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Bmw 335I problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

809 owner complaints analyzed

13 distinct recall campaigns

47,560 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2006 to 2016 model years. Data snapshot: . 580 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 181 of 809 complaints (22.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Fuel system concerns21927.1%
Engine operation10412.9%
Electrical and battery issues9812.1%
Steering behavior475.8%
Braking behavior384.7%
Transmission and shifting273.3%

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.

Air Bags
181
Fuel System, Gasoline
160
Electrical System
145
Engine
127
Fuel/Propulsion System
66
Power Train
40
Steering
36
Unknown Or Other
35
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags181
Fuel System, Gasoline160
Electrical System145
Engine127
Fuel/Propulsion System66
Power Train40
Steering36
Unknown Or Other35

Air Bags: 181; Fuel System, Gasoline: 160; Electrical System: 145; Engine: 127; Fuel/Propulsion System: 66; Power Train: 40; Steering: 36; Unknown Or Other: 35

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
181
25,000 to 49,999
123
50,000 to 74,999
120
75,000 to 99,999
71
100,000 to 149,999
69
150,000 and above
16
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,000181
25,000 to 49,999123
50,000 to 74,999120
75,000 to 99,99971
100,000 to 149,99969
150,000 and above16

Under 25,000: 181; 25,000 to 49,999: 123; 50,000 to 74,999: 120; 75,000 to 99,999: 71; 100,000 to 149,999: 69; 150,000 and above: 16

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (181). 229 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.

2007
13
2008
55
2009
42
2010
108
2011
28
2012
34
2013
44
2014
60
2015
47
2016
69
2017
103
2018
43
2019
29
2020
40
2021
23
2022
21
2023
18
2024
13
2025
10
2026
9
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200713
200855
200942
2010108
201128
201234
201344
201460
201547
201669
2017103
201843
201929
202040
202123
202221
202318
202413
202510
20269

2007: 13; 2008: 55; 2009: 42; 2010: 108; 2011: 28; 2012: 34; 2013: 44; 2014: 60; 2015: 47; 2016: 69; 2017: 103; 2018: 43; 2019: 29; 2020: 40; 2021: 23; 2022: 21; 2023: 18; 2024: 13; 2025: 10; 2026: 9

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 219 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 104 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 98 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 10194011 · 2007-06-22 (June 22, 2007)

ON COLD STARTS WITH MY 335I SEDAN, CAR WOULD TAKE 5-6 SECONDS TO START. HAPPENED AFTER 1,950 MILES, CONSECUTIVE MORNINGS AND EVENINGS. BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE SHOP. THEY RESET THE COMPUTER AND DISCOVERED A FAILED FUEL PUMP. PART IS ON BACK ORDER, STILL NOT ETA ON ARRIVAL AND CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 3 WEEKS NOW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10194011 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10196331 · 2007-07-13 (July 13, 2007)

2007 BMW 335I HAS KNOWN WIDESPREAD FUEL PUMP PROBLEM WITH HIGH RATE OF FAILURE LEADING TO SUDDEN POWER LOSS. I HAVE NEW CAR WITH 1200 MI, WITH NO WARNING FROM DEALER ABOUT POTENTIAL PROBLEM, I EXPERIENCED NEAR COMPLETE POWER LOSS ON BUSY FREEWAY LEADING TO NEAR COLLISION. THIS CAR SHOULD BE CATEGORICALLY RECALLED UNTIL ALL FUEL PUMPS ARE REPLACED. MFR IS CONTINUING TO SELL THIS CAR WITH KNOWN DEFECT WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER. WHEN PRESENTED WITH THIS PROBLEM, IT IS COMMON FOR A 2-3 MONTH BACKORDER ON REPLACEMENT PUMP WHICH ALSO HAS A HIGH F…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,246 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196331 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10203575 · 2007-09-20 (September 20, 2007)

I JUST BOUGHT A BMW 335 IN DECEMBER 2006, LESS THAN 7,000 MILES AND WHILE DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. THE CAR STARTED TO IDLE AND THERE WAS ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. WHEN I TRIED TO TAKE THE CAR TO SERVICE THEY INITIALLY REFUSED TO TAKE THE CAR BECAUSE I HAD NOT MADE AN APPOINTMENT. SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR AND ITS FALLING APART JUST A FEW MILES AFTER. FINALLY THEY LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS TO BE THE HIGH PRESSURE GASOLINE PUMP. I'VE READ ONLINE THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM BUT STILL BM…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10203575 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10223824 · 2008-04-09 (April 9, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335I. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRAMATICALLY DECELERATE AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A LOUD CLUCKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE JERKED EXCESSIVELY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WAS CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10223824 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10213552 · 2008-01-03 (January 3, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM FUSES BLOW OUT DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. WHEN THE FUSES BLOW, THE VEHICLE LOCKS COMPLETELY AND THE PASSENGER CANNOT EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE UNIT WAS REPLACED AND WORKED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES AND STILL PERSISTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 02-14-08 *BF

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10213552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10303840 · 2010-02-02 (February 2, 2010)

