2011 BMW 335D Owner Complaints

- The component that has failed is the front passenger seat occupancy sensor, as indicated by an OBDII scan showing fault code 93C3, seat-occupancy detector, passenger. - The safety of any person in the front passenger seat is compromised because the passenger airbag will not deploy while this sensor is not operating properly, as indicated by the "passenger airbag off" light which is now always illuminated. The vehicle has not been in an accident and nobody has been injured as a result. - The problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. - The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance, etc. - There is a restraint system malfunction warning message stating "Fault in passenger-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner, or belt-force limiter. Continue to wear the safety belt. Have the system checked by the nearest BMW center." - I have contacted both my local BMW dealer (BMW Seattle) and the BMW North America customer relations department and have been informed by both that there are no open recalls or technical service bulletins related to this sensor on my model/year and that the vehicle is out of warranty, so the financial responsibility to repair the vehicle is on me.

NHTSA ID

11548697

Incident

Mar 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335D. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed on a 6-hour trip, there was thick fumes coming into the cabin of the vehicle from the exhaust. The contact stated that he drove the vehicle to the dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed with a clogged DEF filter. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

NHTSA ID

11524811

Incident

May 16, 2023

Mileage

119,000 mi

YEARS OF MY 335D OVERHEATING AND STALLING AND DEALER CANT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. I’VE REPLACED INJECTORS, DONE CARBON BLASTING, REPLACED NOX SENSOR, REPLACED WHOLE BATTERY/ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. JUST RECENTLY REPLACED THE ALL BELTS, HOSES, AND EGR MODULE TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. AFTER REMOVING THE COMPONENTS YOU CAN SEE FLUIDS GOT MIXED AND EVEN GOT INTO MY TURBO ALL BECAUSE OF THE EGR WAS LEAKING. SO MANY IDENTICAL ISSUES RESULTED IN RECALLS FROM BMW FOR ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MODEL FROM EARLY 2000S TO NEW MODELS DUE TO FAULTY EGRS, EXCEPT THE 2011 335D. AND OF THE NEARLY 1 MILLION VEHICLES RECALLED BY BMW THIS YEAR ALONE, ONLY THE 2011 335D IS NOT RECALLED FOR FAULTY PCV AND EGR WHICH WAS FINALLY DETERMINED BY THE DEALER TO BE THE CAUSE OF MY OVERHEATING, BLACK PARTICLES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST, MELTED PLASTIC UNDER MY HOOD, AND DISGUSTING SMELL FROM AIR VENTS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME EXACT VEHICLE WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUES ON NHTSA AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE. ONLY WHEN THESE CARS CATCH ON FIRE AND RESULT IN A CASUALTY WILL BMW FINALLY ADD ALL MODEL TYPES TO THEIR RECALL LISTS. FOR NOW THEY WILL KEEP ADDING MODELS ONE BY ONE, PRETENDING THEY DO NOT HAVE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH ALL THEIR CARS. RIDICULOUS.

NHTSA ID

11485382

Incident

Sep 20, 2022

Fine, white particles are blowing out of the cabin air ducts whenever the air conditioner or fan is turned on. My local BMW service center, Herb Chambers BMW of Boston, determined that the debris is flakes of aluminum from the deteriorated aluminum alloy fins of the AC evaporator coil and heater exchanger. The cabin air ducts were scoped and found to be intact with no intrusion of outside contaminants. The dealer determined that if not replaced, “the A/C Evaporator will fail…” and quoted the cost of repairs at $5,286.18. As I am sure you are aware, aluminum is a neurotoxin when absorbed by the body. The science is well established and can be easily sourced using Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22&q=neurotoxicity+of+aluminum&oq=neuroto. The fine aluminum particles blowing from the heating and cooling system of my BMW have been absorbed into my eyes, mouth and airways, putting me at risk from internal exposure to aluminum. They have also rendered my BMW 335d unusable due to this health safety hazard. I filed a request for recourse with BMW of North America and was denied.

