U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Bmw 328I problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

257 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

63,373 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 137 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 92 of 257 complaints (35.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	55	21.4%
Braking behavior	38	14.8%
Engine operation	18	7.0%
Steering behavior	9	3.5%
Fuel system concerns	8	3.1%
Transmission and shifting	4	1.6%

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.

Engine

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Air Bags

Service Brakes

Power Train

Fuel/Propulsion System

Unknown Or Other

Engine: 92; Electrical System: 60; Engine And Engine Cooling: 41; Air Bags: 39; Service Brakes: 31; Power Train: 20; Fuel/Propulsion System: 18; Unknown Or Other: 18

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 34; 25,000 to 49,999: 19; 50,000 to 74,999: 28; 75,000 to 99,999: 28; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 7

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 120 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.

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2026

2013: 15; 2014: 10; 2015: 3; 2016: 12; 2017: 22; 2018: 19; 2019: 30; 2020: 21; 2021: 13; 2022: 21; 2023: 15; 2024: 37; 2025: 35; 2026: 4

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 55 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 18 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 10881371 · 2016-06-29 (June 29, 2016)

DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION KEEPS COMING ON SINCE I PURCHASED VEHICLE AND HENDRICK BMW HAS TRIED TO REPAIR MY CAR MULTIPLE TIMES BUT ISSUE STILL CONTINUES AFTER MULTIPLE PARTS OF SEAT AND WIRING HAS BEEN REPLACED AND AIR BAGS REMOVED AND REINSTALLED.

Owner-reported narrative. 42,794 miles reported. Look up ODI 10881371 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11021165 · 2017-09-02 (September 2, 2017)

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOORS, PULLING ON THE HANDLE TWICE WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND OPEN THE DOOR. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IS BY PRESSING THE ELECTRICAL UNLOCK BUTTON. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, THE DATE BELOW IS ONLY ONE OF THE MANY OCCURRENCES. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT 4 TIMES. NONE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF WE NEEDED TO EXIT THE CAR AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DISABLED, WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO. I HAVE VIDEOS OF THIS HAPPENING BUT THE FORM WON'T L…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11021165 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10514428 · 2013-05-31 (May 31, 2013)

AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR NEW, THE POWER BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON MAY 23. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BMW WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES VACUUM PUMP. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WHERE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, THE DAY IT WAS RETURNED, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE, THE PEDDLE IS REALLY HARD AND BARELY RESPONDS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10514428 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10521697 · 2013-06-25 (June 25, 2013)

I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 BMW 328I IN LATE MAY. WITHIN A WEEK OF OWNERSHIP THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS THERE FOR THREE DAYS. THEN LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, LAST WEEK, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. I ALMOST GOT IN A BAD ACCIDENT AND IN FACT DID SCRAPE THE CURB. I WAS TOLD THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS A VACUUM PUMP, SIMILAR TO OTHER REPORTS ON THIS SITE RELATED TO THAT MODEL OF CAR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,020 miles reported. Look up ODI 10521697 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10546468 · 2013-10-02 (October 2, 2013)

WHY WOULD THIS INFORMATION BE ON THE INTERNET, WHILE NHTSA HAS NOT RELEASED ANY RECALL INFORMATION AT ALL? THIS IS NOT THE ONLY INFORMATION ABOUT A "BRAKE" RECALL, WHILE NHTSA'S ODI HAS INITIATED A BRAKE "INVESTIGATION." VARIOUS BMW INTERNET FORUMS HAVE INDICATED A "RECALL" IN DETAIL...BUT NHTSA'S WEB SITE INDICATES NOTHING. WHAT'S GOING ON? RECALL: 176,000 BMWS FOR POWER BRAKING FAILURE THE 3-SERIES, 5-SERIES, X1, X3 AND Z4 MODELS WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES ARE AFFECTED. BY EXHAUST NOTES 11 HOURS AGO BMW IS RECALLING 176,000 CA…

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546468 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10917316 · 2016-10-19 (October 19, 2016)

I HAVE HAD TWO DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION MESSAGES SINCE BUYING THE CAR FOUR MONTHS AGO. THE FIRST MESSAGE CAUSED MY CAR TO STALL, AND I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE POLICE, IN ST.LOUIS. THIS SECOND TIME I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED INTO THE DEALERSHIP (IN TACOMA WA) WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY. I AM WORKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER CPO WARRANTY AND I AM CONCERNED THAT BMW WILL NOT BE WILLING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM, OR GIVE ME A VEHICLE OF THE SAME VALUE. I HAVE PAID OVER 26,000…

Owner-reported narrative. 56,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10917316 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10908348 · 2016-09-21 (September 21, 2016)

ON 04/21/2015 I WAS DRIVING AND MY 2013 328I BMW WAS OUT OF CONTROL MY CAR SPED UP WHICH HAS TO DO WITH SPEED CONTROL AND POWER TERRAIN. I TRIED TO STOP, BRAKE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP, MY WHEEL STIFFENED UP, I COULDN'T STEER LEFT OR RIGHT,,, I ENDED IN A CAR ACCIDENT... MY SEATBELT CAME OFF BY ITS SELF, AND MY AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF!!! MY NECK AND BACK/TAILBONE WAS INJURED DO TO YOUR DEFECTIVE CAR (2013 328I BMW) DEFECTIVE( STEERING WHEEL,BRAKES,SEATBELT, SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN..) AFTER THE ACCIDENT I REQUESTED A CRASH …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10908348 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10908560 · 2016-09-21 (September 21, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN TO 40-50 MPH. ALL THE WARNING INDICATOR SENSORS BLINKED ON AND OFF. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES FAILED AND LOCKED UP. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER THE SIDEWALK AND THE SEAT BELT RELEASED AUTOMATICALLY. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE STRUCK HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND INJURED HER NECK AND LOWER BACK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10908560 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10906072 · 2016-09-13 (September 13, 2016)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT FILLED THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HER GARAGE OVERNIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR AND A FUEL LEAK ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAL ABOVE THE FUEL TANK FRACTURED AND WOULD RECUR IF THE FUEL TANK SYSTEM WAS NOT UPGRADED. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 125,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10906072 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10991248 · 2017-05-23 (May 23, 2017)

HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE CAUSED CAR TO CEASE OPERATING. CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE IN MOTION. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING STRUCTURE AT THE TIME. ULTIMATELY, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR.

Owner-reported narrative. 57,943 miles reported. Look up ODI 10991248 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10543183 · 2013-09-11 (September 11, 2013)

I WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY, LESS THAN 5MPH, IN A LINE OF CARS WAITING TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME ROCK HARD. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR FROM ROLLING. I HAD TO SHIFT INTO PARK TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. RESTARTED THE CAR, BRAKES FELT NORMAL. THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE. I INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALER, BUT THEY SAID THEY CAN'T RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I READ NEWS REPORTS THAT THIS IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION AND DECIDED TO REPORT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10543183 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10628205 · 2014-08-25 (August 25, 2014)

ON AUGUST 18, 2014, MY 2013 BMW 328I WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SUDDENLY AND UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AS I SLOWLY PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT AT WORK. IT HAPPENED AS I PREPARED TO STOP. ( MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE.) IT FAILED TO STOP OR SLOW DOWN IN RESPONSE TO BRAKE PRESSURE. PUMPING THE BRAKES WAS TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE HOWEVER IT DID EVENTUALLY STOP APPROX. 6FT OVER THE CURB. THE CAR MOVED SO QUICKLY AND SO SUDDENLY THE DRIVER PULLING IN BEHIND ME FOR AN INSTANT DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I HAD GONE. THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING SPOT AND …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628205 at NHTSA ↗