What year BMW 328i should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2011 and 2013 model years are the ones to avoid, with Complaint Indexes of 100 and 83, the two highest among 2010-2016 model years.

What is the best year for the BMW 328i?

The 2012 and 2016 model years score best, with Complaint Indexes of 17 and 0 respectively, the lowest in the 2010-2016 range covered.

Is the 2011 BMW 328i reliable?

The 2011 328i has the highest complaint volume (577) and Complaint Index (100) of any year covered, with engine problems making up 64% of complaints, so it ranks worst among the years tracked.

What are the most common problems with the BMW 328i?

Across all years, engine issues account for 57% of the 1,451 total complaints, followed by electrical system issues at 28% and airbags at 15%.

Does the 2013 BMW 328i have any recalls related to brakes?

NHTSA does not list a brake-specific recall for the 2013 328i in this data, but brake complaints make up 14% of that year's total, with a median failure mileage of 8,000.

BMW 328i Best and Worst Years (2010–2016)

Avoid the 2011 and 2013 BMW 328i, which have the highest Complaint Indexes (100 and 83) and lead in engine, electrical, and airbag complaints. The 2012 and 2016 model years score best, with indexes of 17 and 0, making them the stronger choices in this range.

Avoid 2011 Avoid 2013 Best 2012 Best 2016

Model years: 7; 2010–2016
NHTSA complaints: 1,451
Recall campaigns: 15
Crashes reported: 82
Fires reported: 54
Top problem area: Engine

328i Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

BMW 328i problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2010	Caution	50	155	3	6	6	Engine	20	—
2011	Avoid	100	577	18	25	7	Engine	20	—
2012	Best	17	130	4	1	6	Engine	20.5	—
2013	Avoid	83	257	24	8	5	Engine	21	5★
2014	Caution	67	151	19	2	8	Engine	26	5★
2015	Good	33	124	6	8	4	Engine	26	5★
2016	Best	0	57	8	4	1	Engine	26	—

328i years to avoid: what went wrong

2011 BMW 328i Index 100 · 577 complaints · 7 recalls

The 2011 328i has the highest Complaint Index in the lineup at 100 and the most complaints overall, 577. Engine problems make up 64% of its complaints, with a median failure mileage of 100,500. Electrical system issues account for 23% of complaints at a median of 92,000 miles, and airbag complaints make up 16% at 71,000 miles. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this year, including a driver airbag module recall and a PCV valve heater recall. Owners report airbags failing to deploy in crashes and a structure/body incident involving a multi-lane collision. Crash and fire counts are also the highest among the years covered.

2011 engine problems →2011 electrical system problems →2011 airbags problems →

2013 BMW 328i Index 83 · 257 complaints · 5 recalls

The 2013 328i carries a Complaint Index of 83, the second-highest of the years covered, with 257 total complaints. Engine issues make up 53% of complaints at a median of 79,500 miles, electrical system issues 25% at 88,782.5 miles, and brakes 14% at a median of just 8,000 miles. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns, including a water pump/electrical recall and a software update recall for electrical systems. Owners report sudden brake failures at low mileage, including incidents in parking lots and near intersections, plus airbags that failed to deploy or deployed with metal fragments during collisions.

2013 engine problems →2013 electrical system problems →2013 airbags problems →

Most common BMW 328i problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group. A complaint naming two components counts once in each.

Engine826 (57%)
Electrical System402 (28%)
Airbags218 (15%)
Other134 (9%)
Brakes101 (7%)
Transmission & Powertrain101 (7%)
Fuel System91 (6%)
Structure & Body63 (4%)
Seat Belts40 (3%)
Steering29 (2%)

Frequently asked questions

What year BMW 328i should I avoid?: Based on NHTSA complaints and recalls, the 2011 and 2013 model years are the ones to avoid, with Complaint Indexes of 100 and 83, the two highest among 2010-2016 model years.
What is the best year for the BMW 328i?: The 2012 and 2016 model years score best, with Complaint Indexes of 17 and 0 respectively, the lowest in the 2010-2016 range covered.
Is the 2011 BMW 328i reliable?: The 2011 328i has the highest complaint volume (577) and Complaint Index (100) of any year covered, with engine problems making up 64% of complaints, so it ranks worst among the years tracked.
What are the most common problems with the BMW 328i?: Across all years, engine issues account for 57% of the 1,451 total complaints, followed by electrical system issues at 28% and airbags at 15%.
Does the 2013 BMW 328i have any recalls related to brakes?: NHTSA does not list a brake-specific recall for the 2013 328i in this data, but brake complaints make up 14% of that year's total, with a median failure mileage of 8,000.