Research · complaint index

BMW 335I Xdrive years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 5 model years of the BMW 335I Xdrive by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2011 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
201111
20122
20135
20142
20151
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20151010.400Fewest complaints
20142020.702Typical
20136552.007Typical
20123521.002Typical
2011168114.503Most complaints
  • 201510 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201420 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201365 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 201235 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
  • 2011168 complaints · 0 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Oct 28, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2015.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What BMW 335I Xdrive years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2011 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 5 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

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