FaultScore

BMW 135I engine problems

33 of the 199 complaints filed about the BMW 135I are about the engine — 17% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2011.

33

Complaints

17%

Share of all complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

2008 135I 5 15.2%

Median failure at 52,090 miles

2009 135I 5 15.2%

Median failure at 8,500 miles

2011 135I 11 33.3%

Median failure at 30,000 miles

2012 135I 10 30.3%

Median failure at 40,000 miles

2013 135I 2 6.1%

Median failure at 27,500 miles

What owners said

2011 BMW 135I Mooresville, NC

ENGINE

BMW Series 135I2011 - Engine/Vanos bolts failed/failing! When it's started, you can total tell there is an issue with it...Car is basically NON-Drivable due to this condition due to safety concerns! The vin is not being covered by the recall due to but this is a SERIOUS issue! This needs to be covered by BMW! We've taken it to the mechanic who said this needs to be towed to the dealership due to the recall and because of the specific issue but once at the dealership, where it's sitting now, they are saying due to vin not popping up, they can't cover it as well as BMW's customer service line but this is SERIOUS and needs to be covered!

NHTSA complaint #11616579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I Albuquerque, NM

ENGINE

the vanos bolts failed.

NHTSA complaint #11566657 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I Hattiesburg, MS

ENGINE

Continuing coolant problems, engine shut off going down the hwy bc overheated////engine not secure-moves around literally/////camshaft timing position sensor code. On Dec 24th I purchased a 2012 BMW 135i convertible from Alboet Motor Sports on Pass Rd in Gulfport, MS. Before I went I specifically asked if the car had any mechanical or cosmetic damage and [XXX] lied and said nothing was wrong. After signing all documents she started pretending to look for the title. She promised i would get it in a week or so in the mail. The car had a ruined engine and radiator, missing front air intake ducts completely, who knows what else. They only paid 2700 bc it states stationary with mechanical damage from auction. I paid the $10,700 in cash they charged me. I'm sick to death just thinking about it. She will not repair, refund or anything like that. She finally today sent a pic of a title to the car and its got a man in Mobile, AL name on it. I don't think she ever even tried to get it and doubt she is now either. I have wasted more time and money on this, I feel robbed of over 10k. I have no car to start my new job the 24th. Please help me, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #11521626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 BMW 135I at 100,000 miles Bentonville, AR

ENGINE

The owns a 2008 BMW 135I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. On several occasions the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and decelerated to approximately 35 MPH. The contact performed a diagnostic test on the vehicle and determined that the fuel injectors were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11515609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I Powell, TN

ENGINE

Sudden catastrophic engine shutdown After 3weeks of investigation came back as bad crank posisition sensor

NHTSA complaint #11453558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2013 BMW 135I at 40,000 miles Sacramento, CA

ENGINE

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.

NHTSA complaint #11424454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 55,000 miles Creedmoor, NC

ENGINE

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. SEVERAL TIME, WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WITH CROSSING TRAFFIC, I ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BUT THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE. I TRIED SHIFTING FROM AUTO TO MANUAL BUT THE CAR STILL FAILED TO ACCELERATE FOR AT LEAST 5 SECONDS AT WHICH TIME IT JOLTED FORWARD. THE ISSUE STARTED AT AROUND THE 50K MILE MARK 3 YEARS AGO AND CONTINUES STILL TODAY (~90K MILES). I AM NOT SEEING MY VEHICLE LISTED UNDER RECALLS RELATED TO LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER/STALLING FROM 2/7/2013 AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RECALL NOTIFICATIONS RELATED TO MY CAR SINCE 2017. I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH CRACKING SOUNDS FROM FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN TURNING. TO DATE, I HAVE HAD THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION REBUILT INCLUDING; CONTROL ARM ASSY, SWAY BAR ASSY, BEARING, STRUTS, AND U-JOINTS. I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY DURING COLDER WEATHER DAYS. NOW I AM LEARNING THAT THERE IS A RECALL FROM 8/1/2020 RELATED TO MY CAR MODEL BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10179812 MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NUMBER: B310112. SUMMARY CRACKING NOISES FROM THE FRONTAXLE AREA WHILE TURNING THE WHEELS, WHEN STATION: CRACKING NOISES ARE HEARD FROM THE FRONT AXLE AREA WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW SPEEDS (E.G., PARKING LOT MANEUVERS) OR WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE STATIONARY.

