Owners have filed 60 complaints on the BMW 135i, covering 2011–2013. The system named most often is Air Bags (16 reports). Worst years by volume: 2011, 2012, 2013; cleanest: 2013, 2012, 2011. 1 reports describe a crash, 2 a fire. On average the car was 5.2 years old when the problem happened.
What breaks on BMW 135i
Grouped by the system owners named — percentages are shares of all 60 135i complaints. Open any row for the full reports in owners' own words.
Air Bags 16 Read
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 bmw 135i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V071000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware…
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2013 bmw 135i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16V071000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of…
Takata recall I received a letter sept 2017 from bmw stating the parts were available for replacement. I call center bmw for service but was notified the parts will not be available for some time. I received my first notification of the problem in march 2016. What can I do to resolve the problem? (this is a second…
Engine 12 Read
The vehicle hesitated when the light turned green and I was hit in the rear. Starting to believe this is what cause the accident and still the dealership can't fix it and lies about what they are doing and I'm really close to the lemon law I think. Bmw n america customer service won't let me pass anyone other than the…
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…
Vehicle almost stalls when accelerating from a stop. Vehicle will also surge forward when vehicle comes to a stop. Both issues are worsened when the temperature is warm outside and the air conditioning is on. Have taken vehicle to the bmw dealer several times to correct, but they never find anything wrong
Power Train 12 Read
2013 135i coupe with dual clutch. Car will take about 2-3 seconds to accelerate when accelerating from a rolling stop. I have almost gotten into 3 accidents at intersections because of this. I'll press the accelerator when there is space for me to go making a left at a light and by the time the car reacts 3 seconds…
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…
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…
Electrical System 9 Read
Fan blower wire can catch fire, bmw 3 series e90 2006 to 2013 already got the recall done, please recall this
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
The contact owns a 2012 bmw 135i. The contact stated that while their wife was driving at approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled while the power steering ceased with an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact contacted a certified mechanic who informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA…
Fuel/propulsion System 4 Read
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…
Vehicle stalls when more than 1/8 throttle is applied, vehicle has difficulty starting. Check engine light comes on when applying small throttle inputs. The 4 previous years of this vehicle make and model, the high pressure fuel pump has had a known problem which resulted in a class action lawsuit that adjusted the…
I have been having misfires. First cylinder 3&5. Changed all plugs and coil packs. Ran well for a couple days. Then boom. Misfires again. Long cold start cranks. I can bring the rpms all the way up to redline as long as I don't step on the throttle more than 25%. As son as I go to put so throttle into it. It's…
Vehicle Speed Control 2 Read
This has been an ongoing issue, but I had another close call today so I am logging a formal complaint. The vehicle hesitates to accelerate after pressing the gas pedal. It often takes 2 to 3 seconds for the vehicle to accelerate. When the acceleration finally engages, it tends to be hard since I often continue…
Crossing the street---I had the gas peddle all the way to the floor (twice yesterday) and the car literally did not move and traffic was approaching. The car eventually moved forward. Problem---hesitation in the engine when applying the gas as I pull out to cross the intersection, slow down to make a turn, or just try…
Fuel System 2 Read
When moving slowly and then rapidly accelerating, such as when attempting to turn onto a busy road, the car seems to shut off the fuel for a solid 2 seconds, so the car actually slows rather than speeds up. The driver, when trying to turn in traffic, will panic and press harder on the gas and nothing will happen until…
Two times within a year the vehicle has experienced a reduction of power and the check engine light came on. On 4-3-18 I took the vehicle to the modesto bmw dealer and was advised I needed the fuel pump replaced which I did spending $1355. Late in december the same problem occurred and I again took it to the same…
Steering 1 Read
Driving on the highway at 65 mph, and after going about 4-5 miles, the below warning messages came on
135i years to avoid — and the clean ones
Complaints per model year. More reports usually means more cars on the road as well as more trouble, so read the crash and fire columns alongside the count.
| Model year | Complaints | Top system | Crashes | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Air Bags | — | 1 | |
| 2012 | Air Bags | — | — | |
| 2011 | Air Bags | 1 | 1 |
The same model year, different builds
Every complaint carries the first 11 characters of the VIN — plant, year, body and engine. That is a production series, and complaints are spread across them very unevenly.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Distinct production series | 41 |
| Average complaints per series | 1.5 |
| Worst single series | 5 complaints |
| Average age at failure | 5.2 years |
A model average of 1.5 hides a worst series at 5. Enter a VIN above to see the numbers for that exact build instead of the model as a whole.
Owners reported these. Find out if yours is one of them.
- Complaints matched to the exact production run, not just the model
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How we count
Every figure here comes from complaints owners filed with NHTSA — 1,100,006 of them, covering 1,982 models built between 1981 and 2026.
A complaint is an unverified report: someone wrote down what happened to their car. It is not a confirmed defect and not a recall. What makes the volume useful is the pattern — when thousands of owners of the same build describe the same failure, that is a signal no marketing brochure will give you.
Two things we do that the source does not. First, we compute the age of the car at the moment of failure from the incident date and the model year. Second, we group complaints by the first 11 characters of the VIN — the production series — so a bad plant run does not disappear into a model-wide average.
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the 135i?
By complaint volume, 2011, 2012, 2013 drew the most owner reports. Bear in mind that popular years put more cars on the road, so check the crash and fire columns too.
Which 135i years are the cleanest?
2013, 2012, 2011 have the fewest complaints on file. For recent years that can simply mean the cars are young.
How many complaints does the BMW 135i have?
60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, covering 2011–2013. Of those, 1 describe a crash and 2 a fire.
Are these complaints verified?
No. They are unverified reports from owners. NHTSA publishes them as filed and investigates only a fraction. The value is in the pattern, not in any single report.
Can I check complaints for one specific car?
Yes — enter its VIN above. We match the first 11 characters, which identify the plant, year, body and engine, so you get complaints on that exact production series rather than the whole model.