Owners have filed 10 complaints
about the 2010 BMW 335 with NHTSA between 2013 and 2016.
The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 5 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 28
Against the median year of the BMW 335. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 52
10% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 34
20% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2010 BMW 335
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
440.0%
Median failure at 55,500 miles
Fuel & Propulsion
220.0%
Median failure at 71,500 miles
Acceleration & Cruise Control
220.0%
1 crashes, 0 fires · median 35,100 mi
Brakes
110.0%
Median failure at 34,000 miles
Transmission & Drivetrain
110.0%
Median failure at 90,000 miles
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
25,000 – 49,999 miles
440.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
330.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
330.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 2013peak 3Feb 2016
NHTSA investigations into the 2010 BMW 335
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.C...
Complaints that involved harm
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
at 30,000 milesSarasota, FLCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 335. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE AND A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DDE AND DTC MODULES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 7/7/15*CN UPDATED 10/11/2017
NHTSA complaint #10713855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 58,000 milesBrandon, FL
ENGINE
EGR COOLER IS LEAKING AND FUMES ARE GETTING INTO CABIN, IT HAS DISABLED THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROLS ALSO CRUISE CONTROL! THE FAULT CAME JUST BEYOND THE FACTORY WARRANTY OF 50,000 MILES 4 YEAR. I READY ABOUT YOUR COMPLAINT SERVICE IN A FORUM AND BMW WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE.
NHTSA complaint #10838682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 30,000 milesSarasota, FLCrash
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 335. WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE AND A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE DDE AND DTC MODULES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 7/7/15*CN UPDATED 10/11/2017
NHTSA complaint #10713855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesChicago, IL
POWER TRAIN
EXCESSIVE SOOT AND CARBON BUILD UP IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND INTAKE VALVES OF THE 335D WHICH IS A DIESEL CAR. THIS CAUSES ROUGH IDLING, MISFIRES, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 20K MILES AND CONTINUOUS TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. FINALLY, THE DEALER AGREED IT WAS CARBON BUILD UP BUT THAT IT IS NOT COVERED. THE REPAIRS FOR THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW AS IT IS EMISSIONS RELATED AND CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE ON OTHER DIESEL CARS BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS.
NHTSA complaint #10680618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesChicago, IL
ENGINE
EXCESSIVE SOOT AND CARBON BUILD UP IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND INTAKE VALVES OF THE 335D WHICH IS A DIESEL CAR. THIS CAUSES ROUGH IDLING, MISFIRES, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 20K MILES AND CONTINUOUS TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. FINALLY, THE DEALER AGREED IT WAS CARBON BUILD UP BUT THAT IT IS NOT COVERED. THE REPAIRS FOR THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW AS IT IS EMISSIONS RELATED AND CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE ON OTHER DIESEL CARS BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS.
NHTSA complaint #10680618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 90,000 milesChicago, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
EXCESSIVE SOOT AND CARBON BUILD UP IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND INTAKE VALVES OF THE 335D WHICH IS A DIESEL CAR. THIS CAUSES ROUGH IDLING, MISFIRES, AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN 20K MILES AND CONTINUOUS TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. FINALLY, THE DEALER AGREED IT WAS CARBON BUILD UP BUT THAT IT IS NOT COVERED. THE REPAIRS FOR THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY BMW AS IT IS EMISSIONS RELATED AND CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE ON OTHER DIESEL CARS BY OTHER MANUFACTURERS.
