FaultScore

Worst years for a BMW 128I

Owners have filed 237 complaints about the BMW 128I with NHTSA across model years 2007 to 2013. More of them are about the airbags than anything else.

Avoid

2012 BMW 128I

35 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

2008 BMW 128I

23 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every BMW 128I year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2013 D 46 1 2 31,150 Airbags
2012 D 35 4 0 22,500 Airbags
2011 C 63 0 3 81,000 Engine & Cooling
2010 C 31 2 3 95,000 Engine & Cooling
2009 B 37 0 3 76,726 Airbags
2008 B 23 0 3 67,500 Airbags
2007 2 0 0 Tires

What breaks on a BMW 128I

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Airbags 90 38.0%

Worst in 2013

Engine & Cooling 62 26.2%

Worst in 2011

Electrical System 19 8.0%

Worst in 2011

Lights 11 4.6%

Worst in 2009

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 9 3.8%

Worst in 2009

Other & Unspecified 8 3.4%

Worst in 2011

Body & Structure 7 3.0%

Worst in 2013

Brakes 6 2.5%

Worst in 2011

Fuel & Propulsion 5 2.1%

Worst in 2012

Transmission & Drivetrain 4 1.7%

Worst in 2011

Acceleration & Cruise Control 4 1.7%

Worst in 2011

Seat Belts 4 1.7%

Worst in 2008

Stability & Traction Control 3 1.3%

Worst in 2011

Tires 2 0.8%

Worst in 2011

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every BMW 128I, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jun 2012 peak 9 May 2026

Compare the BMW 128I

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.