RoadVitals

2011 BMW 335IS

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Aug 24, 2022
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Jan 15, 2020
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 BMW 335IS, most frequently naming the engine, airbags and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 114 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine650.0%
  • Airbags325.0%
  • Electrical216.7%
  • Tires & wheels18.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jan 15, 2020
59,965 units potentially affected
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, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Oct 25, 2017
702,965 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
The risk: Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
The remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Aug 24, 2022

I had the recall repair for the HVAC harness done in 2018, and the recall fix failed in 6/22, I took it into BMW and they determined there was a short, I do not know why a replacement part failed so soon in my eyes after being replaced for a recall. I had to pay $670 to fix this issue from a "free" recall fix, this seems like an issue to me with their replacement harnesses. There are a lot of posts on forums about people having to replace the harness again after the fix. I've never had issues with any wiring on any other car, and sure seems odd that BMW has failures as such. I don't know what can be done by you if anything but I am reaching out because BMW is standing by their 2 yr warranty on fixes and making people pay for the repair themselves again after a recall.

NHTSA ID
11481005
Incident
Aug 23, 2022
Engine
Filed Aug 16, 2019

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) ON THIS MODEL 335IS CONTINUES TO FAIL AFTER TIME. THE N54 MOTOR WAS INITIALLY RELEASED IN 2007-2009 AND THEN REPLACED WITH THE N55. THE HPFP ON THE 2007-2009 MODELS HAVE NOW AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO HIGH FAILURE RATES. BMW RE-RELEASED THIS ENGINE IN THE 2011-2013 335IS MODELS ONLY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS THE FIRST SET OF VEHICLES. AT 54K MILES, MY VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65MPH LOST POWER AND FORCED ME TO DRIVE ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER STATED "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." AT 82K MILES, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET AND THE SAME WARNINGS APPEARED AGAIN. "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." HPFP FAILURE HAS LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE IN "LIMP" MODE, INITIAL COLD CRANK LAG AT STARTUP, MISFIRES IN ALL CYLINDERS, AND "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA ID
11244509
Incident
Aug 6, 2019
Mileage
82,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 16, 2019

THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) ON THIS MODEL 335IS CONTINUES TO FAIL AFTER TIME. THE N54 MOTOR WAS INITIALLY RELEASED IN 2007-2009 AND THEN REPLACED WITH THE N55. THE HPFP ON THE 2007-2009 MODELS HAVE NOW AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO HIGH FAILURE RATES. BMW RE-RELEASED THIS ENGINE IN THE 2011-2013 335IS MODELS ONLY, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN AS THE FIRST SET OF VEHICLES. AT 54K MILES, MY VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65MPH LOST POWER AND FORCED ME TO DRIVE ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER. THE ENGINE COMPUTER STATED "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." AT 82K MILES, I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A CITY STREET AND THE SAME WARNINGS APPEARED AGAIN. "ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, DRIVE WITH CAUTION. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST BMW SERVICE FACILITY." HPFP FAILURE HAS LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE IN "LIMP" MODE, INITIAL COLD CRANK LAG AT STARTUP, MISFIRES IN ALL CYLINDERS, AND "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA ID
11244508
Incident
Jul 27, 2015
Mileage
54,325 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 19, 2018

WATER PUMP FAILURE OCCURRED AT 72,000 MILES. PART IS A COSTLY REPAIR, AND BMW WILL QUOTE $1800 TO REPLACE. CAR WARNING ON IDRIVE SYSTEM STATED 'ENGINE TOO HOT, PULL OVER AND SHUT ENGINE OFF.' LOSS OF POWER AT POTENTIAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID
11120895
Incident
Jul 30, 2018
Mileage
72,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 29, 2018

HEATER BLOWER WIRING RECALL

NHTSA ID
11090900
Incident
Apr 21, 2018
Engine
Filed Feb 9, 2018

THE BELT ON MY CAR BROKE OFF AND I HAD MY CAR TOWED INTO THE MECHANIC SHOP. ONCE IT WAS LOOKED AT IT WAS SAID TO HAVE JUMPED TIME AND I HAD AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION THAT IS A RECALL DO TO BMW. MY ENGINE IS NO LONGER WORKING AND I AM LEFT WITH PAYING A CAR NOTE ON A BMW THAT HAS AN ENGINE THAT JUMPED TIME AND NO LONGER WORKING. THIS IS A BMW RECALL AND BMW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING MY ENGINE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
11071961
Incident
Dec 15, 2017
Airbags
Filed Jan 30, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. I CONTACTED THE BMW DEALERSHIP SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO RESOLVE THIS RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE PLACED ON A WAITING LIST. I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET TO FIX THIS ISSUE

NHTSA ID
11065896
Incident
Oct 2, 2017
Engine
Filed Dec 24, 2017

SINCE I HAD THE CAR AT 32K MILES. THE VEHICLE WOULD GIVE ME THE LOW OIL LIGHT WAY BEFORE THE OIL CHANGE INTERVALS OF 15K. THIS ULTIMATELY LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. IT SPUN A CAM SHAFT BEARING. THIS HAS LEAD TO HAVING TO REPLACEMENT OF HE ENTIRE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE.

NHTSA ID
11056322
Incident
Nov 11, 2017
Mileage
70,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

B011321

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT: N54/N54T/N55 ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLANT PUMP . With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Oliver, et al v. BMW NA, et al

B011321

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT: N54/N54T/N55 ELECTRIC ENGINE COOLANT PUMP . With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Oliver, et al v. BMW NA, et al

B340414

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC; STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles: 1. Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking from high speed with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F) increases the likelihood of cracks to form.

B110208

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Power Reduction, FC2A82 Intake VANOS and/or FC2A87 Exhaust VANOS Camshaft Fault: The ?Service Engine Soon? (MIL) lamp is illuminated and engine power reduction is perceived. This situation can occur after driving for some time with the engine at full operating temperature. If theignition is cycled, the engine then usually performs normally.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 335IS by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2013311
2012110
2011Viewing112037.5
2010020
2009020
2008020
2007020

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.