MY VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE WHERE APPARENTLY A FUSE BLOWS AND THE DOOR LOCKS CAN NOT BE ACTIVATED BY THE FOB, INTERIOR HANDLES (EXCEPT THE DRIVER DOOR), OR THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKING SWITCH. [PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ACTIVATED ON THE REAR DOORS.] THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS THROUGH THE VALET KEY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME TWICE AND IS NOW APPARENTLY A SERVICE BULLETIN WITH BMW. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS A DESIGN HAZARD IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE TO FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT, THEN THIS BECOMES A…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10303840 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10280292 · 2009-08-12 (August 12, 2009)

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR FROM FLORIDA TO NEW MEXICO AS PART OF A MILITARY CHANGE OF STATION. I WAS ON MY SECOND DAY OF THE TRIP, FROM FORT WORTH, TX TO PORTALS, NM, WHEN I EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER 5 TIMES IN A 200 MILE DISTANCE (NO WARNING, NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH). TWICE, THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF SUDDENLY, DISABLING THE POWER STEERING, WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. ONCE WAS AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE; THE OTHER WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A SMALL TOWN. THANKFULLY IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT EITHER TIME. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I H…

Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280292 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10426414 · 2011-09-20 (September 20, 2011)

RED STEERING WHEEL WITH PADLOCK IN THE DASH. DOESN'T GO AWAY AT ALL. COST SEVERAL THOUSAND TO FIX. CAR WON'T START SOMETIMES OTHERS IT WILL BUT STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T LOCK. SEARCHED ONLINE AND TONS OF OTHER 2006-2007 BMW OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, ONCE THEY FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM THEY STARTED KEEPING ALL THE PARTS ION STOCK. I EVEN SPOKE TO A DEALERSHIP THAT SAYS THEY HAVE 2 CARS A WEEK FOR THIS; ABSOLUTELY INSANE FOR ONE DEALERSHIP. ITS A WELL KNOWN DEFAULT BUT NOT RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TO LOCK WHILE SOMEONE WAS D…

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426414 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10243071 · 2008-09-22 (September 22, 2008)

BRAKE PEDAL HARD AFTER CAR SITS 708 MILES. INCIDENT DATE: 11/02/07 DEFECTIVE VACUUM PIPE REPLACED. BRAKE PEDAL HARD AFTER CAR SITS 1899 MILES. INCIDENT DATE: 12/18/07 DEFECTIVE PRESSURE HOSE REPLACED. BRAKE PEDAL HARD WHILE STOPPING. TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. BRAKE PEDAL HARD AFTER CAR SITS. 2630 MILES. INCIDENT DATE: 12/31/07. BRAKE SERVO, BRAKE BOOSTER, VACUUM PUMP, AND 2 VACUUM PIPES REPLACED. BRAKE PEDAL HARD WHILE STOPPING. TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. BRAKE PEDAL HARD AFTER CAR SITS. 7300 MILES. INCIDENT D…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243071 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10286161 · 2009-10-03 (October 3, 2009)

BMW 335I MASTER BRAKE AND ABS SYSTEM FAILURE WITHOUT PARTS AVAILABLE IN USA, CANADA, NOR EUROPE TO EFFECT REPAIR. BMW WILL NOT EXPLAIN THE ABSENCE OF PARTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE CANNOT BE CURRENTLY SERVICED WITH NO ESTIMATE FOR PART AVAILABILITY. SUSPECT AN EXTENSIVE PROBLEM HAS NOT YET SURFACED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 8,236 miles reported. Look up ODI 10286161 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10270328 · 2009-05-29 (May 29, 2009)

FACSIMILE FROM SENATOR BOB CORKER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE PROBLEMS WITH HIS 2007 335I TRANSMISSION BMW. *NJ IN DEC 2007, PART OF THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE PART KNOWN AS THE FRICTION PAD. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING AND SMOKE WISPING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER STATED HE INHALED THAT MATERIAL IN ITS SMOKE FORM, NOT ITS DUST FORM. HE WAS ALSO TOLD, THE SLAVE MASTER CYLINDER'S FLUID ALSO PRODUCED ADDITIONAL SMOKE. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COMPLAINED OF AN OVERPOWERING …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10270328 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10683713 · 2015-02-16 (February 16, 2015)

THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE THAT BMW DOSE NOT WANT TO RESOLVE IN ALL OF THEIR DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS AN VIBRATES BETWEEN 1,700 AND 2,200 RPM IN 3RD,4TH,5TH,6TH GEAR. THE LOSS OF POWER HAS ALMOST COST ME SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. BMW SAYS THAT THEY WILL FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN HOPES TO FIX THE ISSUE OR POSSIBLE REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER.. EVERY TIME I GO AND TRY TO GET THEM TO FIX IT THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME FOR A KNOW ISSUE THAT HAV…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683713 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2006
3
2007
5
2008
4
2009
4
2010
4
2011
7
2012
3
2013
2
2014
5
2015
3
2016
0
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20063
20075
20084
20094
20104
20117
20123
20132
20145
20153
20160

2006: 3; 2007: 5; 2008: 4; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 7; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 5; 2015: 3; 2016: 0

Year-by-year records

Bmw 335I model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
200603Not available
20072885+2
20082014-1
20098540
20104140
2011977+3
2012223-4
2013432-1
2014205+3
2015103-2
201620-3