2007 BMW 328XI Owner Complaints

Keeps dying out. Can't drive it at all.

NHTSA ID

11680290

Incident

Jul 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, there was smoke and a burning odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. There was a smoldering sound coming from the dashboard. The contact turned off the vehicle; however, the vehicle remained hot, and the smoke started to increase as if the vehicle was not turned off. The contact disconnected the battery to get the smoke to settle and get the engine to cool down. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11659207

Incident

May 3, 2025

Mileage

200,000 mi

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V513000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11650516

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

Quote: Report Receipt Date: NOV 12, 2013 NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V564000 Component(s): AIR BAGS Potential Number of Units Affected: 76,565 Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC The Problem: The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure. Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury. Repair: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, anticipated to be in March 2014, BMW will send a second letter and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. This is reproducible with the front passenger seat. The seatbelt light and airbag light turn on when a passenger is present. This car is unsafe for anyone to be seated in the front passenger seat even when buckled as the red seatbelt and red airbag turn on and stay on until the passenger unbuckles and exits this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11616745

Incident

Sep 26, 2024

The contact owned a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact stated that upon reaching his destination, he observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. After a visual inspection, the contact then observed flames within the engine compartment, shortly after which the entire vehicle became engulfed in flames. Emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection but did not provide the contact with diagnostic information. The vehicle was towed to a towed yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11614200

Incident

Sep 12, 2024

I was driving to my appointment about 3 weeks ago. When all of a sudden I start to smell smoke. I started to brake at the light when I seen flames coming from underneath my glove box. I pulled over as fast as I could by that time my entire glove box with my documents were on fire.The only thing I had was a gallon of apple juice so I put that on the fire to put it out. That was the only I could contain the fire. From that point my car wouldn't turn back on. So I had to pay to get my vehicle to my home.

NHTSA ID

11518100

Incident

Feb 22, 2023

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11490314

Incident

Oct 21, 2022

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal oil odor detected. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve cover was leaking oil and the head gasket cover needed to be replaced. The dealer informed her that the failure was not related to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11487316

Incident

Jul 1, 2022

Mileage

50,000 mi

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11486090

Incident

Sep 23, 2022

There is a Manufacturer Recall - NHTSA Recall Number22V119 this affects the PCV VALVE HEATER, which may not have been produced to specifications which could lead to a short circuit. I was advised a remedy was available to fix this defect, brought my car to the BMW dealership of Greenwich/Mamaroneck service department located at 110 Midland Avenue, Port Chester, on 8/4/2022 at 9:45 a.m. I was told this would be completed that same day. I was not given a loaner and have no other means of transportation, but to date, a full day plus later, my car has not been returned nor repaired and I have received no return phone calls from my assigned service person, Reinaldo Cruz regarding its status. i have emailed and called him both without success.

NHTSA ID

11477765

Incident

Aug 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2007 BMW 328XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V676000 (Electrical System) and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced an unstated failure and was no longer driving the vehicle. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was unknown

NHTSA ID

11475970

Incident

Oct 25, 2017

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER PLACED THE REQUEST.*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA ID

11461501

Incident

Apr 20, 2022

The contact owned a 2007 BMW 328i. The contact stated that upon pulling into the driveway, he saw smoke coming out from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that the fire started inside the hood and extended to the rest of the vehicle. The contact stated that there were explosions of fire with objects flying all over the place. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. There was no police report filed. The contact stated that he sustained minor injuries but did not seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was totaled. The contact later received a recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V683000 (Engine And Engine Cooling), which he associated with the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11461305

Incident

Jan 19, 2022

Possible Class Action Law Suit knowingly neglect, mislead, purposely avoiding known recall & obvious risks of possible LIFE / PROPERTY LOST 08/2012, NYS Bear Mt Parks Camp ground Unknown reason Low battery resulted locked steering, stranded tow $450 /park+$450 tow truck to Shop E141st Bronx Friend a Westchester BMW dealer mechanic 1988~2019 (Will testify): official instruction to replace Steering column $2000-3000 job, replaced on the street, can't start w dealer computer+ $300 towed to Bronx BMW specialist & reset/ started for $450 2012 not much info online As my VIN isn’t on the recall list, I was not aware of the other identical recalled issue til it happened again in 2015(?2016, can confirm w the NY Westchester BMW dealer parts receipt) Paid another $2000+ much nightmare only to realized the issue can easily be reset by any mechanic computer then restarted. BMW dealer still maintain its instruction to their dealer mechanic to replace knowingly HIDING the fact that it should have been recalled & avoided 2016 (have receipt) At 70k Miles Transmission rebuilt, specialist said broken fragments of gears resulting in irreparable damages 2017 Corroded Fuse box nr passenger side replaced $680 2019 After stopping, car barely cranks over & white smoke observed under hood in front of passenger waited 30 minute to start Days later car won’t start, the wire leading to fuse burnt off, lost all power $300 tow home +$350 replace wire $4580 since 2020 low battery all year, car sluggish due to sudden lost of power. 2021 Engine shaking violently, drives shaky & unstable jerks, pulled over Towed $280 steering lock symbol shown Car on driveway realized my VIN was not included in this 2013 recall of 570,000 cars for the same defect numerous reported URGENT life/ Property threats to highway safety for years: sudden lost of power (No hazard light) on LEFT Lane of Highways Entire car engulfed in flames in minutes w toddlers inside car barely escaping Air bags popping while in motion..