NHTSA ID

11438480

Incident

Aug 3, 2021

IT STARTED MAY, 2017, WHEN MY 335D WAS IDLING ROUGH AND JERKED AS I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED. I TOOK IT INTO CREVIER BMW IN SANTA ANA. THE CAR HAD 53,000 MILES AND THEY SAID IT HAD CARBON BUILD UP ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND #1 & 5 FUEL INJECTOR. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS AND WALNUT BLAST THE MANIFOLD. SWIRL PORTS, EGR AND THROTTLE HOUSING CLEANED AS WELL. APR, 2018 58,000 MILES, FAULTY ACTIVE TANK TEMPERATURE SENSOR REPLACED. AUG, 2018 60,000 MILES, REPLACED FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS #2,3,4,5 AND FAULTY CAM SENSOR. JAN, 2019 64,000 CAR RUNNING ROUGH AT IDLE. STARTED USING FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER IN FUEL TANK. THIS STOPPED THE ROUGH IDLE. CAR RUNS ROUGH EVERY TIME IF I DON'T ADD THE INJECTOR CLEANER. MARCH 2020 73,000 MILES, INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVED AND WALNUT BLAST AGAIN. REPLACED BOTH FAULTY NOX SENSORS. FAULTY CODES ON AIR MASS INTAKE. NOV 2020 76,000 MILES, FAULTY FUEL INJECTORS # 1,2,4, #5 GLOW PLUG, MASS/VOLUME AIR FLOW, INTAKE TEMPERATURE SENSOR. DID NOT PASS SMOG. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO REPAIR TO GET IT TO PASS SMOG. VERY FRUSTRATED...

NHTSA ID

11391136

Incident

Nov 27, 2020

PASSENGER AIRBAG MALFUNCTION, SEAT SENSITIVITY IS TOUCHY, REPORTS AN OCCUPANT WHEN EMPTY AND GIVES AN OCCASIONAL MALFUNCTION WARNING, AT ANY SPEED, ANY TIME.

NHTSA ID

11308589

Incident

Feb 11, 2020

Mileage

115,000 mi

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS AND SETS OFF THE WARNING SOUND AS IF SOMEONE IS SITING IN THE SEAT WHEN NOBODY OR NOTHING IS IN THE SEAT. THIS MAY CAUSE AIRBAG MALFUNCTIONS OR HAVE IT NOT DEPLOY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR SEVERAL WEEKS AGO. THE ISSUE IS CONSTANT WHILE I'M DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11291827

Incident

Dec 18, 2019

Mileage

84,000 mi

LESS THAN 70K MILES AND HAD TO REPLACE MANIFOLD, INJECTORS ETC DUE TO EXCESS CARBON BMW NEEDS TO DO MORE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF POLLUTION ON THESE VEHICLES

NHTSA ID

11230649

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

69,000 mi

I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE EGR MODULE TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. AN IDENTICAL ISSUES RESULTED IN A RECALL FROM BMW FOR DIESELS FROM OTHER YEARS: HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CAR-RECALLS-DEFECTS/BMW-RECALLS-DIESEL-CARS-AND-SUVS-FOR-FIRE-RISK/ . HOWEVER, BMW HAS CHOSEN NOT TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO COVER THIS ENGINE FAILURE IN ALL OF THE DIESELS. IT'S POTENTIALLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS STARTS TO SHOW UP WITH INCREASED FREQUENCY.

NHTSA ID

11218281

Incident

Jun 3, 2019

Mileage

77,000 mi

THE 2011 VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 65,000 MILES NORMAL RUNS AT HIGHWAY SPEED IN A RANGE OF 2K RPMS. A WARNING REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION IMMEDIATELY CAUSED THE CAR TO REV UP TO 5K RPM (VERY HIGH FOR A DIESEL ENGINE SEDAN) AND THE SPEED REDUCES 30-40MPH WHILE DRIVING. IT IS INCREDIBLY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. ASSUMED THIS WAS A ONE-OFF. PULLED TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND IT RAN FINE. TOOK IT TO BMW FOR INSPECTION AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BUT WOULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CHARGE ME MORE THAN HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. THE ISSUE HAS SINCE REPEATED AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ALL ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11184619

Incident

Feb 3, 2019

Mileage

66,000 mi

STEERING WHEELS IS SUCK WANT TURNING IN MY DRIVEWAY STEERING WHEELS LOCK UP CAN GETTING TURNING WHAT CAN WE DO

NHTSA ID

11176032

Incident

Feb 9, 2019

Mileage

11,000 mi

WHILE COMING TO A STOP IN A PARKING LOT THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AND THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER WAS PRESENT. HAD THE CAR BEEN GOING A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.

