BMW 335is Reliability

Owners filed 3 complaints about the 335is: 1.5 per production run against 3.73 for the market, fewer complaints than most cars.

NHTSA owner complaints · 3 complaints · 2013–2013 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Quick answer

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 66.7% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 1 complaints.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·BMW 335is — age at failure
Age at failureComplaintsRunning totalWarranty
0 years133.3%covered
4 years2100%you pay
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 33.3% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 66.7% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 33% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the BMW 335is, the early trouble is Fuel/propulsion System and Air Bags — reported at around 4 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it.

FIG.03·BMW 335is — what fails and when
SystemComplaintsTypical ageCrashFire
Engine1———
Fuel/propulsion System14 yrs——
Air Bags14 yrs——
ROWS 3·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the 335is's vehicle class.

FIG.05·BMW 335is — rivals in the same class
Same class as the 335isComplaints on recordRecall campaignsYears built
Honda Civic15,9624131981–2026
Ford Mustang10,6803151981–2026
Nissan GT-R3392009–2026
Chevrolet Camaro3,4572041981–2026
Toyota Supra109351981–2026
Nissan Sentra6,1851581982–2026
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the BMW 335is reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.5 against 3.73 for the average car.

When do 335is problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, followed by Fuel/propulsion System.

Will the warranty cover 335is problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 33.3% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 33% of the complaints here.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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