2013 Bmw ACTIVE HYBRID 3: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
21,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 8 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 25.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 12.5% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
Air Bags: 4; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 2; Seat Belts: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Fuel/Propulsion System: 1; Power Train: 1; Service Brakes: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2013: 1; 2014: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10543185 · 2013-09-11 (September 11, 2013)
DURING LOW SPEED BRAKING BRAKE PEDAL FEELS HARD, BUT PRESSING HARDER DOES NOT STOP CAR. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU LOST CONTROL OF THE BRAKES. CAR WILL ROLL AND SLOWLY DECELERATE, BUT NOT ENOUGH. AFTER A FEW FEET OF SLOW DECELERATION, BRAKES KICK IN AND PROVIDE A LARGE BITE WHICH STOPS THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10543185 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10561357 · 2014-01-24 (January 24, 2014)
WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, I WAS BOMBARDED WITH DRIVER'S AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT FAULTS, INFORMING ME OF "MALFUNCTION IN SEAT BELT, AIR BAGS, OR BELT TENSIONER. CONTINUE WEARING SEATBELT, CONSULT NEAREST SERVICE CENTER". VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTS FOR "DRIVER'S SEAT BELT TENSIONER - LINE CONNECTED INCORRECTLY" AND "BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL 2 - LINE CONNECTED INCORRECTLY". BMW CORPORATE INSTRUCTED RUNNING NEW REPLACEMENT WIRING FROM THE BATTERY, AND I WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER RELATIONS THAT BMW STANDS BEHIND THIS PRODUCT AND THEY OFFERED A SM…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10561357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10568756 · 2014-03-12 (March 12, 2014)
THE VEHICLE COMPUTER STATES THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG(S). I HAVE DROPPED OFF THE CAR AT THE DEALER AND ITS BEEN A WEEK NOW AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION YET. I READ A SIMILAR ISSUE FROM ANOTHER 2013 ACTIVEHYBRID 3 OWNER ON THIS SITE. DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT'S A RARE CASE AND THEY ARE CALLING ENGINEERS TO CHECK IT OUT. STILL WAITING... *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10568756 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10607881 · 2014-07-02 (July 2, 2014)
AT LEAST UP TO 5 ISSUES WITH THE BACK UP AND FRONT CAMERA SYSTEMS, AND AN ISSUE WITH THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE CAMERA SYSTEMS ARE ESPECIALLY TROUBLING SINCE THE GO OUT AT RANDOM. THE LAST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE CAMERA MODULE SYSTEM AND THE ISSUE CAME UP AGAIN. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10607881 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10888858 · 2016-07-26 (July 26, 2016)
I PURCHASED 2013 VEHICLE 3 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS W SAME ERROR 4XS - ERROR "DRIVETRAIN - VEHICLE CAN NOT BE RESTARTED" I HAVE BEEN ON FREEWAY AND ON STREET WHEN ERROR HAS OCCURRED. WJEN THIS ERROR OCCURS VEHICLES ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NO LONGER WORK. VEHICLE CAN STILL BE DRIVEN BUT WITH CAUTION. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND CANNOT TAKE LONG TRIPS AWAY FROM BMW SERVICE LOCATIONS SINCE THIS ERROR APPEARS WITHOUT WARNING. BMW DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR MORE THAN 7 DAYS LAST REPAIRS, HOWEVER I STILL HAVE ERROR APPEARING AND VEHICLE…
Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10888858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10970751 · 2017-04-05 (April 5, 2017)
DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE WITH A WOMEN'S PURSE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. SINCE THAT TIME, I GET TWO FAULT MESSAGES EVERY TIME I START THE CAR, REGARDING AN ERROR IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OR SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MESSAGE STATES TO ENSURE PASSENGER WEARS SEAT BELT AS THEY AIR BAG MAY NOT OPERATE.
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10970751 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11132416 · 2018-10-01 (October 1, 2018)
HIT A POT HOLE FOR THE SECOND TIME BLOW OUT A RIM BUT NOW THE INDICATORS SAY DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTIONS AND WONT START WHO KNOWS WHERE THE OIL GOES KEEPS RUNNING LOW EVEN THOUGH NO LEAKS HAVEN'T SEEN MY CAR IN MONTHS PUT SOMETHING ON THE SEAT IT SAYS TO LOCK SEAT BELT THESE CARS ARE LEMONS WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SENSORS BEFORE SENSORS CARS DIDN'T BREAK DOWN AND IF THEY DID YOU COULD FIX IT YOURSELF
Owner-reported narrative. 63,567 miles reported. Look up ODI 11132416 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11154633 · 2018-11-28 (November 28, 2018)
WASTE GATE RATTLE OR TURBO RATTLE, THE VEHICLE RATTLES DURING COLD START, RATTLE UPON DECELERATION,LOSS OF POWER, CHECK ENGINE ILLUMINATION, MANUFACTURE SPECIFIC OBD TROUPE CODE P30FF, ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF AND OFF AFTER REFILLING GAS.THE TURBO CHARGER MUST BE REPLACED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11154633 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
15V520000 · Exterior Lighting
Reported: 2015-08-17 (August 17, 2015)
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
NHTSA campaign record ↗