NHTSA ID

11142985

Incident

Oct 19, 2018

Mileage

90,484 mi

2011 BMW 335D. CONSUMER WRITES WITH REGARD TO RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 18V-314: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM, AND INQUIRES WHEN REPAIRS WILL BE DONE. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME COMPLETING THE RECALL REPAIR. *JS

NHTSA ID

11140888

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STAHL AND NOW THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE HIGH/LOW FUEL PUMPS AND INJECTORS WHICH COST MORE THAN THE VEHICLE. I AM STUCK MAKING PAYMENTS THIS CAR IS JUNK AND THE CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED...... EVERY MONTH I HAVE A PROBLEM SINCE OCTOBER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 12 TIMES. THE INJECTORS, FUEL PUMP I WAS TOLD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, INJECTORS AND NOW FUEL PUMP

NHTSA ID

11122700

Incident

Jul 20, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP EVERY WEEK I HAVE HAD IT TOWED 12 TIMES SINCE MAY. I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL (ELECTRICAL ISSUED RECENTLY) THE VEHICLE RAN GREAT, NOW THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED 3 NEW INJECTORS. THE INJECTORS ARE BAD. I AM READING REVIEWS AND OTHERS STATED THEIR BMW'S NEED NEW INJECTORS. SO IS THEIR A RECALL FOR INJECTORS I DID NOT SEE? THE CAR STAHLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11122690

Incident

Aug 17, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

INTERMITTENT FAULT ON PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING PASSENGER AIRBAG AND BELT TENSIONER. MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR EARLIER E90 MODELS WITH THE SPORT SEATS. FIRST FAULT OCCURRED WITH APPROXIMATELY 118,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HAS HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY FOR THE LAST 10,000 MILES. FAULT CODE 0093C3

NHTSA ID

11121629

Incident

Jan 20, 2018

Mileage

118,000 mi

WHILST DRIVING VEHICLE, BATTERY WARNING LIGHT, BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING, AND WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. AFTER VISIT TO DEALERSHIP, APPEARS THAT HARMONIC BALANCER WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN OFF, IN TURN, TAKING OUT VARIOUS BELTS, INCLUDING THE BELTS THAT POWER A/C AND MOST IMPORTANTLY POWER STEERING. BMW ALREADY REPLACED THESE BELTS TWICE, UNDER WARRANTY. UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARS THE HARMONIC BALANCER APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE FOR MANY OF THE 335D VEHICLES, AS WELL AS FOR X5 SAVS, EQUIPPED WITH SAME ENGINE. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWERSTEERING, IS AN UNACCEPTABLE DANGER, IN PARTICULAR FOR A PART THAT APPEARS TO BE WEAK (DESIGN FLAW), AS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER BMW 335D OWNERS.

NHTSA ID

11110965

Incident

Jun 29, 2018

Mileage

97,000 mi

RECEIVED INITIAL RECALL NOTICE FROM BMW DECEMBER 2017. AS OF MAY 27TH 2018 A REMEDY IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE TO CORRECT ELECTRICAL ISSUES THAT COULD CAUSE A POSSIBLE FIRE. BMW IS ABLE TO PROVIDE PARTS TO PRODUCE NEW AUTO'S BUT MAKES LITTLE EFFORT TO CORRECT KNOW ISSUES ON THE AUTOS THAT IT HAS ALREADY SOLD.

NHTSA ID

11098201

Incident

Dec 27, 2017

MY 2011 BMW 335D SEDAN HAS A RECALL ON THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS THAT COULD CATCH FIRE ANYTIME, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND OFF. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR OVER 2 MONTHS AT THIS POINT, (WHILE STILL MAKING MY HIGH CAR PAYMENT) AND PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE, AND NO IDEA WHEN THEY WILL BE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE FOR MY LOSS? BMW NORTH AMERICA SAYS NO, THEY ARE PROVIDING AN ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR WHICH IS ALL THEY CAN DO.

