Research · complaint index
BMW 2 Series years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 6 model years of the BMW 2 Series by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2016 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
1.0 = typical year for this model
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2018 | 5 | 1 | 0.6 | 2 | 0 | Typical |
| 2017 | 9 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2016 | 26 | 2 | 2.6 | 0 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2014 | 12 | 1 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | Typical |
- 20252 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20185 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 20179 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 201626 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
- 20155 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 201412 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 27, 2026
Fewest complaints for their age: 2015.
About this comparison
What BMW 2 Series years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2016 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 6 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.