CSR

BMW · NHTSA safety record

2013 BMW 335I

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

43

Complaints

5

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2013 BMW 335I have filed 43 safety complaints with NHTSA between November 2013 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 12 of them (28%). The typical failure was reported at 56,000 miles, the median across the 25 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (2)

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

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

15V520000 · August 17, 2015

The defect
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 7,727 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (2)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Pedestrian alert sounds

DP22005

Closed defect petition · opened January 27, 2023 · closed August 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000

the electrical system

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

EA21002

Still open engineering analysis · opened September 17, 2021

the air bags

From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 43.

AIR BAGS 12 28%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 26%
ENGINE 11 26%
POWER TRAIN 9 21%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 4 9%
SEAT BELTS 3 7%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 5%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2 5%
SEATS 2 5%
STEERING 2 5%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 7.

2013 2020 2026
2013 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.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 injured · crash · towed · 42,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 335I. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH MAKING A 90 DEGREE TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. .......UPDATED 12/08/15 *BF, 04/18/18*JB

NHTSA complaint 10781655. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

crash · towed · 10,000 miles

WHILE PARKING CAR TURNING WHEELS TO LEFT, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, CAUSING CAR TO JUMP OVER PARKING BUMPER, THROUGH CONCRETE BLOCK WALL AND CONTINUED TO RAM INTO PRIVATE HOME, MAKING HOME UNSAFE TO ENTER. ALL THIS CAUSED $14000.00 DAMAGE TO THE CAR, NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF DAMAGE TO THE WALL AND BUILDING. BMW DEALERSHIP WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE ACCELERATOR CABLES ETC...SAYS CAN'T BE AN ISSUE WITH THIS INCIDENT. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AS SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS / PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES COULD BE IN JEOPARDY! P.S. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR YET SINCE IT HAS BEEN AT THE BMW BODY SHOP SINCE DECEMBER 8 2015. CAR IS SECOND OWNED BY US. WE BOUGHT

NHTSA complaint 10821971, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

crash · towed · 7,000 miles

WHILE PARKING CAR IN USUAL PARKING LOT AT WORK, 8:30 AM, TURNING WHEELS TO LEFT, CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, CAUSING CAR TO JUMP OVER PARKING BUMPER, THROUGH CONCRETE BLOCK WALL AND CONTINUED TO RAM INTO PRIVATE HOME, MAKING HOME UNSAFE TO ENTER. ALL THIS CAUSED $14000.00, NOW, UPDATED TO $19000.00 DAMAGE TO THE CAR, NOT INCLUDING THE COST OF DAMAGE TO THE WALL AND BUILDING. BMW DEALERSHIP WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE ACCELERATOR CABLES ETC...SAYS IT IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THIS INCIDENT. THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER AS SAFETY OF OCCUPANTS / PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES COULD BE IN JEOPARDY! P.S. WE HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR YET SINCE IT HAS BEEN AT THE BMW BODY

NHTSA complaint 10826092, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

crash · towed

The car died without warning on highway. Lost control because of no power. Car was towed. no codes found. Car died again on highway, lost control no power to brakes and steering. Car was hit trying to got off into breakdown lane. High pressure fuel pump no good.

NHTSA complaint 11718453. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My vehicle has a defect with electric water pump, shorted by its factory connector due to unprotected electrical plug on water pump. BMW issued a recall to cover the defect but refusing to pay for repairs performed. Recall 24V-608 water pump electrical connector. Recall information includes same parts with defects which includes mine, exactly same part and same procedure for repairs. 2013 BMW 335i Drive, F30 (3 series sedan) This company must be held responsible for the repairs, can't cover half of the models then leave other half for the expense of owners. Same parts used and same procedures to address the defects, why is not my vehicle not included in this recall ???

NHTSA complaint 11751957. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The water pump runs all of the time and drains the battery completely overnight. The water pump runs even after the car is shut off. It seems like the water pump is shorted. The water pump connector appears to have the same issue as many other recalled BMWs but for some reason my VIN has not been included in the recall. The photo is of the stream of coolant being pumped by the water pump while the car is turned off. I cannot drive the car. It is sitting with the battery disconnected. I have called the dealer and they said my car is not part of the recall, but it should be.

NHTSA complaint 11718597. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

140,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 335i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the following day, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle started. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with battery failure. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, and the battery was replaced for the second time. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure

NHTSA complaint 11710003, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I haven’t even had my bmw 335i 2013 with 84000 miles on it yet for more than 8 months but somehow for some reason my electronic power steering rack has gone out twice in the span of 5 months.this is a issue. Everytime I’m getting on or off on ramps and taking the turns and curves at 35-40 mph then when you go to let your wheel slide through your hands so you can continue going straight is supposed to be smooth and effortless I shouldn’t have to worry about my life everytime I drive a car because the [XXX] wheel wants to snap back to the center angle at Mach 7 speed. The steering wheel feels loose when I’m driving straight and is heavy when I turn. Even going over bumps it will just start to

NHTSA complaint 11690282, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
There is TSB by BMW where they know there is an issue with there Fan.. according to them the fan is a 650w fan which causes a condition where the transmission gets a code. The car all of a sudden gets a dramatic power loss with no warning or check engine light.. i almost got into an accident when my car with no warning lost power… I called bmw of America and they are telling me I’m responsible to bring in the car and pay for the repair

NHTSA complaint 11623639. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the BMW 335I

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2015 10 3
2014 20 5
2012 22 3
2011 97 7
2010 41 4

Other 2013 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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst