Complaints about the 2011 BMW 335D peaked in 2018, with 12 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Sedan, diesel, built in Germany. Owner complaints on file from Mar 22, 2017 to Oct 6, 2023.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24V-513 | Jul 3, 2024 | Original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment | Airbags | 394,029 | Part replacement |
| 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-472 | Jun 19, 2019 | Connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power | Electrical system | 16,641 | Part replacement |
| 18V-314 | May 14, 2018 | Connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade over time, possibly resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical… | Electrical system | 6,591 | Part replacement |
| 17V-676 | Oct 25, 2017 | Wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat | Electrical system | 702,965 | 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 |
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.
29 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.
- The component that has failed is the front passenger seat occupancy sensor, as indicated by an OBDII scan showing fault code 93C3, seat-occupancy detector, passenger. - The safety of any person in the front passenger seat is compromised because the passenger airbag will not deploy while this sensor is not operating properly, as indicated by the "passenger airbag off" light which is now always illuminated. The vehicle has not been in an accident and nobody has been injured as a result. - The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. - The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, etc. - There is a restraint system malfunction warning message stating "Fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner, or belt-force limiter. Continue to wear the safety belt. Have the system checked by the nearest BMW center." - I have contacted both my local BMW dealer (BMW Seattle) and the BMW North America customer relations department and have been informed by both that there are no open recalls or technical service bulletins related to this sensor on my model/year and that the vehicle is out of warranty, so the financial responsibility to repair the vehicle is on me.
NHTSA complaint 11548697The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335D. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed on a 6-hour trip, there was thick fumes coming into the cabin of the vehicle from the exhaust. The contact stated that he drove the vehicle to the dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed with a clogged DEF filter. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.
NHTSA complaint 11524811YEARS OF MY 335D OVERHEATING AND STALLING AND DEALER CANT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. I’VE REPLACED INJECTORS, DONE CARBON BLASTING, REPLACED NOX SENSOR, REPLACED WHOLE BATTERY/ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. JUST RECENTLY REPLACED THE ALL BELTS, HOSES, AND EGR MODULE TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. AFTER REMOVING THE COMPONENTS YOU CAN SEE FLUIDS GOT MIXED AND EVEN GOT INTO MY TURBO ALL BECAUSE OF THE EGR WAS LEAKING. SO MANY IDENTICAL ISSUES RESULTED IN RECALLS FROM BMW FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MODEL FROM EARLY 2000S TO NEW MODELS DUE TO FAULTY EGRS, EXCEPT THE 2011 335D. AND OF THE NEARLY 1 MILLION VEHICLES RECALLED BY BMW THIS YEAR ALONE, ONLY THE 2011 335D IS NOT RECALLED FOR FAULTY PCV AND EGR WHICH WAS FINALLY DETERMINED BY THE DEALER TO BE THE CAUSE OF MY OVERHEATING, BLACK PARTICLES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST, MELTED PLASTIC UNDER MY HOOD, AND DISGUSTING SMELL FROM AIR VENTS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME EXACT VEHICLE WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES ON NHTSA AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE. ONLY WHEN THESE CARS CATCH ON FIRE AND RESULT IN A CASUALTY WILL BMW FINALLY ADD ALL MODEL TYPES TO THEIR RECALL LISTS. FOR NOW THEY WILL KEEP ADDING MODELS ONE BY ONE, PRETENDING THEY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH ALL THEIR CARS. RIDICULOUS.
NHTSA complaint 11485382Fine, white particles are blowing out of the cabin air ducts whenever the air conditioner or fan is turned on. My local BMW service center, Herb Chambers BMW of Boston, determined that the debris is flakes of aluminum from the deteriorated aluminum alloy fins of the AC evaporator coil and heater exchanger. The cabin air ducts were scoped and found to be intact with no intrusion of outside contaminants. The dealer determined that if not replaced, “the A/C Evaporator will fail…” and quoted the cost of repairs at $5,286.18. As I am sure you are aware, aluminum is a neurotoxin when absorbed by the body. The science is well established and can be easily sourced using Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22&q=neurotoxicity+of+aluminum&oq=neuroto. The fine aluminum particles blowing from the heating and cooling system of my BMW have been absorbed into my eyes, mouth and airways, putting me at risk from internal exposure to aluminum. They have also rendered my BMW 335d unusable due to this health safety hazard. I filed a request for recourse with BMW of North America and was denied.