NHTSA complaint #11402494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2008 BMW 135I at 117,000 miles SAN Antonio, TX

ENGINE

MISSING

NHTSA complaint #11322928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I at 88,000 miles Macomb, MI

ENGINE

ROD BEARINGS FAILURE WHICH COULD CAUSE ENGINE SEIZING WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #11321309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 50,000 miles Decatur, GA

ENGINE

WHEN I HAD FEWER THAN 50K MILES, MY THERMOSTAT BROKE SUDDENLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAD NO PREVIOUS ISSUES OR WARNING LIGHTS. SINCE THAT REPAIR, I HAVE HAD 2 COOLANT LEAKS, AND ONE RELATED PIPE CRACK. THIS WEEK, I HAD AIR IN MY COOLANT SYSTEM AND HAD TO HAVE IT DRAINED. THESE ALL APPEAR TO BE RELATED.

NHTSA complaint #11307058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I at 56,300 miles Pahoa, HI

ENGINE

VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR WHEN PASSING VEHICLES OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY NEARLY CAUSING COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN WHEN VEHICLE IS ACCELERATING 99% OF THE TIME. WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED VEHICLE WILL TRY TO SURGE FORWARD. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS VEHICLE. SHAME ON BMW FOR NOT RECALLING ALLOF THESE MODELS!

NHTSA complaint #11299283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 56,000 miles Meridian, ID

ENGINE

VEHICLE ALMOST STALLS WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. VEHICLE WILL ALSO SURGE FORWARD WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. BOTH ISSUES ARE WORSENED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS WARM OUTSIDE AND THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE BMW DEALER SEVERAL TIMES TO CORRECT, BUT THEY NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

NHTSA complaint #11222668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 50,700 miles Kerman, CA

ENGINE

******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE IT REMOVED*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******

NHTSA complaint #11191706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 40,000 miles Massillon, OH

ENGINE

VEHICLE EXHIBITS AN INTERMITTENT HESITATION (LIKE A STALL) WHERE THERE IS AN APPARENT TOTAL LOSS OF POWER AT LOW SPEEDS (COASTING) OR FROM STOPPED. ON SEVERAL INSTANCES THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE IN A LEFT TURN LANE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE VEHICLE MORE FREQUENTLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS SURGES IN RMP WITHOUT THROTTLE INPUT WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IN MANY INSTANCES, THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD AND EXTRA BRAKING IS REQUIRED. THIS HAS RESULTED IN NEAR MISS, REAR END, ASSURED CLEAR DISTANCE ISSUES. THESE TWO PROBLEMS OCCUR DURING CITY/RESIDENTIAL DRIVING INCLUDING AT SLOW SPEEDS THROUGH SCHOOL ZONES (A MAJOR CONCERN). I PURCHASED THIS CAR USED, BUT WITH LOW MILEAGE AND ENCOUNTERED THESE ISSUES ON THE DAY OF DELIVERY. DEALER REPROGRAMMED AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE ACCORDING TO A BMW SAFETY BULLETIN WHICH I FOUND ONLINE. THE DRIVE HOME WAS NOTICEABLY IMPROVED, HOWEVER THE CONDITIONS RETURNED SHORTLY THERE AFTER AND PERSIST TO THIS DAY.

NHTSA complaint #11110829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I Matthews, NC

ENGINE

WATER PUMP AND MUCH MORE

NHTSA complaint #11104100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I at 90,000 miles Hickory, NC

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 135I. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A WATER PUMP FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #10783391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 BMW 135I at 8,500 miles Ward, AR

ENGINE

AT 8,532 MILES MY BMW 135I HAD A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE THAT CAUSED MY CAR TO DECELERATE BELOW THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC. AT 24,384 MILES THE CAR ILLUMINATED A ENGINE CAUTION FOR OVER TEMPERATURE. THE ONLY GAUGE AVAILABLE WAS FOR OIL TEMPERATURE WHICH DID NOT INDICATE HOT. THERE WAS NOT A SHOULDER TO PULL OVER FOR 3 MILES.

NHTSA complaint #10705277 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 BMW 135I at 30,000 miles College Station, TX

