CSR

BMW · NHTSA safety record

2010 BMW 328I

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

153

Complaints

3

Crashes

6

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 BMW 328I have filed 153 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2012 and June 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 47 of them (31%). The typical failure was reported at 97,250 miles, the median across the 82 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 6 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (6)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

24V513000 · July 3, 2024

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 394,029 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

20V017000 · January 15, 2020

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 59,965 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

17V683000 · October 30, 2017

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
The risk
An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 740,561 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

17V676000 · October 25, 2017

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
The risk
Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 702,965 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

14V176000 · April 10, 2014

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xDrive Sedan, 335i Coupe, 335i Convertible, 528i Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535i xDrive Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, and X3 xDrive 35i, 2010 X3 xDrive 30i, and X5 xDrive 30i, 2012 640i Coupe, and 640i Convertible and 2010-2012 535i Gran Turismo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and may possibly break.
The risk
If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2012 BMW vehicles equipped with inline 6 cylinder engines not covered by this recall, will receive an extended warranty to address this condition. The recall began on September 24, 2014. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 156,137 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

13V044000 · February 7, 2013

The defect
BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sports wagons manufactured March 2007 through June 2011; and 2009-2011 Z4 vehicles manufactured March 2009 through June 2011. In February 2013, BMW recalled 504,545 vehicles. In July 2013, BMW informed the agency that it was adding 1-Series, 3-Series, and Z4 vehicles, representing an additional 12,094 vehicles. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 516,791. The connector for the positive battery cable connector and the corresponding terminal on the fuse box may degrade over time. Over time, the high current flow and heat from electrical resistance may lead to a breakage of the connection, and a loss of electrical power to the vehicle.
The risk
If there is a loss of electrical power to the vehicle, the vehicle may unexpectedly stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector and secure it with an improved method, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 516,791 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 153.

ENGINE 47 31%
AIR BAGS 43 28%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 39 25%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 37 24%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 6 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 4 3%
POWER TRAIN 4 3%
SEAT BELTS 4 3%
SEATS 3 2%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 29.

2012 2024 2026
2012 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 87,000 miles

TAKATA RECALL ON DECEMBER 25, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:20 A.M. MY 2010 328I BMW SKIDDED OFF HWY 99 SOUTHBOUND GOING TOWARDS LAX. VEHICLE SKIDDED AS CAUSED BY THE BLACK ICE ON ROAD, RESULTING IN US CRASHING INTO THE LEFT GUARD RAIL. MY MOTHER AND I FELT THE ENTIRE IMPACT OF VEHICLE . I, AS THE DRIVER, HIT MY HEAD ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW CAUSING SEVERE WHIPLASH AND A SPRAINED NECK. I HAD TO CRAWL OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE, DUE TO IMPACT OF CRASH BEING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. ONCE CHP ARRIVED, MY CAR WAS TOWED OFF THE HWY. THE BMW'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF IMPACT CAUSING ME SEVERE NECK AND HEAD INJURIES. I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH, NO HIGHER THAN SPEED

NHTSA complaint 10817288, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 150,000 miles

The contact owned a 2010 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, she crashed into the driver's side of another vehicle that was making a turn. The air bags deployed, and the contact's face struck the steering wheel. The fire department and police arrived on the scene, but the contact was unaware if any reports had been filed. The firefighter escorted the contact out of the vehicle, while smoke came from the engine. The contact was transported to the hospital by ambulance and treated for a fractured nose and teeth, shrapnel in the left eye, bruising on the right shoulder and knee, and a concussion. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where the insurance company deemed it

NHTSA complaint 11637678, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · crash · towed · 120,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, he felt a sudden surge and observed white smoke emitting from the rear passenger seat. As a result of the distraction, the contact stated that the vehicle crashed into a tree at approximately 35 MPH; the driver's steering wheel and driver's seat air bags both deployed. Upon exiting and inspecting the trunk of the vehicle, the contact observed flames engulfing the trunk liner. The contact stated that he was able to extinguish the fire himself with water. No warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. No police report was filed. No fire report was filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was

NHTSA complaint 11526613, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR PERTAINING TO THE INTERIM NOTICE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG ODOR AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS WHEN THE ELECTRIC CONTROL WAS USED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. 8 (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

NHTSA complaint 11061108. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The vehicle constantly and increasingly exhibits the symptoms described in RECALL CAMPAIGN 13V-044: REPAIR BATTERY POSITIVE CABLE, dated XXX , i.e., various electrical malfunctions, including flickering of the instrument cluster, and brief loss of engine power. However, VIN [XXX] is NOT included in this campaign. It appears that the next possibility, even though deemed "extremely isolated" by the recall, is that "the engine may shut off while driving, which leads to a loss of power steering assistance." BMW and NHTSA each state that the other is responsible for including VINs in a recall, yet I am the one at risk of crash. Do I need to seek legal action against both BMW and NHTSA to

NHTSA complaint 11746698, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I am filing a formal complaint against BMW Seattle for violating federal recall remedy mandates under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301. The vehicle was delivered for mandatory safety recall 23V-707 after an on-road mechanical shear of the covered VANOS bolts. The dealer has created illegal commercial barriers and failed to fully execute the federal remedy. First, the service department issued a written estimate for $4,405.67, claiming the CAS module and locks failed and required replacement to resolve a no-start condition. I challenged the repair on technical grounds and authorized a new battery and valid key only, the dealer admitted in writing that the electrical sync restored seamlessly and the

NHTSA complaint 11742298, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

120,000 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2010 BMW 328I. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,414. The contact stated that, while driving 25 MPH over a pothole, several systems in the vehicle unexpectedly reset; however, the speedometer had not reset. The contact stated that the vehicle had not been driven a whole lot. The mileage was reset to approximately 120,000 miles. The contact attempted to retrieve a Carfax Report for the vehicle and became aware that the most recent information on the VIN was posted by the seller. The contact called the seller. No other agencies were contacted.

NHTSA complaint 11733199. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while accelerating from the vehicle idling, and turning left or right, the transmission hesitated before shifting hard. Occasionally, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated, hesitated, and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle intermittently stalled, and the contact

NHTSA complaint 11733200, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 110,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for an unknown recall repair, but the vehicle experienced the failure after the repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was initially diagnosed that the oil cap had failed. The dealer later informed the contact that the camshaft solenoid had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

NHTSA complaint 11733290. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

130,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle was idling rough and occasionally, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but was more frequent. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While the vehicle was idling, the RPM was fluctuating between 800 - 1,000 RPM. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was a failure with the VANOS valve timing system. The contact was informed that the VANOS valve timing system needed to be replaced. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA

NHTSA complaint 11723902, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW 328I

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2016 56 1
2015 124 4
2014 151 8
2013 257 5
2012 130 6
2011 574 7

Other 2010 BMW models

Every BMW on this site — 249 vehicles, 484 recall campaigns and 2 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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