NHTSA complaint 11438480IT STARTED MAY, 2017, WHEN MY 335D WAS IDLING ROUGH AND JERKED AS I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED. I TOOK IT INTO CREVIER BMW IN SANTA ANA. THE CAR HAD 53,000 MILES AND THEY SAID IT HAD CARBON BUILD UP ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND #1 & 5 FUEL INJECTOR. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS AND WALNUT BLAST THE MANIFOLD. SWIRL PORTS, EGR AND THROTTLE HOUSING CLEANED AS WELL. APR, 2018 58,000 MILES, FAULTY ACTIVE TANK TEMPERATURE SENSOR REPLACED. AUG, 2018 60,000 MILES, REPLACED FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS #2,3,4,5 AND FAULTY CAM SENSOR. JAN, 2019 64,000 CAR RUNNING ROUGH AT IDLE. STARTED USING FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN FUEL TANK. THIS STOPPED THE ROUGH IDLE. CAR RUNS ROUGH EVERY TIME IF I DON'T ADD THE INJECTOR CLEANER. MARCH 2020 73,000 MILES, INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVED AND WALNUT BLAST AGAIN. REPLACED BOTH FAULTY NOX SENSORS. FAULTY CODES ON AIR MASS INTAKE. NOV 2020 76,000 MILES, FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS # 1,2,4, #5 GLOW PLUG, MASS/VOLUME AIR FLOW, INTAKE TEMPERATURE SENSOR. DID NOT PASS SMOG. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO REPAIR TO GET IT TO PASS SMOG. VERY FRUSTRATED...
NHTSA complaint 11391136PASSENGER AIRBAG MALFUNCTION, SEAT SENSITIVITY IS TOUCHY, REPORTS AN OCCUPANT WHEN EMPTY AND GIVES AN OCCASIONAL MALFUNCTION WARNING, AT ANY SPEED, ANY TIME.
NHTSA complaint 11308589THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS AND SETS OFF THE WARNING SOUND AS IF SOMEONE IS SITING IN THE SEAT WHEN NOBODY OR NOTHING IS IN THE SEAT. THIS MAY CAUSE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONS OR HAVE IT NOT DEPLOY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. THE ISSUE IS CONSTANT WHILE I'M DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint 11291827LESS THAN 70K MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE MANIFOLD, INJECTORS ETC DUE TO EXCESS CARBON BMW NEEDS TO DO MORE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF POLLUTION ON THESE VEHICLES
NHTSA complaint 11230649I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE EGR MODULE TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. AN IDENTICAL ISSUES RESULTED IN A RECALL FROM BMW FOR DIESELS FROM OTHER YEARS: HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CAR-RECALLS-DEFECTS/BMW-RECALLS-DIESEL-CARS-AND-SUVS-FOR-FIRE-RISK/ . HOWEVER, BMW HAS CHOSEN NOT TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO COVER THIS ENGINE FAILURE IN ALL OF THE DIESELS. IT'S POTENTIALLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS STARTS TO SHOW UP WITH INCREASED FREQUENCY.
NHTSA complaint 11218281THE 2011 VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES NORMAL RUNS AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN A RANGE OF 2K RPMS. A WARNING REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY CAUSED THE CAR TO REV UP TO 5K RPM (VERY HIGH FOR A DIESEL ENGINE SEDAN) AND THE SPEED REDUCES 30-40MPH WHILE DRIVING. IT IS INCREDIBLY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. ASSUMED THIS WAS A ONE-OFF. PULLED TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE. TOOK IT TO BMW FOR INSPECTION AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CHARGE ME MORE THAN HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE HAS SINCE REPEATED AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ALL ON THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint 11184619STEERING WHEELS IS SUCK WANT TURNING IN MY DRIVEWAY STEERING WHEELS LOCK UP CAN GETTING TURNING WHAT CAN WE DO
NHTSA complaint 11176032WHILE COMING TO A STOP IN A PARKING LOT THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AND THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER WAS PRESENT. HAD THE CAR BEEN GOING A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.
NHTSA complaint 111429852011 BMW 335D. CONSUMER WRITES WITH REGARD TO RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 18V-314: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM, AND INQUIRES WHEN REPAIRS WILL BE DONE. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR. *JS
NHTSA complaint 11140888THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STAHL AND NOW THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE HIGH/LOW FUEL PUMPS AND INJECTORS WHICH COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE. I AM STUCK MAKING PAYMENTS THIS CAR IS JUNK AND THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED...... EVERY MONTH I HAVE A PROBLEM SINCE OCTOBER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 12 TIMES. THE INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP I WAS TOLD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, INJECTORS AND NOW FUEL PUMP
NHTSA complaint 11122700THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP EVERY WEEK I HAVE HAD IT TOWED 12 TIMES SINCE MAY. I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL (ELECTRICAL ISSUED RECENTLY) THE VEHICLE RAN GREAT, NOW THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED 3 NEW INJECTORS. THE INJECTORS ARE BAD. I AM READING REVIEWS AND OTHERS STATED THEIR BMW'S NEED NEW INJECTORS. SO IS THEIR A RECALL FOR INJECTORS I DID NOT SEE? THE CAR STAHLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
NHTSA complaint 11122690INTERMITTENT FAULT ON PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING PASSENGER AIRBAG AND BELT TENSIONER. MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR EARLIER E90 MODELS WITH THE SPORT SEATS. FIRST FAULT OCCURRED WITH APPROXIMATELY 118,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HAS HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY FOR THE LAST 10,000 MILES. FAULT CODE 0093C3
NHTSA complaint 11121629WHILST DRIVING VEHICLE, BATTERY WARNING LIGHT, BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING, AND WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. AFTER VISIT TO DEALERSHIP, APPEARS THAT HARMONIC BALANCER WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF, IN TURN, TAKING OUT VARIOUS BELTS, INCLUDING THE BELTS THAT POWER A/C AND MOST IMPORTANTLY POWER STEERING. BMW ALREADY REPLACED THESE BELTS TWICE, UNDER WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARS THE HARMONIC BALANCER APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE FOR MANY OF THE 335D VEHICLES, AS WELL AS FOR X5 SAVS, EQUIPPED WITH SAME ENGINE. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWERSTEERING, IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DANGER, IN PARTICULAR FOR A PART THAT APPEARS TO BE WEAK (DESIGN FLAW), AS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER BMW 335D OWNERS.
NHTSA complaint 11110965RECEIVED INITIAL RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW DECEMBER 2017. AS OF MAY 27TH 2018 A REMEDY IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO CORRECT ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE A POSSIBLE FIRE. BMW IS ABLE TO PROVIDE PARTS TO PRODUCE NEW AUTO'S BUT MAKES LITTLE EFFORT TO CORRECT KNOW ISSUES ON THE AUTOS THAT IT HAS ALREADY SOLD.
NHTSA complaint 11098201MY 2011 BMW 335D SEDAN HAS A RECALL ON THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS THAT COULD CATCH FIRE ANYTIME, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND OFF. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR OVER 2 MONTHS AT THIS POINT, (WHILE STILL MAKING MY HIGH CAR PAYMENT) AND PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE, AND NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL BE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE FOR MY LOSS? BMW NORTH AMERICA SAYS NO, THEY ARE PROVIDING AN ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR WHICH IS ALL THEY CAN DO.
NHTSA complaint 11082178CAR STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. EACH TIME IT WAS A SUDDEN DEATH WHILE DRIVING. EVERY TIME GOT LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT FOLLOWED BY A TRUCK AND NO ONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE EARLIER, DIESEL PUMP AND NOW DEALER SAID REPORTED ALL INJECTORS FAILED. HISTORY: 1/5/17 - CAR STALLED WHILE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET - SPEED 30/HR 3/3/17 - CAR STALLED AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY - 50/HR 5/20/17 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT - NO STALLING 5/31/17 - CAR STALLED - ON CITY STREET AT RED LIGHT. 2/13/18 - CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING - SPEED 50/HR 3/1/18 - CAR STALLED - SPEED 15/HR - AFTER STOPPING AND STARTING AT RED LIGHT IN CITY STREET. DOWNHILL. NO BREAK . STARTED ROLLING DOWN. USED HAND BRAKE. 3/7/18 - CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CITY STREET - SPEED 25 /HR REPAIRS: 5/23/17 - EGR COOLER , INJECTORS REPLACED 5/31 - 6/18 - CAR WAS AT DEALER AND ENGINE, INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. 2/13/18 - DIESEL PUMP REPLACED. 3/7/18 - CAR IS WITH DEALER - REPORTS MULTIPLE INJECTOR FAILURE
NHTSA complaint 11078424Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall; the 60 most recent are listed.