ENGINE

VEHICLE WILL "JOLT" FORWARD. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER 100 TIMES. THE ISSUE IS BEST DESCRIBED LIKE THIS. I WILL DRIVE THROUGH A FAST FOOD DRIVE-THRU LINE AND THERE WILL BE 1 OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I WILL PULL UP AND BRAKE TO A COMPLETE STOP TO ORDER. THE OTHER VEHICLE IS AT THE RESTAURANT WINDOW PAYING SO THAT CAR IS ONLY ABOUT 20 FEET IN FRONT OF ME. SINCE THE GAP BETWEEN ME AND THE OTHER CAR ARE SO CLOSE I WILL NOT GIVE MY VEHICLE ANY GAS, I WILL ONLY LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND MOVE FORWARD AT IDLE SPEEDS. ONCE I REACH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, I PROCEED WITH PRESSING THE BRAKE (USUALLY "PULSING" THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SCOOT FORWARD SAFELY ONCE I'M VERY CLOSE). AT THAT POINT MY VEHICLE WILL JOLT FORWARD AS IF I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY IN AND OUT QUICKLY. SINCE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE "SCOOTING" SAFELY, MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO REALLY MOVE. THIS DRIVE-THRU EXAMPLE HAS HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A SIDE WALK IN FRONT OF IT. WHEN PULLING INTO THE SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND MOVING AT IDLE SPEEDS MY VEHICLE TRIED TO JUMP FORWARD AND SOMEONE HAPPENED TO BE WALKING BY AND THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HIT THEM IN MY CAR.I'VE HAD THE ISSUE HAPPEN IN REVERSE GEAR AS WELL. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT ON BMW FORUMS SUCH AS WWW.BIMMERPOST,COM AND WWW.1SERIESONLINE.COM AND I'VE TALKED WITH BMW DEALERSHIPS AND THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR IT AND CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM FEELS TO BE A FAULT IN THE DCT TRANSMISSION. WHEN MY VEHICLE JOLTS FORWARD, IT ALMOST SEEMS LIKE ITS TRYING TO SHIFT UP AND THEN SHIFT DOWN QUICKLY CAUSING IT TO JOLT FORWARD. THE PROBLEM WORSENS IF I HAVE MY A/C ON AT ALL.

NHTSA complaint #10700986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2009 BMW 135I at 65,000 miles Alpharetta, GA

ENGINE

I HAVE A WELL MAINTAINED 2009 BMW 135I WITH 65000 MILES. YESTERDAY, 1/21/15, WHILE TRAVELING AT 75MPH IN 6TH GEAR IN THE LEFT LANE OF GA400, THE CAR ABRUPTLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING OVERHEATED AND LOST ALL POWER. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVING 100% NORMAL, OIL TEMPS WERE NORMAL, AND HAD BEEN IN FOR A RECENT OIL CHANGE AND INSPECTION TWO WEEKS PRIOR WITH NO SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS CROSS 4 LANES OF HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER. WHEN I CALLED TWO DIFFERENT BMW SERVICE CENTERS FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT SEE THE CAR UNTIL FEBRUARY 3RD (TWO WEEKS) AND WERE BACKED UP ON LOANERS AND RENTALS AS WELL. I CALLED BRAXTON AUTOMOTIVE ((404) 367-4767), AN EXPERIENCED REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY, FROM MY BRIEF OVER-THE-PHONE DESCRIPTION, INSTANTLY IDENTIFIED THE ISSUE AS A WATER PUMP FAILURE, A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS N54 ENGINE. WHEN THEY RECEIVED THE CAR, THEY CONFIRMED A CATASTROPHIC WATER PUMP FAILURE AND A CONSEQUENTLY CRACKED RADIATOR. I CALLED BMW USA THE NIGHT OF THE INCIDENT AND LEARNED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN IN PLACE. THEY WERE APOLOGETIC BUT REFUSED TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE UNLESS I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A DEALER SERVICE CENTER. THIS WAS UNREASONABLE BECAUSE OF THE TIME LAG AND BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY TOWED THE CAR TO BRAXTON, WHO HAD ALREADY IDENTIFIED AND BEGUN REPAIR ON THE PROBLEM. I HAD SWORE OFF BMWS WHEN I HAD MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THIS 2009 CAR. NOW I AM GOING TO SELL THIS DANGEROUS PIECE OF CRAP. TOO BAD, I LOVE THE WAY IT LOOKS AND DRIVES, WHEN ITS NOT IN THE SHOP OR SHUTTING DOWN AT HIGH SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #10678230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2012 BMW 135I at 33,000 miles Aurora, CO

ENGINE

I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR INTO SCHOMP BMW TWICE FOR THIS ISSUE, THE LATEST BEING LAST WEEK TELLING THEM I BELIEVE THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE AND IT FEELS AS IF IT WILL STALL AS I AM TURNING A CORNER OR STOPPED AND BEGIN ACCELERATING. THEY SHOWED NO RECALL AND HOOKED MY CAR UP TO COMPUTER AND NO CODES CAME BACK WITH ANY ISSUES. I AM REALLY SCARED THAT MY CAR WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNING IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC. IT HAS HESITATED TO WHERE I HAVE HAD TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS. I RECEIVED THE OFFICIAL RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL WEDNESDAY AND CALLED SCHOMP AND TOLD THEM I WANT IT REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY IF THAT IS THE ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME THEY DON'T HAVE PARTS AND THAT I WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER NOTICE AND THAT I HAVE TO WAIT. I AM NERVOUS THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AND SOMEONE WILL BE INJURED. WHAT CAN I DO FOR NOW?

NHTSA complaint #10598161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other BMW 135I problems