CSR

BMW · NHTSA safety record

2014 BMW 335I

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

20

Complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

3

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2014 BMW 335I have filed 20 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2014 and February 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 5 of them (25%). The typical failure was reported at 40,400 miles, the median across the 10 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 5 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (5)

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:HEAD

25V871000 · December 17, 2025

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive), and 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i, M235i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
The risk
An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 851 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

24V527000 · July 11, 2024

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
The risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
The remedy
The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 1,145 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

24V288000 · April 24, 2024

The defect
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
The risk
An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 5,761 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

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

15V189000 · March 31, 2015

The defect
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 228i Coupe, M235i Coupe, 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, ActiveHybrid 3, 328xi Sports Wagon, 428i Coupe, 428xi Coupe, 435i Coupe, 435xi Coupe, 428i Convertible, 428xi Convertible, 435i Convertible, 328xi Gran Turismo, 335xi Gran Turismo, and 2015 428i Gran Coupe, 428xi Gran Coupe, and 435i Gran Coupe vehicles. Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing.
The risk
If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owners were mailed interim notices on May 28, 2015. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America, LLC · up to 18,054 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 20.

ENGINE 5 25%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 4 20%
POWER TRAIN 4 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 4 20%
AIR BAGS 3 15%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 2 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 10%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 5%
LANE DEPARTURE 1 5%
STEERING 1 5%
STRUCTURE 1 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 4.

2014 2020 2026
2014 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

Driver airbag did not deploy. I hit the steering wheel with enough force to break the steering column.

NHTSA complaint 11425215. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire

Car caught on fire

NHTSA complaint 11458488. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash

The airbags is displayed as not working/off. The blind spot warning, and the lane keeping assistance does not function. There was an incident that happened where I hit a pot hole and ended up hitting a construction cone. No warning signs went off and my car wasn’t assisted yo avoid the cone.

NHTSA complaint 11530365. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
After the car is shut off, the coolant pump will stop with the car but after a min the car will stay off but the coolant pump will kick on. Runs until battery is drained. I do understand there is a feature to circulate the coolant so help mitigate burn/hot spots but this continues until the battery is disconnected by ECU. Then it won't start because the battery is too low. Ongoing issue for the past 2 years now, happens intermittently. Frequency is random but happens more when it's cold out. But average happens a few times a week when cold out, sometimes it runs well for a few weeks then starts happening again. We had tried to troubleshoot by BMW but no luck. They have replaced battery,

NHTSA complaint 11629527, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
The backup camera flipped upside down. It's not a physical malfunction, but a software or computer issue. This is a known problem with BMW 3 Series from 2014 and other years. This is not considered a recall. The image on the camera is now reversed, which is a safety hazard. BMW will only inspect and fix the issue for hundreds if not thousands of dollars. There have been no warning lamps, messages or otherwise.

NHTSA complaint 11584112. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
THE SYMPTOM: THE CAR MISSES OR SHUTTERS UNDER LOAD. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE HAS 80K MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN MY OPINION FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE WITH AVERAGE MILES AND CONTINUALLY SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND DRIVEN BY TWO PEOPLE. TODAY I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR A 2014 MODEL 328D THAT REQUIRES REPLACE THE CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT AND INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. I SUSPECT THE SAME FAULTY PART COULD ALSO BE THE CAUSE OF MY NOW FAULTY TRANSFER CASE.

NHTSA complaint 11534907. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
On Sunday, 6/18/2023, a little after 9pm, I was STOPPED at a traffic light outside the Shell station at 600 S Michigan St, Seattle, WA. Whilst waiting for the traffic light to turn green, the sunroof exploded from the inside out! (Traffic camera should confirm the sudden hole in my sunroof) It was an EXTREMELY loud bang and initially I thought someone threw a large rock at my cars' window. However, I didn't see anyone on the street. My second thought was that I was being shot at - and quickly made the right turn onto 6th Ave. S. I then got out because I was confused that I could hear glass pieces. Once I got out of the car I could see that the sunroof had exploded outward! Thankfully I had

NHTSA complaint 11528196, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on the highway when my sunroof exploded. I thought someone shot at me.

NHTSA complaint 11520526. 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
2013 43 2
2012 22 3
2011 97 7
2010 41 4

Other 2014 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