M440i xDrive Coupe, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 840i Gran Coupe, 840i xDrive Gran Coupe, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, and X7 xDrive40i vehicles. The connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator may not have been assembled properly, which can cause increased electrical resistance at the connections.

  Risk: Increased electrical resistance can increase the risk of a fire.

  Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the connection between the 48-Volt battery and the starter-generator assembly, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

NHTSA defect investigations

• DP22005Opened Jan 27, 2023Closed Aug 7, 2023led to recall 22V063000

  Pedestrian alert sounds

  NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after Marc…

Recent 2021 BMW M340I complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Jul 2, 2026INElectrical SystemEngine

   I have been smelling a burning odor in the vehicle for almost a year which the dealership and an independent shop had not been able to diagnose. The car was recently throwing Drivetrain Error codes which prompted a visit to the dealership. They found that the 48v battery and negative cable are burnt and quoted $5680 to replace the battery and cables. After investigating I found that there were recalls for this issue on other BMWs, including the same year and model of my…

   NHTSA complaint #11747887 · source
2. Filed Jun 29, 2026ILEngine

   The BMW B58TU oil pump thermoplastic component issue that can cause catastrophic failure to the engine. The the gen 1 oil pump was made from plastic and after issues were discovered, they switched to metal oil pumps. However this known issue is something that BMW has not addressed in the models 2019-2021 that came with the inferior oil pump.

   NHTSA complaint #11747283 · source
3. Filed May 28, 2026ALEngine

   I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component responsible for regulating oil pressure. Field failures are increasingly being reported in which this internal component fractures, resulting in sudden loss or instability of engine oil pressure. The failure…

   NHTSA complaint #11740705 · source
4. Filed May 18, 2026GAElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

   Here’s a strong version that sounds frustrated but still credible and harder to dismiss: I’ve owned many vehicles over the years, and this BMW has been, without question, the most problematic car I’ve ever had. The list of issues has been absurd for a vehicle in this price range and from a brand that markets itself as a premium luxury manufacturer. The sunroof failed, I’ve had multiple tire blowouts under normal driving conditions, the drive bar/suspension was bent from what…

   NHTSA complaint #11738468 · source
5. Filed May 15, 2026MAEngine

   I am reporting a safety concern with BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, primarily in 2019–2021 model years. These vehicles use a variable-displacement oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component that regulates oil pressure. This plastic part is prone to fracturing, leading to sudden loss or instability of engine oil pressure. Failures most commonly occur during cold starts in low ambient temperatures. When the component…

   NHTSA complaint #11738024 · source
6. Filed Mar 13, 2026PAEngine

   I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component responsible for regulating oil pressure. Field failures are increasingly being reported in which this internal component fractures, resulting in sudden loss or instability of engine oil pressure. The failure…

   NHTSA complaint #11724191 · source
7. Filed Oct 10, 2025CASteeringSuspension

   Started as low creaking noise coming from front left wheel. Slow speeds, over small bumps. Over time (one month), creaking noises became louder and more frequent. At that time, steering was starting to feel stiff when turning to the left. Taken to 2 BMW dealerships who said it was just a noise and that both tie rods would have to be replaced. Upon further investigation, these noises and handling are a result of the torque being too tight at the factory upon manufacturer.

   NHTSA complaint #11692586 · source
8. Filed Apr 23, 2025CATransmission & Drivetrain

   While driving through an intersection and making a left turn, a failure of the engine water pump pulley caused the pulley to break apart. This led to damage to the coolant line and tensioner, sudden coolant loss, and the serpentine belt slipping off. The failure occurred mid-turn, causing the vehicle to skid and momentarily lose steering control. I narrowly avoided a collision with an oncoming vehicle that was stopped at a red light. The vehicle was towed to an independent…

   NHTSA complaint #11656393 · source

Compare the 2021 BMW M340I with another vehicle →

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology