Problems · NHTSA complaints

2011 BMW 335 IS problems

Owners filed 179 complaints about the 2011 BMW 335 IS with NHTSA between Feb 2011 and Apr 2025. The most-cited component is air bags (54).

Complaints
179
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags54
  2. Engine53
  3. Electrical system27
  4. Fuel/propulsion system21
  5. Power train13
  6. Wheels9
  7. Engine and engine cooling7
  8. Vehicle speed control7
  9. Service brakes5
  10. Exterior lighting4
  11. Steering4
  12. Seat belts3
  13. Tires3
  14. Seats3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20117
20124
20135
201414
201519
201623
201745
201819
201915
20204
20215
20226
20234
20245
20254

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

54 reports2 crashes
“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but became persistent whenever the vehicle was started. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact had researched and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin Number: 10148018 - Front Passenger Air Bag Seat Occupancy Sensor (OC3) Mat (Air Bags). The contact was informed by the dealer and the manufacturer that the vehicle was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2024Air bagsODI 11621213

Engine

53 reports
“I was in the middle of driving on the freeway and my motor started to get loss in power. Moments later a malfunction engine sign popped up. The codes I was able to pull from the vehicle were pointing towards a recall that already exists for BMW but for some reason my vehicle was not a part of the recall. The recall I am reffering to is 23V707000. It shows that there are 11 open recalls for 2011 335i including the vanos bolt recall. I called the dealer and according to my VIN, the vanos bolt recall is not covered. There are multiple reports online where the dealer is refusing to cover the recall for vehicles within a certain production date. There is clearly a safety issue going on as this has happened to plenty of people. Someone with the same motor as I could get covered for the recall due to the production date and I am in a position where BMW knows that this is an issue but will not cover it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2025EngineODI 11634627

Electrical system

27 reports2 fires
“Wiring harness in the engine compartment caught fire about 2 weeks after changing a water pump, battery kept being draining even after battery replacement. Locking of the trunk trunk forced usage of a BMW authorized jump start battery charger/start etc. No access to Battery when the battery is discharged.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2025Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Unknown or otherFire reportedODI 11643883

Fuel/propulsion system

21 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, "VEHICLE OPERATING AT REDUCED POWER LEVEL" DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 6, 2019Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11278470

Power train

13 reports
“Transmission failure, while driving 45mph the car automatically downshifted then stopped pulling rolled to a complete stop was able to put into park turn car off then when tried to restart that is when the transmission failure light and notice came on the dash and radio screen. After that the car would not go into any gear or pull in any gear. No warning signs appeared before the incident.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2024Power trainODI 11612387

Wheels

9 reports
“I PURCHASED NEW PIRELLI PZERO TIRES FROM MY LOCAL BMW DEALER. THE REAR TIRES EXHIBITED INTERMITTENT AIR LOSS AND WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER BECAUSE THE DEALER BELIEVED THEY WERE DAMAGED DURING INSTALLATION. THE SECOND SET OF REAR TIRES ALSO EXHIBITED INTERMITTENT AIR LOSS. THE DEALER BELIEVED THE WHEELS WERE DAMAGED AND CAUSING THE AIR LOSS. I HAD A WHEEL SPECIALIST INSPECT THE WHEELS, AND THEY FOUND NO DEFECTS TO CAUSE AIR LOSS. THE WHEEL SPECIALIST FOUND THE TIRES TO BE DEFECTIVE AS THEY HAVE EXCESS MATERIAL AT THE BEAD THAT PREVENTS PROPER SEALING ON THE RIM. THE WHEEL SPECIALIST ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE EXCESS MATERIAL FROM ONE TIRE TO DETERMINE IF THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE PROBLEM, WHICH IT DID TO SOME EXTENT. I CALLED PIRELLI AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE PROBLEM, AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD REPLACE ONE REAR TIRE UNDER WARRANTY BUT NOT THE TIRE THAT WAS WORKED UPON BY THE WHEEL SPECIALIST. IN SUMMARY, I EXPERIENCED TWO SETS OF DEFECTIVE PIRELLI P ZERO TIRES LEADING ME TO BELIEVE THERE COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH ADDITIONAL TIRES. I HAVE VIDEO EVIDENCE OF THE LEAKS SEEN DURING A LEAK TEST.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 9, 2018Tires, WheelsODI 11150245
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.