BMW 135I Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

******* 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 *******

I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT SO WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN FOR THE LEFT TURN I TURNED ONTO THE MIDDLE LANE OF A 6 LANE HIGHWAY AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A VIBRATION AND THE SUSPENSION LIGHT CAME ON SO I SLOWED DOWN AND MOVED TO THE FAR RIGHT LANE WHERE I NOTICED I HAD NO ACCELERATION. I LIMPED INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE CAR SEEMED TO BE VIBRATING AND RUNNING ROUGH SO I SHUT IT DOWN AND WALKED HOME. AFTER TOWING IT TO BMW OF DAYTONA I GOT THE NEWS THAT I BLEW A CHARGE PIPE. THEY SAID THE CHARGE PIPE IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND GOT BRITTLE OVER TIME AND BLEW OFF THE THROTTLE BODY. I FOUND NUMEROUS REMARKS OF OTHERS THAT HAD THAT PROBLEM WHEN I GOOGLED IT. MANY OF THEM STATED THEY HAD IT REPLACED WITH AN ALUMINUM CHARGE PIPE SO I CALLED BMW BACK AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY WERE REPLACING IT WITH PLASTIC OR ALUMINUM. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE SAME PLASTIC PART I HAD ON THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO I SAID GREAT THEN WE CAN EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN. MANY COMMENTS ONLINE SUGGESTED THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. ONE CAN IMAGINE PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF A TRUCK AND SUDDENLY LOOSING ACCELERATION. THE REAL KICKER IS BMW REPLACING IT WITH A KNOWN FAULTY PART.

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.

PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR IS HAVING ERRORS. SHOWING A PASSENGER WHEN NONE IS PRESENT AND ALSO SHOWING NO PASSENGER WHEN THERE IS ONE IN THE SEAT. THIS IS A PRETTY MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

REFERENCE: HTTP://WWW.1ADDICTS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1263580 BMW 135I DCT TRANSMISSION OIL PAN/GASKET STARTED LEAKING DUE TO THE CONSTANT HOT TEMPERATURE FROM THE EXHAUST CAUSING PART TO DEFORM. LEAK WAS NOT DETECTABLE UNTIL TRANSMISSION FAILS, CAUSING CAR TO BE STRANDED.

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW USA DATED SEPTEMBER 2017 TELLING ME THAT PARTS WERE AVAILABLE TO SATISFY THIS RECALL AND TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT RIGHT AWAY TO HAVE THE AIRBAG REPLACED. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND IT WAS CANCELLED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP "DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS AND DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD GET THEM". BMW CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL HAVE THE PART, DESPITE SENDING ME A LETTER STATING THAT THEY "HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS TO COMPLETE THIS RECALL".

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) FOR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG INFLATOR. THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TAKATA RECALL - RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE LAST YEAR, BUT PART REMAINS UNAVAILABLE, PLACING ME AT RISK, PARTICULARLY IN HOT SOUTH FLORIDA.

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? *JS

VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH 7 SPEED DCT TRANSMISSION. WHEN CAR HAD ALMOST COME TO A STOP THERE WAS SUDDEN BURST OF ENGINE SPEED (TO ABOUT 2500 RPM) CAUSING CAR TO SHOOT FORWARD. ACCIDENT AVOIDED BY JAMMING ON THE BRAKE. THIS THEN HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. DEALER RE-PROGRAMMED ECM AND PROBLEM HAS NOT GONE AWAY. OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. MOST RECENT EPISODE IN MY OWN GARAGE WHERE BARELY AVOIDED DRIVING INTO FRONT WALL WHEN IT SURGED. DEALER AGAIN RE-SET SOFTWARE. CLEAR FROM DEALERS REACTION THAT THIS IS NOT ISOLATED INCIDENT AND CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A REAL SOLUTION. THIS IS BASICALLY A VARIANT OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE BMW 135I DCT TRANSMISSION WILL STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THIS RESULTS IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SOMETIMES BEFORE THE CAR STALLS, THE ENGINE WILL REV WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT TO 2500 RPM AND DROP THE CLUTCH WHICH RESULTS IN A RAPID ACCELERATION IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT ON THE BRAKE THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAVE ALMOST CRASHED THE CAR MANY TIMES AS A RESULT OF THIS. BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TO DEALERS THAT CAN BE FOUND IF YOU GOOGLE THE ISSUE, BUT THERE IS NO KNOWN REMEDY. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER CLOSE TO 10 TIMES AND THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO ISSUE. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE TO BE WITH SOFTWARE OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. *TR

FROM THE TIME OF OWNERSHIP (MARCH 16, 2012) TO NOW, THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF DURING OPERATION WHILE IN IDLE RPM SPEED. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHETHER THE CLUTCH IS FULLY PRESSED IN AND IN-GEAR, OR THE VEHICLE IS OUT-OF-GEAR, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR THE IDLE RPMS DROPPING AND THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF. THIS MOSTLY OCCURS WHILE STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT, STOPPING FOR A STOP SIGN, OR IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE VEHICLE IS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT 25MPH. THE CLUTCH IS FULLY PRESSED IN, THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, AND THE GEAR SHIFTER IS CHANGED FROM 3RD GEAR TO 1ST GEAR. WHILE APPROACHING A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE CLUTCH STILL FULLY PRESSED IN, THE ENGINE RPMS WILL DROP FROM NORMAL IDLE SPEED (600-800RPM) TO ZERO. THEREFORE THE ENGINE HAS SHUT OFF GOING 3-5MPH, LEAVING THE DRIVER WITH NO POWER STEERING AND NO POWER BRAKES. SOMETIMES THIS STALL IS VIOLENT; THE VEHICLE SHAKES WHILE RPMS DROP. OTHER TIMES, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT THE DRIVER EVEN NOTICING. ALSO, THIS VEHICLE STALLED TWICE WHILE TAKING A TURN AT 15-20MPH AND THE DRIVER HAD TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT ON BOTH OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THIS STALLING ISSUE. THIS CRITICAL SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED AT A MAGNITUDE OF ONCE A MONTH FROM MARCH 2012 UNTIL JULY 2013. FROM JULY 2013 TO SEPTEMBER 2013, THIS STALLING ISSUE OCCURRED THREE TIMES A WEEK. THEN FROM SEPTEMBER 2013 TO NOW, THE PROBLEM WENT BACK TO ONCE EVERY MONTH. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES BUT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE; THEREFORE APPLYING NO REPAIR OR SOLUTION TO THIS CRITICAL PROBLEM. BMW NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AFTER THE SHOP FOREMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE FIXED. BMW NORTH AMERICA DID NOT HELP IN ANY WAY, THEREFORE LAWYER-INVOLVEMENT IS IN EFFECT TO ATTEMPT IN LEMONING THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE. *TR

HAVE TAKEN THE CAR FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME STALLING,AND LAGGING OF THE FAULTY DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HESITATES 3-5SECONDS NO RESPONSE TO THROTTLE INPUT AND THEN LUNGES VIOLENTLY FORWARD. CAR HOLDS GEAR WHEN PULLING AWAY FROM LIGHTS AND THEN SURGES WHEN PARKING THE CAR ALMOST CAUSING ME TO HIT CARS PARKED NEXT TO ME. SOFTWARE HAS BEEN UPDATED ON THE CAR FOUR TIMES AND THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. WAS TOLD THAT THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WAS ALSO FAULTY IN THE CAR AND THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE ISSUE OF SURGING AND FLUCTUATING IDLE. MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES AS WELL AS IDLING ISSUES ARE STILL PRESENT. TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SQUEAKY BRAKES AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SOUND WAS NORMAL, WEEK LATER CAR IS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE WARPED AND ALL THIS HAS OCCURRED ON A BRAND NEW CAR WITH 12K MILES AND LESS THEN A YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. CAR IS ALSO PLAGUED BY ELECTRICAL GREMLINS THAT KEEP FIRING OFF THE TPMS SENSOR WARNING LIGHTS THAT STAY ON AFTER A RESET AND VERIFICATION THE TIRE PRESSURE IS AS STIPULATED BY MANUFACTURER IN THE DOOR JAM. *TR

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.