NHTSA ID

11445440

Incident

Dec 20, 2021

My car is experiencing electrical failures explained in this recall: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 13V044000 There is a complete loss of power to the vehicle, I need to manually open the trunk, wiggle the positive terminal of the battery to get the power back. This seems to be known issue as identified in the NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 13V044000 When reported to the dealer, they declined to fix the issue as part of recall for the reason my VIN number does not show up in the system for this specific electrical issue. The only way the dealer would address is through charging me for diagnostics and fixing.This seems to be a widespread issue with the model year of the car I own, I expect BMW to fix this as part of the existing recall campaign.

NHTSA ID

11428461

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

DASHBOARD INDICATES, "ELECTRIC STEERING LOCK ENGAGED". CAR IS CURRENTLY DRIVABLE, HOWEVER THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF BMW, AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN UNTIL THE CAR WILL NO LONGER TURN ON. THE MALFUNCTIONING FEATURE (STEERING WHEEL LOCK) HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM SUBSEQUENT MODELS, INDICATING THAT THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZES THE MALFUNCTION. REPAIR INCLUDES REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1300.

NHTSA ID

11428210

Incident

Aug 7, 2021

CRANKSHAFT SENSOR STOPPED WORKING WHILE ON HIGHWAY SPEED, COMMON ISSUE WITH THE BMW 3 SERIES

NHTSA ID

11408086

Incident

Apr 4, 2021

Mileage

83,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHTS KEEP GOING OFF, SAYING "FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER, OR BELT FORCE LIMITER. CONTINUE TO WEAR A SEAT BELT. PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST BMW CENTER." OR "FUNCTION OF THE AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONERS, AND BELT FORCE LIMITERS FAULTY. ENSURE THE SEAT BELT IS FASTENED DESPITE THE FAULT. HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE CENTER". THESE LIGHTS COME ON EVERYTIME THE CAR IS STARTED, DEALERSHIPS CANNOT FIGURE IT OUT, AND ANY ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE CODE DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11352048

Incident

Jul 17, 2020

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AS WELL AS STATIONARY THE WINDOW PINCH PROTECTION LIGHT FLASHES AT 30 SECOND INTERVALS ALONG WITH AN AUDIBLE NOISE. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING AND THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN OFF THE NOISE OR NOTIFICATION. ONCE THE WINDOW PINCH PROTECTION HAS BEEN RESET ON EACH WINDOW THE NOTIFICATION REMAINS FLASHING EVERY 30 SECONDS WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING. THIS AUDIBLE NOISE IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND CREATES AN UNSAFE DISTRACTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329493

Incident

Jun 18, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE BACK WINDOW WON'T ROLL UP AND THE PLASTIC MOTOR HAS BROKEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324469

Incident

May 3, 2020

THE CAR HAS A SHORT DRAINING BATTERY ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON THE BLOWER MOTER SMELT LIKE FIRE WHEN TURNED ON. SCAN TOOL WONT CONNECT TO OBD2 SAYS NO COMMUNICATION AIR BAGS RESTRAINT LIGHTS CAME ON . I BELEIVE YOUR RECALLS WERE NOT DONE AND CAUSE A MASSIVE FAILURE THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS CONDITIONS TO OPERATE VEHICLE UNDER.

NHTSA ID

11320272

Incident

Dec 20, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT IS LIT EVEN WHEN PASSENGER IS SITTING. THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE AS TO IF THE PASSENGER SITS DOWN WITH THE CAR ON OR OFF, IF THE BELT IS FASTENED WITH THE CAR ON OR OFF, MOVING OR STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11298020

Incident

Jan 2, 2020

Mileage

123,000 mi

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON CERTAIN BMW'S. RECALL 13V044. MY VEHICLE BAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN EARLY DECEMBER 2019. IT NOW SITS IN MY GARAGE. APPARENTLY MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL WHICH I CANNOT UNDERSTAND. IT EXHIBITS ALL THE FAILURES INDICATED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ID

11291817

Incident

Dec 4, 2019

Mileage

104,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. BMW OF DEVON (20 LANCASTER AV, DEVON, PA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ID

11289607

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF ROCHESTER AT 585-617-0465 (LOCATED AT 4250 W HENRIETTA RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14623) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ID

11288879

Incident

Dec 13, 2016

Mileage

110,000 mi