BMW 335is Recalls — All 2 NHTSA Campaigns

Quick answer

The BMW 335is has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2011–2013. On average a defect was admitted 7.5 years after the car was built, the slowest took 9 years. The most recalled system is Air Bags (1 campaigns). Owners also filed 3 complaints on this model — see what breaks.

Everything on the BMW 335is

Fuel economy27 mpg best Reliability4.0/5 Common problems25 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build Cargo space11 cu ft Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2011–2015

What was recalled on the BMW 335is

Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.

Air Bags 50% 1 Read

2013 BMW 335is · 20V017000 · admitted after 7 years

What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver…

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death

Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417

2012 BMW 335is · 20V017000 · admitted after 8 years

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death

2011 BMW 335is · 20V017000 · admitted after 9 years

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death

Electrical System 50% 1 Read

2011 BMW 335is · 17V676000 · admitted after 6 years

What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat

Risk. Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended

Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417

How long a defect stays unadmitted

Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.

FIG.03·BMW 335is — how fast defects were admitted
Measure	Value
Average gap before admission	7.5 years
Slowest campaign	9 years
Admitted 5+ years later	100%
Campaigns on record	2

ROWS 4·SOURCE ForCar, computed from NHTSA campaign numbers

Which 335is years were recalled most

Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.

FIG.04·BMW 335is recalls by model year
Model year	Campaigns	Most recalled system
2013	1	Air Bags
2012	1	Air Bags
2011	2	Electrical System

ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

Check your own car

A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.

FIG.05·How to check a recall by VIN
Step	What you get
Enter the VIN above	Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA
Check the repair status	Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car
Book at any franchised dealer	Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner

ROWS 3·SOURCE ForCar

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What breaks on a 335is

Owner complaints · Worst years

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Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the BMW 335is have?

2 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2011–2013. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.

Is recall work free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.

How do I know if my 335is still has an open recall?

Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.

Why did a defect take years to be recalled?

On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 7.5 years, and the slowest campaign came 9 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.

Recall campaigns from NHTSA, published as filed. Years elapsed before admission computed by ForCar from the campaign number, which encodes the year it was announced. Last updated Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.