NHTSA complaint #10680618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 53,000 milesWashington, DC
ENGINE
DUE TO PREMATURE BUILD UP OF EXCESSIVE SOOT AND CARBON IN THE EGR, INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND INTAKE VALVES OF DIESEL ENGINES, IT WAS CAUSE ENGINE VIBRATIONS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. WITHOUT COSTLY REPAIRS REQUIRING EGR CLEANING/REPLACING, INTAKE MANIFOLD CLEANING/REPLACING, AND CYLINDER HEAD CLEANING/ REPLACING, THE CAR WILL NOT PASS MANDATORY EMISSIONS TESTING. BMW NEEDS TO EXTEND THEIR WARRANTY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10574832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 53,000 milesWashington, DC
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
DUE TO PREMATURE BUILD UP OF EXCESSIVE SOOT AND CARBON IN THE EGR, INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND INTAKE VALVES OF DIESEL ENGINES, IT WAS CAUSE ENGINE VIBRATIONS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. WITHOUT COSTLY REPAIRS REQUIRING EGR CLEANING/REPLACING, INTAKE MANIFOLD CLEANING/REPLACING, AND CYLINDER HEAD CLEANING/ REPLACING, THE CAR WILL NOT PASS MANDATORY EMISSIONS TESTING. BMW NEEDS TO EXTEND THEIR WARRANTY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10574832 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 34,000 milesNEW York, NY
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 335 BMW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR ROTORS FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR-AND-TEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
NHTSA complaint #10564389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,200 milesWichita, KS
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THIS 335D HAD A HISTORY OF ENGINE LIGHT-ON EVENTS PRIOR TO POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC UNCOMMENTED ENGINE RUNAWAY. ON JAN 13, 2013 CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT CRUISE CONTROL AT SPEED SETTING 83 MPH ON TURNPIKE AT 11PM. SUDDENLY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER OUTPUT. ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO HANDLE POWER REQUIREMENT TO KEEP CRUISE CONTROL SPEED AT 83 AND VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPPED TO LOW 70-IES MPH. ECU DID NOT DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED. SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCOMMENTED BACK TO THE SET CRUISE CONTROL SPEED OF 83 MPH. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY SITUATION. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO BMW SERVICE ON JAN 16 2013 AND REMAINED THERE FOR OVER 2.5 MONTHS! MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED AND ENGINE LIGHT-ON EVENT WAS REPLICATED SEVERAL TIMES BY SERVICE MECHANICS. BMW CENTER MANAGER STATED "WE DO NOT WANT TO SELL YOUR CAR TO ANY OF OUR CUSTOMER, THEY MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS YOU HAD". IRONICALLY, VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER ON MARCH 27, AFTER 70 DAYS OF REPAIRS AND TROUBLESHOOTING. CUSTOMER WAS SHOWN PICTURES BY SERVICE MANAGER OF CYLINDER HEAD, ONE OF THE MANY PARTS THAT WAS REPLACED, THAT WAS FULL OF GUNK AND CARBON BUILD UP. CYLINDER HEAD WAS THEN APPARENTLY MAILED TO BMW GERMANY FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. BMW SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. . . . NO ROOT CAUSE WAS EVER PROVIDED ABOUT VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT, SIGNIFICANT CARBON BUILD UP IN CYLINDER HEAD AND SAFETY ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #10508203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40,200 milesWichita, KS
ENGINE
THIS 335D HAD A HISTORY OF ENGINE LIGHT-ON EVENTS PRIOR TO POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC UNCOMMENTED ENGINE RUNAWAY. ON JAN 13, 2013 CUSTOMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT CRUISE CONTROL AT SPEED SETTING 83 MPH ON TURNPIKE AT 11PM. SUDDENLY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ENGINE POWER OUTPUT. ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO HANDLE POWER REQUIREMENT TO KEEP CRUISE CONTROL SPEED AT 83 AND VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPPED TO LOW 70-IES MPH. ECU DID NOT DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED. SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCOMMENTED BACK TO THE SET CRUISE CONTROL SPEED OF 83 MPH. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY SITUATION. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO BMW SERVICE ON JAN 16 2013 AND REMAINED THERE FOR OVER 2.5 MONTHS! MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED AND ENGINE LIGHT-ON EVENT WAS REPLICATED SEVERAL TIMES BY SERVICE MECHANICS. BMW CENTER MANAGER STATED "WE DO NOT WANT TO SELL YOUR CAR TO ANY OF OUR CUSTOMER, THEY MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS YOU HAD". IRONICALLY, VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER ON MARCH 27, AFTER 70 DAYS OF REPAIRS AND TROUBLESHOOTING. CUSTOMER WAS SHOWN PICTURES BY SERVICE MANAGER OF CYLINDER HEAD, ONE OF THE MANY PARTS THAT WAS REPLACED, THAT WAS FULL OF GUNK AND CARBON BUILD UP. CYLINDER HEAD WAS THEN APPARENTLY MAILED TO BMW GERMANY FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. BMW SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY VEHICLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. . . . NO ROOT CAUSE WAS EVER PROVIDED ABOUT VEHICLE'S ENGINE LIGHT, SIGNIFICANT CARBON BUILD UP IN CYLINDER HEAD AND SAFETY ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #10508203 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.