2011 Bmw 135I problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
27 owner complaints analyzed
6 distinct recall campaigns
57,100 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 27 complaints (40.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 18.5% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 11.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 11.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 7.4% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 11 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Air Bags | 6 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Engine: 11; Electrical System: 7; Air Bags: 6; Power Train: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 2; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Exterior Lighting: 1; Unknown Or Other: 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 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 9 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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2012: 1; 2013: 3; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 3; 2018: 5; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2024: 2; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 3 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.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11104028 · 2018-06-26 (June 26, 2018)
SOMETIMES THE BLOWER MOTOR WILL NOT WORK AT THE SPEED SELECTED. A FEW TIMES HAVE SMELLED A ODD BURNT PLASTIC SMELL. BMW WON'T HELP THIS ISSUE AS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CERTAIN MODEL. I HAVE TOOK THE TIME TO ACTUALLY DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. WIRING TO BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR MODULE AFFECTED. CANNOT EVEN UNPLUG THE CONNECTION. HAS BROWN AREAS ON THE RESISTER BY GROUND WIRE OF SIGNS OF EXTREME HEAT.
Owner-reported narrative. 126,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104028 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11112731 · 2018-07-20 (July 20, 2018)
THE SAME BLOWER MOTOR WIRING ISSUE IN THE BMW 3 SERIES THATS CAUSING THEM TO CATCH ON FIRE AND BURN TO THE GROUND. I HAVE COMPARED THE PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER 3 SERIES WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. ALTHOUGH THE WIRING PART NUMBER IS DIFFERENT, THE PLUG AND WHERE THE NEGATIVE AND POS TERMINALS ARE PLACED IS THE SAME EXACT SPOT AS THE 3 SERIES. THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF FROM VOLTAGE SPIKES WHEN DRIVING AND CAUSE SPARKS AND ARCHING NOISES WHERE THERE NEG AND POS WIRES MEET CAUSING BOTH OF THE WIRING HOUSINGS TO MELT AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE TAKE…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11112731 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10497673 · 2013-02-10 (February 10, 2013)
CROSSING THE STREET---I HAD THE GAS PEDDLE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR (TWICE YESTERDAY) AND THE CAR LITERALLY DID NOT MOVE AND TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE CAR EVENTUALLY MOVED FORWARD. PROBLEM---HESITATION IN THE ENGINE WHEN APPLYING THE GAS AS I PULL OUT TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION, SLOW DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, OR JUST TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TRAFFIC AFTER STOPPING. ALSO, AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE, WHEN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE CAR SURGES FORWARD TOWARD THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THESE TWO CHARACTERISTICS HAPPEN FREQUENTLY AND ARE VERY SCARY. I…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10497673 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10700986 · 2015-03-22 (March 22, 2015)
VEHICLE WILL "JOLT" FORWARD. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER 100 TIMES. THE ISSUE IS BEST DESCRIBED LIKE THIS. I WILL DRIVE THROUGH A FAST FOOD DRIVE-THRU LINE AND THERE WILL BE 1 OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WILL PULL UP AND BRAKE TO A COMPLETE STOP TO ORDER. THE OTHER VEHICLE IS AT THE RESTAURANT WINDOW PAYING SO THAT CAR IS ONLY ABOUT 20 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. SINCE THE GAP BETWEEN ME AND THE OTHER CAR ARE SO CLOSE I WILL NOT GIVE MY VEHICLE ANY GAS, I WILL ONLY LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MOVE FORWARD AT IDLE SPEEDS. ONCE I REACH THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10700986 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11165487 · 2019-01-06 (January 6, 2019)
TWO TIMES WITHIN A YEAR THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED A REDUCTION OF POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ON 4-3-18 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MODESTO BMW DEALER AND WAS ADVISED I NEEDED THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED WHICH I DID SPENDING $1355. LATE IN DECEMBER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND I AGAIN TOOK IT TO THE SAME DEALER WHO NOW ADVISED ME I NEEDED THE "HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP " REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $1750. THIS CAR HAS 57,000 MILES. I AM AWARE THERE WERE RECALLS ON THE SAME VEHICLES IN THE YEARS PRECEDING 2011 AND WONDER IF THE PROBLEM CONTIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11165487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11174596 · 2019-02-05 (February 5, 2019)
I HAVE BEEN HAVING MISFIRES. FIRST CYLINDER 3&5. CHANGED ALL PLUGS AND COIL PACKS. RAN WELL FOR A COUPLE DAYS. THEN BOOM. MISFIRES AGAIN. LONG COLD START CRANKS. I CAN BRING THE RPMS ALL THE WAY UP TO REDLINE AS LONG AS I DON'T STEP ON THE THROTTLE MORE THAN 25%. AS SON AS I GO TO PUT SO THROTTLE INTO IT. IT'S HESITATES/STUTTERS. THEN SERVICE ENGINE SOON AND CEL LIGHT COME ONE. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS THE CULPRIT. SAME TYPE OF PROBLEMS I HAD ON MY N54 MOTOR. I THOUGHT BMW FIXED THIS ISSUE. GUESS THEY NEED A RECALL ON THESE AS WELL.
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11174596 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10551409 · 2013-11-07 (November 7, 2013)
WHEN MOVING SLOWLY AND THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATING, SUCH AS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN ONTO A BUSY ROAD, THE CAR SEEMS TO SHUT OFF THE FUEL FOR A SOLID 2 SECONDS, SO THE CAR ACTUALLY SLOWS RATHER THAN SPEEDS UP. THE DRIVER, WHEN TRYING TO TURN IN TRAFFIC, WILL PANIC AND PRESS HARDER ON THE GAS AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN UNTIL THE 2 SECONDS IS OVER, AND THEN THE CAR SUDDENLY TAKES OFF INTO TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY AND IS DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE IN TRAFFIC. BMW HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT UNSUCCESSFULLY AND NOW SAYS IT IS "NORMAL FUNCTIONA…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,184 miles reported. Look up ODI 10551409 at NHTSA ↗