Complaints about the 2011 BMW 135I peaked in 2018, with 5 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Coupe, gasoline, built in Germany. Owner complaints on file from Nov 7, 2012 to Mar 25, 2026.
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20V-017 | Jan 15, 2020 | These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and… | Airbags | 59,965 | Part replacement |
| 19V-579 | Aug 6, 2019 | Wiring and electrical connectors in the blower-regulator wiring harness may overheat | Electrical system | 41,981 | Part replacement |
| 17V-067 | Feb 2, 2017 | Rear driveshaft constant velocity (CV) joint on the affected vehicles may fatigue and break | Powertrain | 8,752 | Part replacement |
| 16V-071 | Feb 5, 2016 | Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture | Airbags | 840,000 | Part replacement |
| 14V-176 | Apr 10, 2014 | In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may… | Engine and cooling | 156,137 | Part replacement |
| 13V-044 | Feb 7, 2013 | In February 2013, BMW recalled 504,545 vehicles | Electrical system | 516,791 | Part replacement |
The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
27 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 135I. The contact stated that the A/C system and the blower motor were intermittently inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the blower motor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V579000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 66,800.
NHTSA complaint 11727086BMW Series 135I2011 - Engine/Vanos bolts failed/failing! When it's started, you can total tell there is an issue with it...Car is basically NON-Drivable due to this condition due to safety concerns! The vin is not being covered by the recall due to but this is a SERIOUS issue! This needs to be covered by BMW! We've taken it to the mechanic who said this needs to be towed to the dealership due to the recall and because of the specific issue but once at the dealership, where it's sitting now, they are saying due to vin not popping up, they can't cover it as well as BMW's customer service line but this is SERIOUS and needs to be covered!
NHTSA complaint 11616579the vanos bolts failed.
NHTSA complaint 11566657I had two situations in which my car would unexpectedly lurch forward after coming to a complete stop with my foot on the brake pedal, and another case in which I could not place the vehicle in park with the DCT Shift lever malfunctioning and making the car undrivable.
NHTSA complaint 11460025Sudden catastrophic engine shutdown After 3weeks of investigation came back as bad crank posisition sensor
NHTSA complaint 11453558The headlights are failing due to wiring rotting and falling aaprt inside the headlight units similar to the wiring failure in the blower motor
NHTSA complaint 11424303ROD BEARINGS FAILURE WHICH COULD CAUSE ENGINE SEIZING WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint 11321309VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WHEN PASSING VEHICLES OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY NEARLY CAUSING COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN WHEN VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING 99% OF THE TIME. WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED VEHICLE WILL TRY TO SURGE FORWARD. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS VEHICLE. SHAME ON BMW FOR NOT RECALLING ALLOF THESE MODELS!
NHTSA complaint 11299283HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE - CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET.
NHTSA complaint 11268125I 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.
NHTSA complaint 11174596TWO 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 CONTINUED WITHOUT RESOLUTION. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AS LOSING POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint 11165487FAN BLOWER WIRE CAN CATCH FIRE, BMW 3 SERIES E90 2006 TO 2013 ALREADY GOT THE RECALL DONE, PLEASE RECALL THIS.
NHTSA complaint 11112792BLOWER MOWER WIRING OVERHEATING AND BURNING/CORRODING WHILE FAN WAS ON LOW SPEED.
NHTSA complaint 11112733THE 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 TAKEN OFF THE KICK PANEL THAT COVERS THE WIRES AND NOTICED THE KICK PANEL ITSELF WAS BURNT AND MELTED. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OTHER 1 SERIES OWNERS AND THEY ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE BUT IT'S NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN POTENTIALLY INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE.
NHTSA complaint 11112731WATER PUMP AND MUCH MORE
NHTSA complaint 11104100SOMETIMES 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.
NHTSA complaint 11104028TAKATA RECALL NEVER PERFORMED
NHTSA complaint 10992978RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER MARCH 2016.SIX MONTHS LATER A QUICK FIX. TALK TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE THE PARTS
NHTSA complaint 10971654TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
NHTSA complaint 10958394TAKATA RECALL I LIVE IN A GULF STATE, SARASOTA COUNTY. RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL IN MARCH 2016. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEALER. AGAIN IN APRIL. THEY WERE TO CALL ME TO INSTALL NEW AIRBAG. OCT 24 CONTACTED DEALER AGAIN. NO RETURN CALL AS PROMISED. CALLED 10/27 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ORIGINAL LIST OF RECALLED BMW'S FROM MARCH WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND SINCE I HAD CALLED IN AGAIN THEY WOULD NOW PUT BE ON A LIST FOR THE SAFETY RECALL. THIS CONTINUING DELAY AND GAME PLAYING ON THE PART OF BMW NORTH AMERICA AND MY DEALER BMW OF SARASOTA IS UNACCEPTABLE. IF I HADN'T CALLED AGAIN I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN BUT ON THEIR "LIST" FOR THE PART TO BE ORDERED. NO OTHER ASSISTANCE IS OFFERED BY THE DEALER. MY SAFETY IS AT RISK AS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint 10919278Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.