NHTSA ID

11082178

Incident

Feb 5, 2018

Mileage

84,000 mi

CAR STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING. EACH TIME IT WAS A SUDDEN DEATH WHILE DRIVING. EVERY TIME GOT LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT FOLLOWED BY A TRUCK AND NO ONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE EARLIER, DIESEL PUMP AND NOW DEALER SAID REPORTED ALL INJECTORS FAILED. HISTORY: 1/5/17 - CAR STALLED WHILE IN MOTION ON CITY STREET - SPEED 30/HR 3/3/17 - CAR STALLED AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY - 50/HR 5/20/17 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT - NO STALLING 5/31/17 - CAR STALLED - ON CITY STREET AT RED LIGHT. 2/13/18 - CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING - SPEED 50/HR 3/1/18 - CAR STALLED - SPEED 15/HR - AFTER STOPPING AND STARTING AT RED LIGHT IN CITY STREET. DOWNHILL. NO BREAK . STARTED ROLLING DOWN. USED HAND BRAKE. 3/7/18 - CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW CITY STREET - SPEED 25 /HR REPAIRS: 5/23/17 - EGR COOLER , INJECTORS REPLACED 5/31 - 6/18 - CAR WAS AT DEALER AND ENGINE, INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. 2/13/18 - DIESEL PUMP REPLACED. 3/7/18 - CAR IS WITH DEALER - REPORTS MULTIPLE INJECTOR FAILURE

NHTSA ID

11078424

Incident

Mar 7, 2018

Mileage

94,000 mi

CAR STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. EVERY TIME GOT LUCK AND NO ONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. DEALER REPLACED ENGINE, DIESEL PUMP AND NOW REPORTED ALL INJECTORS FAILED.

NHTSA ID

11078418

Incident

Mar 7, 2018

Mileage

28 mi

I HAVE A PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAULT AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER. MY CAR HAS SPORT SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN DUE TO THE SEAT MAT SENSOR FAILURE. MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. BMW QUOTED ME A REPLACEMENT SEAT MAT USING THE SAME RECALLED PRODUCT FROM 2013 AND 2006. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS A SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION CODE AND THE SEAT MAT SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. THIS WENT DEFECTIVE AT 84,000 MILES ON THE CAR. AS A RESULT, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH BECAUSE THE SEAT DOES NOT DETECT AN OCCUPANT WITH THE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION!

NHTSA ID

11065987

Incident

Jul 31, 2016

VEHICLE WILL OCCASIONALLY LOSE ALL ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER RESEARCH I FOUND BMW RECALLS ON THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AND ITS CONNECTION BEHIND THE FUSE BOX. I ACCESSED MY CABLE BEHIND THE FUSE BOX AND MOVED THE CABLE A SMALL AMOUNT AND POWER WAS RESTORED. I ASSUMED MY VEHICLE WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL SINCE THAT IS CLEARLY THE PROBLEM AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE OVER 70 MILES ON WAY TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL # 13V044000. MY CAR HAS THIS PROBLEM AND FITS ALL THE CRITERIA LISTED ON THE BMW DOCUMENTATION FOR THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11063605

Incident

Jan 13, 2018

Mileage

76,500 mi

BLOWER MOTOR WIRING: THIS RECALL INVOLVES THE WIRING FOR THE SYSTEM, KNOWN AS THE BLOWER-MOTOR, THAT CONTROLS AIR FLOW FOR THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. OVER TIME, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WIRING AND THIS SYSTEM COULD DETERIORATE AND, IN RARE CASES, COULD LEAD TO OVERHEATING. THE BLOWER SYSTEM ALSO LEAKS SOME TYPE OF OIL WHICH MY MECHANIC INDICATED COULD ALSO LEAD TO A FIRE WITH THE BLOWING MOTOR WIRING SHORT CIRCUITING. A FEW MONTHS BACK THE HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING, IT SENT A STRONG SMELL OF PLASTIC AND RUBBER BURNING THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE INTERIOR. ALSO I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY LETTER REGARDING THE RECENT RECALL FROM BMW, WHICH MY VEHICLE IS ALSO LISTED UNDER THAT RECALL. HAVEN'T I DONE ANY RESEARCH ON THIS I WOULD STILL BE DRIVING MY CAR AROUND PUTTING MY LIFE AND FAMILY'S LIVES AT RISK.

NHTSA ID

11045361

Incident

Oct 2, 2017

TAKATA. RESOLUTION BY CLOSEST BMW DEALER, BMW OF BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, IS INDICATING A MAY 2018 DATE FOR REPLACEMENT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN INORDINATELY EXTENDED TIME ON TOP OF THE ALREADY LONG TIME FOR THE REPLACEMENT PRODUCT.

NHTSA ID

11045339

Incident

Nov 11, 2017