2016 Bmw M235I: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
18,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 8 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 25.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 25.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 12.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 |
Electrical System: 2; Exterior Lighting: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline: 1; Power Train: 1; Seat Belts: 1; Service Brakes: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1; Visibility/Wiper: 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 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 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 (3). 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2016: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 3; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting 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 10862513 · 2016-05-02 (May 2, 2016)
WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MPH ON AN EXIT RAMP WITH THE NEAREST CAR ABOUT 5 OR 6 CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF ME. SMOOTH, PAVED ROAD WITH NO DEBRIS. THE SUNROOF MADE A LOUD POP AND SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY, RAINING GLASS DOWN ON ME. THE GLASS HAD AN OUTWARD BEND TO IT AS IF IT HAD EXPLODED OUTWARDS WITH PRESSURE RELIEF. NO ROCKS OR DEBRIS WERE SEEN OR POSSIBLE FROM NEARBY VEHICLES GIVEN THE DISTANCES BETWEEN MY CAR AND THEIRS, AND NOTHING BEING SEEN TRAVELING THROUGH THE AIR. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS DUE TO A FLAW IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GLASS ITSELF…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10862513 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10903794 · 2016-09-06 (September 6, 2016)
THE CAR HAS INSTRUMENTS (SPEEDOMETER AND TACH) WITH LOW CONTRAST BETWEEN THE BACKGROUND AND LETTERING. THE INSTRUMENTS ARE HIGHLY VISIBLE WHEN THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING IS ENABLED, BUT ARE NEARLY INVISIBLE WHEN THE LIGHTING IS OFF. THERE IS AN AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR THAT TURNS THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING ON AND OFF AS YOU DRIVE IN MIXED SUN AND SHADE, SO AS YOU DRIVE FROM A SHADED AREA TO A SUN-LIT AREA, THE INSTRUMENTS ALTERNATE BETWEEN VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. IT IS DISCONCERTING AND DANGEROUS TO SUDDENLY LOSE INSTRUMENT VISIBILITY AS YOU DRIVE. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 14 miles reported. Look up ODI 10903794 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11175995 · 2019-02-10 (February 10, 2019)
IN LATE FEBRUARY 1, 2019, THE SUNROOF ON MY 2016 BMW M235I XDRIVE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY. I WAS NOT GOING UNDERNEATH ANY OVERPASS, AND NOTHING HIT THE GLASS. THE EXPLOSION WAS UNPROVOKED. THE SUNSHADE WAS NOT CLOSED, AND THE GLASS FELL ALL OVER ME, LARGE AND SMALL SHARDS. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH IN HEAVY MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AND PIECES OF GLASS FLEW OFF THE CAR AND LIKELY HIT OTHER CARS. IT WAS VERY ALARMING AND SCARY. I WAS ABOUT 5 MILES FROM A BMW DEALER AND DROVE RIGHT TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR IS …
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11175995 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11374618 · 2020-11-13 (November 13, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW M235I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL TANK HAD CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGED FUEL TANK WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000. *LN *AS
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11374618 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11404835 · 2021-03-25 (March 25, 2021)
DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT IS SLOW TO RETRACT AND KEEPS GETTING TWISTED WHEN RETRACTING. YOU HAVE TO CAREFULLY HELP FEED THE BELT INTO THE B PILLAR FOR IT NOT TO DO THAT. IF NOT, IT WILL ALMOST GET JAMMED IN THE B PILLAR AND GET STUCK AND BECOMES NON-FUNCTIONAL. IT TAKES A LOT OF STRENGTH AND EFFORT TO PULL TO PULL IT BACK OUT. VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ALWAYS AWARE OF THIS DEFECT WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO UNFASTEN OUR BELTS WHILE DRIVING TO REACH OR ADJUST SOMETHING. AND IT USUALLY GETS JAMMED AND STUCK IN THE B PILLAR AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11404835 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11429433 · 2021-08-17 (August 17, 2021)
Rear brake light failure due to faulty wiring. Identical to the details located in this article (https://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/bmw-recalling-241-000-3-series-models-over-faulty-tail-lights/) for which the NHTSA had issued a recall for older BMW models in the past. This issue is common and wide-spread amongst bmw models produced between 2014 - mid 2016. After which BMW modified the wiring harness for the brake lights to fix the electrical shorting failures. This failure renders the entire housing inoperable - Brake light, turn signal and r…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11429433 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11438512 · 2021-10-28 (October 28, 2021)
BMW 2 series cars from about 2015-2018 have faulty wiring and brake light assemblies. BMW has admitted this design flaw in the harness and light - they extended the warranty for one year. As you know, brake light failures represent a real risk. It is unreasonable for BMW to charge $900 per light to fix a safety issue caused by a design flaw that they have admitted. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT HAS FAILED, ALSO.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11438512 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11448099 · 2022-01-19 (January 19, 2022)
Our M235I has a transmission leak "thru the wall of the case" (i.e. THROUGH THE METAL CASE) as determined by a local BMW Dealer. They are not able to provide any Technical Service Bulletins or etc. from BMW for this "leaky case" issue. But they are saying this is a KNOWN problem with the transmission cases. They are advising a new transmission for $10K. Only alternative is to install used transmission and take old electronic valve module out of existing trans and place into used transmission and hope for the best. Loss of transmission fluid cou…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11448099 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.