2013 BMW 135I Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2013 BMW 135I, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags750.0%
- Driver assistance214.3%
- Engine214.3%
- Powertrain (other)214.3%
- Steering17.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER SEPT 2017 FROM BMW STATING THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. I CALL CENTER BMW FOR SERVICE BUT WAS NOTIFIED THE PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME TIME. I RECEIVED MY FIRST NOTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM IN MARCH 2016. WHAT CAN I DO TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM? (THIS IS A SECOND COMPLAINT. THE FIRST COMPLAINT NUMBER IS 11015212)
TAKATA RECALL IN MARCH 2016 I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF A DEFECTIVE FRONT AIR BAG. THE LETTER MENTIONED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BUT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIME SINCE. THE LAST WAS JUNE 26, 2017. EACH TIME I AM INFORMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY RISK OF THIS RECALL COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED. ITS BEEN OVER A YEAR. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, AND AFTER GOING ABOUT 4-5 MILES, THE BELOW WARNING MESSAGES CAME ON.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE, BUT I HAD ANOTHER CLOSE CALL TODAY SO I AM LOGGING A FORMAL COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO ACCELERATE AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. IT OFTEN TAKES 2 TO 3 SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. WHEN THE ACCELERATION FINALLY ENGAGES, IT TENDS TO BE HARD SINCE I OFTEN CONTINUE PRESSING THE PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR DOESN'T RESPOND. SO MY CHOICES ARE I EITHER GET HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AT AN INTERSECTION. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SCARY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AT AN INTERSECTION. IF I HAVE SPACE TO MAKE THE TURN BECAUSE ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS FAR ENOUGH, THE VEHICLE WILL SIMPLY NOT MOVE AT ALL OR ROLL ACROSS THE INTERSECTION FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS ALREADY. I HAD ALL THE SOFTWARE ON THE VEHICLE UPDATED AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT. DON'T KNOW IF TRUE, BUT I ALSO READ ON VARIOUS WEBSITES THAT BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT DOES NOT INTEND TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I GUESS THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY FATALITIES YET. I HOPE I AM NOT THE FIRST ONE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 135i. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
2013 135I COUPE WITH DUAL CLUTCH. CAR WILL TAKE ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS TO ACCELERATE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A ROLLING STOP. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN INTO 3 ACCIDENTS AT INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE OF THIS. I'LL PRESS THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THERE IS SPACE FOR ME TO GO MAKING A LEFT AT A LIGHT AND BY THE TIME THE CAR REACTS 3 SECONDS LATER IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. ONE OF THE TIMES MY CAR POPPED INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT AT A LIGHT AND I STAYED STUCK AT THE INTERSECTION FOR 5 SECONDS AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED RED ALREADY. ALSO, CAR CLUNKS AND JERKS FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. CAR WILL MOVE A FEW INCHES FORWARD AND I'M SCARED I AM GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ONLY OCCUR WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 135i. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
2013 135I COUPE WITH DUAL CLUTCH. CAR WILL TAKE ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS TO ACCELERATE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A ROLLING STOP. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN INTO 3 ACCIDENTS AT INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE OF THIS. I'LL PRESS THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THERE IS SPACE FOR ME TO GO MAKING A LEFT AT A LIGHT AND BY THE TIME THE CAR REACTS 3 SECONDS LATER IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. ONE OF THE TIMES MY CAR POPPED INTO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT AT A LIGHT AND I STAYED STUCK AT THE INTERSECTION FOR 5 SECONDS AFTER THE LIGHT TURNED RED ALREADY. ALSO, CAR CLUNKS AND JERKS FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP. CAR WILL MOVE A FEW INCHES FORWARD AND I'M SCARED I AM GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ONLY OCCUR WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, AND AFTER GOING ABOUT 4-5 MILES, THE BELOW WARNING MESSAGES CAME ON.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .