BMW 335is Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used BMW 335is options? We analyzed 5 model years (2011–2015) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Found a BMW 335is? Check that exact car.
Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the BMW 335is has 37 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls across model years 2011–2015. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2013 drew the most complaints; 2011 drew the fewest.
- Make
- BMW
- Model
- 335is
- Model years analyzed
- 2011–2015 (5 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 37
- Safety recall campaigns
- 4
- Crash-related complaints
- 2
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2013 (25 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2011 (0 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Average
By model year
BMW 335is: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
AverageThe BMW 335IS has 37 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls on record. 2 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 37 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 4 federal recall campaigns
- 2 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jul 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
4 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2011–2015. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 37 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
37 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE FAILED. THIS MAKES IT SO THAT THE DOORS DO NOT OPEN WHEN YOU ARE INSIDE THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTING TO GET OUT BY PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT ALLOWING ME TO GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE. IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED BY PAYING THE $1500 TO FIX THE ISSUE THE DOORS WILL STOP OPENING COMPLETELY MAKING THIS EVEN MORE OF A SAFETY ISSUE OVER TIME. THIS ISSUE ONLY GETS WORSE AND IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE CAR. THIS DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR SHOULD BE RECALLED ON ALL VEHICLES BMW MAKES THAT ARE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN LONG-STANDING ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES AND HAS YET TO BE RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT IS ABSOLUTELY A SAFETY ISSUE. BMW SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROFIT OFF OF THEIR POOR SAFETY MANUFACTURING MISTAKES.
DRIVER AND PASSENGER TRAPPED IN CAR AFTER PARKING AT AS GAS PUMP. DOORS WOULD UNLOCK BUT NOT OPEN RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL OF KILLING ITS PASSENGERS IN A CRASH. THERE IS A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT.
TWO WHEEL RIMS CRACKED, ONLY 38,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. RIMS WON'T WITHSTAND NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY WILL CRACK AND CAUSING LOOSING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING.
WHEN I TRY TO OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BY PULLING THE HANDLE IT DOES NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IS THROUGH ANOTHER DOOR OR BY USING THE CENTRAL LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON. MY FEAR IS THAT IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY OR ACCIDENT IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS COMPROMISED I COULD POSSIBLY BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AT THE BMW DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CLAIM THAT THE PROBLEM BEING MECHANICAL IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. ON THE BMW INTERNET FORUMS THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSTS ACROSS VEHICLE MODELS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME FAULTY "DOOR ACTUATOR" AND BMW'S UNWILLINGNESS TO REPAIR IT FREE OF CHARGE. I WAS QUOTED OVER $950 TO REPLACE THE PART. THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE SAFETY ISSUE I BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
"TAKATA RECALL. TOOK BMW TO BMW DEALER ON MALLORY ROAD IN NASHVILLE TN ON NOV. 3 TO HAVE AIRBAG REPLACED AT 10:00, MY APPOINTMENT TIME. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME ABOUT ONE HOUR LATER. BMW REFUSED TO GIVE ME ANY PAPERWORK RELATED TO THE MY VISIT. THIS SUGGEST THEY DID NOT CHANGE THE BAG. PLEASE TELL BMW TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE COMPLETED WORK ORDER SO I HAVE PROOF THE BAG WAS REPLACED
HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS SEEMS TO BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH BMW. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE LOSE OF ENGINE POWER.
Read 14 more owner reports
DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN WHICH THE CARS OUTPUT IS MINIMIZED. WE WERE ON ONE HIGHWAY, CONNECTING WITH ANOTHER AND WENT TO ACCELERATED TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. TOP SPEED WAS 40MPH. THE SECOND TIME WE COULD AT LEAST DO 65MPH. OCCURRED 7/5/16 AND 9/19/16
TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW ON MARCH 2016 NOTIFYING ME OF THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIR BAG MODULE RECALL, CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-071. BMW DID NOT HAVE ANY PARTS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF NOTIFICATION AND INDICATED THEY WOULD NOTIFY ME AS SOON AS THEY ARE ABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND I THINK WAITING FOR THE AIRBAG TO BE FIXED SINCE MARCH IS A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME, CONSIDERING THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS MATTER. IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO TO SPEED UP THIS PROCESS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO WORK WITH BMW CORPORATE AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN RIDGEFIELD CT WHERE I LEASED THE VEHICLE FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS AND I HAVE YET TO SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVE THE SITUATION. I HAVE 4 MONTHS LEFT ON MY LEASE AND I WANT BMW TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK EARLY AS IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I SURVIVED A TRAIN CRASH IN NY JUST OVER A YEAR AGO WHERE 5 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE FRONT CAR I WAS SEATED IN AND I'M NOT GOING TO RISK GETTING KILLED BY A FAULTY AIRBAG.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-5 SOUTH ON JUNE 6 AT ABOUT 6.30 PM WITH 2 OF MY FRIENDS. THERE WAS TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AND I APPLIED MY BRAKES AFTER SEEING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME SLOWING DOWN TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY CAR SLOWED DOWN BUT IT WOULD NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT KEPT ROLLING. I PRESSED THE BRAKES HARD BUT I COULD FEEL A SQUEALING FEELING IN THE BRAKES AND IT JUST WOULD NOT STOP.IT KEPT ROLLING. I RELEASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES FOR A MOMENT AND APPLIED FULL PRESSURE AGAIN BUT STILL IT WOULD NOT STOP. I FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS LEAKING AS I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKES AND THE THE COMPLETE HOLD AND STOP THAT HAPPENS AFTER THE BRAKES ARE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR DID NOT HAPPEN THIS TIME. I PULLED THE HAND BRAKES BUT BY THAT TIME IT WAS TOO LATE. MY CAR THEN ROLLED ON BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHICH MADE IT COME TO A STOP. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY IN THE PAST. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I HAD SENT MY CAR TO BMW SEATTLE WHEN MY CAR SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL BY ITSELF BECAUSE OF AN ENGINE FAILURE AND AS IT WAS ROLLING DOWN I PRESSED THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT PUSH IT DOWN. I HIT A PAVEMENT BY THE RIGHT TO MAKE IT STOP .BMW SEATTLE SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT EVEN AFTER ME REPEATEDLY TELLING THEM THAT IT DID HAPPEN AND SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THIS ISSUE RESURFACED A FEW WEEKS BACK BUT LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME AND AFTER REPEATEDLY RELEASING THE BRAKES AND PRESSING IT HARD WITH FULL FORCE I MADE IT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. UNFORTUNATELY THIS TIME I MET WITH AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM NOW REALLY UNSURE OF DRIVING MY CAR ANYMORE.MOREOVER MY TRUST ON BMW IS COMPROMISED AS THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS ISSUE CANNOT AND DID NOT HAPPEN. IF THE SERVICE TEAM CANNOT FIND A GENUINE FAULT WITH THEIR SYSTEM THAT IS HAPPENING REPEATEDLY I DONT THINK THEY CAN BE TRUSTED WITH THE SAFETY OF THE CAR.
WE HAVE HAD SOME SNOW HERE IN NEW YORK THIS PAST WINTER. IT SEEMS AS IF THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. FOR WHATEVER REASON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE POPPED. PER THE DEALER THIS OUTSIDE INFLUENCE VOIDED THE GUARANTEE AS THERE WAS ICE UNDER THE COWL WHERE THE ARM IS CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR. THE PHOTO IN THE ATTACHMENT SHOWS THE AREA IN QUESTION. WHAT GETS ME IS THE "ICE BUILDUP" THAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN MOST LIKELY CAME FROM THE DEFROSTER. THE SNOW MELTS AND DRAINS DOWN INTO THE AREA IN QUESTION. I'M ENCLOSING A COPY OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE BMW DEALER. 1 ATTACHMENT (1307.1 KB) CLICK FOR OPTIONS VIEW SLIDE SHOW (1) DOWNLOAD AS ZIP ADD TO ONEDRIVE HI [XXX], HERE'S A PICTURE OF MY CAR. I'M LETTING MOTHER NATURE GET RID OF THE ICE. THE DESIGN MIGHT WORK IN FLORIDA. IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT THAT, IF YOU ASK ME, SHOULD BE COVERED! REGARDS, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS REFUELING OUR 2013 BMW 335I AND I WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. DURING THAT PROCESS, A PICKUP TRUCK BACKED UP AND WAS CLOSE TO HITTING OUR CAR. FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT, I TRIED TO WARN THE OTHER DRIVER WITH OUR CAR'S HORN, BUT IT DID NOT WORK, SO I RESORTED TO SCREAMING AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE SINCE THE WINDOWS WERE ALSO CLOSED. FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND HEARD ME AND REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND GOT THE TRUCKS ATTENTION AND PREVENTED A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC COLLISION RIGHT NEXT TO A GAS PUMP. IT NEVER EVEN CROSSED OUR MINDS AT THE TIME THAT A HORN DID NOT OPERATE WHEN THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS SWITCHED OFF WITH THE IGNITION KEY, WHICH ONE MUST DO FOR FIRE SAFETY REASONS WHEN REFUELING. NEVERTHELESS, AFTER WE GOT HOME WE TRIED THE BMW'S HORN WHEN THE CAR WAS OFF AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WE TRIED OUR 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK'S HORN WITH ITS IGNITION SWITCHED OFF, AND ITS HORN WORKED JUST FINE. I SEARCHED ON '2013 BMW HORN DOES NOT WORK'S' ON THE INTERNET AND THE SYSTEM RETURNED 18,200 RESULTS. WHILE I DID NOT READ ALL OF THEM, I FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS ABOUT BMW HORNS NOT WORKING WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, AS FAR BACK AS 2006. SOME INTERNET POSTINGS ADVISED HAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY AND I DRIVE SCREEN ACTIVATED, BUT THE HORN DID NOT. NEXT, I PUSHED THE START BUTTON, WITHOUT ENGAGING THE ENGINE, AND ONLY THEN DID THE HORN WORK. I CONTACTED BMW ASSIST FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SPOKE TO A BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE IN COLUMBUS, OH. HE CONFIRMED THAT THE HORN IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. HE SAID HE WOULD ENTER MY CONCERN INTO THE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK DATABASE. WE THINK BEING UNABLE TO WARN DISTRACTED DRIVERS ABOUT TO CRASH INTO YOUR OCCUPIED BUT PARKED CAR IS A HAZARD AT LEAST WORTHY OF PROMINENT WARNINGS TO DRIVERS OF BMWS AND ANY OTHER VEHICLE WITH THIS "FEATURE". *JS
THE CAR HAS DISPLAYED "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, DRIVE MODERATELY" TWICE NOW IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. WHEN THIS DISPLAY HAS OCCURRED, THE CAR GOES INTO "LIMP MODE" AND CAN ONLY BE DRIVEN AT LOW SPEEDS OR WITH VERY SLUGGISH ACCELERATION. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AS IT BECOMES EASY TO BE REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER DRIVER WHEN IT SLOWS SUBSTANTIALLY. *TR
SECOND PROBLEM WITH DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION, FIRST PROBLEM BACK IN NOV 2013 BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST 2013. *TR
MY CAR STARTED SHAKING VIGOROUSLY, AND A MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED (DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION). *TR
THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AT IDLE AND SLOW SPEEDS. THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION INDICATOR CAME ON. *TR
HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED INCIDENT (09/30/2013), THE LOSS POWER. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FOR ME. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 29, 2013. WHEN I PUT FOOT ON GAS, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND TWO DAYS LATER WAS TOLD THE AUXILIARY POWER SUPPLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS UNAVAILABLE: THERE WERE NO PARTS IN THE COUNTRY NOR COULD THEY TELL ME WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD I COULD CONTINUE OPERATE THE CAR AND I SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED. THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AGAIN NOVEMBER 15. I ALSO NOTICED SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED INCIDENT A CHANGE IN THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE - THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED FROM ABOUT 250 DEG TO ABOUT 205 DEG. *TR
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM RESULTING IN VIOLENT SHUDDERING OF THE VEHICLE BODY AND ABRUPT ENGINE STOPS RESULTING IN DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. FLUCTUATIONS IN THE TACHOMETER WHEN THE CAR ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND THE CAR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY CHANGE GEARS TO NEUTRAL OR PARK. *TR
AS I WAS APPROACHING THE ON RAMP FOR THE HIGHWAY, I SPED UP IN ORDER TO MERGE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR PICKED UP EXTREMELY SLOWLY AS IF IT DID NOT HAVE ANY POWER. I ALSO NOTICED AT THE SAME TIME THAT MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE SEEMED TO BE UNUSUALLY LOW FOR A VEHICLE THAT HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR OVER AN HOUR. THERE HAD ALSO BEEN AN EXTREMELY LOUD FAN NOISE THAT WOULD COME ON EVERY 2 MINUTES OR SO. AS A RESULT OF THE LACK OF POWER, I NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME BECAUSE THE ONCOMING VEHICLE DID NOT ANTICIPATE SOMEONE MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT SUCH A SLOW PACE. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITHOUT POWER FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AS IF THE CAR WAS A NATURALLY ASPIRATED VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CLEARLY TURBO CHARGED BUT THE TURBO NEVER KICKED IN. WHEN I GOT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO RESTART MY VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTED TO RUN AS NORMAL. *TR
I WAS REARENDED, ON THE FREEWAY, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BY AN SUV GOING ABOUT 40MPH, I SLAMMED IN TO ANOTHER SUV IN FRONT OF ME. MY VEHICLE IS TOTALED. THE DISPLAY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN AIRBAG DEPLOY ERROR. ALSO, THE REASON MY CAR WAS TOTALED WAS BECAUSE ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRES FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ARE BEHIND THE REAR TAIL LIGHT, AND THEY WERE MELTED AFTER IMPACT. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE FUEL TANK IS. LUCKILY, I WALKED AWAY WITH A SORE NECK AND FEW BRUISES, BUT IT IS CONCERNING THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHEN THEY WERE CLEARLY SUPPOSE TO. I HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. *TR
Showing 20 of 37 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact BMW 335is
These pages show model-year patterns across 5 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used BMW 335is, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The BMW 335is has 37 complaints on record across 5 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The BMW 335is has 4 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 2 of the BMW 335is's 37 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all BMW 335is vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two BMW 335is vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The BMW 335is has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Check a BMW 335is by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used BMW 335is.
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BMW 335is reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the BMW 335is reliable?
Average. The BMW 335is has 37 NHTSA owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which BMW 335is years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2013 (25 complaints), 2011 (0 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common BMW 335is problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (13 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (8 complaints); AIR BAGS (8 complaints).
Does the BMW 335is have recalls?
Yes — 4 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the BMW 335is. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.