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2021 BMW 4 Series

Hybrid Gas Compact car

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
F
Safety Signal
43 / 100
FSafety Signal · 43 / 100
6Recalls · 2 critical
15Complaints · owner reports
—Crash rating · NHTSA overall
29 mpgFuel economy · best combined
⚠️
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

The 2021 BMW 4 Series is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact car with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 430i Coupe, is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 15 complaints, most often about electrical system.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
M440i ConvertibleHybridRWD3.0L 6-cyl turbo + 44V Li-Ion233126$3,000
430i CoupeGasRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263429$2,650
430i ConvertibleGasRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo243327$2,850
430i xDrive CoupeGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo243327$2,850

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

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Recalls (6)

Electrical System

critical
87,394 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Toyota Supra, 2022-2023 2 Series Coupe, 2021-2024 5 Series (xDrive), 2021-2022 Z4, 2022-2024 4 Series (Gran Coupe), 2021-2024 4 Series (Convertible and xDrive Convertible), 2021-2023 4 Series (Coupe), 2021-2024 3 Series, 2021-2023 X4, 2021-2024 X3 vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of all models. The engine starter may overheat and catch fire due to wear on an internal component.

Risk: Fire increases the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 24, 2026.

NHTSA campaign 26V056000 · reported Jan 30, 2026 · BMW of North America, LLC

Electrical System

critical
Park outside199,674 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 BMW 330i, 2019-2022 BMW Z4, 2020-2022 BMW 530i, X3, X4, Toyota Supra, 2021-2022 BMW 430i, 430i Convertible, and 2022 BMW 230i vehicles. The engine starter relay may corrode, causing the relay to overheat and short circuit.

Risk: A short circuit in the starter relay may increase the risk of a fire.

Fix: Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is complete. Dealers will replace the engine starter, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 6, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov November 14, 2025.

NHTSA campaign 25V636000 · reported Sep 23, 2025 · BMW of North America, LLC

Seat Belts

high
144 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 23V584000 · reported Aug 16, 2023 · BMW of North America, LLC

Seat Belts

high
21,537 vehicles

Problem: 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

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

Fix: 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).

NHTSA campaign 21V554000 · reported Jul 21, 2021 · BMW of North America, LLC

Air Bags

high
1,850 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 430i and M440i 4 Series Convertible vehicles. In certain side-impact crashes, the head-thorax air bag may not deploy as intended.

Risk: An air bag that deploys incorrectly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the software, at no charge. All affected vehicles are still in dealer inventory, and therefore no owner letters will be mailed. The recall began March 9, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

NHTSA campaign 21V176000 · reported Mar 15, 2021 · BMW of North America, LLC

Back Over Prevention

minor
13,858 vehicles

Problem: 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 43

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.

Fix: 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.

NHTSA campaign 21V096000 · reported Feb 19, 2021 · BMW of North America, LLC

Owner complaints

15 complaints filed

0 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2021: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2026: 7

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System — 6
  • Seat Belts — 3
  • Engine — 3
  • Tires — 1
  • Power Train — 1
“The contact owns a 2021 BMW 430I. The contact stated that the front driver’s side seat belt chest strap was shredded. The contact was concerned that the seat belt would not safely secure the driver in a crash. The contact stated that the shredded seat belt strap might have been caused by the seat belt strap touching …”Mar 3, 2026 · Seat Belts · NHTSA owner report
“The contact called for the owner of the 2021 BMW 430I. The owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount o…”Feb 4, 2026 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report
“The component that malfunctioned is the engine starter relay, which is subject to an open BMW/NHTSA safety recall (issued September 2025) due to potential corrosion causing overheating, short circuits, and vehicle fire risk. The recall specifically advises parking the vehicle outside and away from structures until repa…”Jan 8, 2026 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Other 4 Series model years

A

2027 4 Series

0 recalls · 0 complaints

B

2026 4 Series

1 recalls · 2 complaints

B

2025 4 Series

1 recalls · 8 complaints

F

2024 4 Series

3 recalls · 2 complaints

F

2023 4 Series

4 recalls · 6 complaints

F

2022 4 Series

5 recalls · 8 complaints

A

2020 4 Series

1 recalls · 5 complaints

C

2019 4 Series

3 recalls · 25 complaints

A

2018 4 Series

1 recalls · 43 complaints

B

2017 4 Series

2 recalls · 29 complaints

B

2016 4 Series

1 recalls · 53 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 43815, 43034, 43814, 43035). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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