Model year record

2013 BMW 328xi recalls & problems

The 2013 BMW 328xi has 2 safety recalls and 27 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine (7 complaints).

Recalls2safety recalls

Complaints27filed by owners

Crashes · fires2 · 2reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Electrical systemAug 13, 2024

Wiring › Connectors/plugs/receptacles

Recall 24V608000720,796 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Components: Electrical system › Wiring › Connectors/plugs/receptacles; Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Pump

Exterior lightingAug 17, 2015

Exterior lighting

Recall 15V5200007,727 vehicles

Problem: BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Engine	7	0	0	0	31,500 mi
Power train	7	0	0	0	30,000 mi
Air bags	3	1	1	2	—
Unknown or other	3	1	1	2	36,000 mi
Service brakes	2	1	0	0	—
StructureBody	2	1	1	2	—
Electrical system	2	0	0	0	—
Fuel/propulsion system	2	0	0	0	—
VisibilitySun/moon roof assembly	1	0	0	0	—
Wheels	1	0	0	0	—
Exterior lighting	1	0	0	0	—
Engine and engine coolingExhaust system	1	0	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Engine
2013 BMW 328XI SULEV. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TURBO FAILURE. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED SPEWING GREY SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST ON SOME COLD STARTS. THE OIL SUPPLY LINES TO THE TURBOCHARGER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS
Oct 22, 2019
Air bags
SYSTEM RESTRAINTS PASSENGER SIDE. WILL NOT RESET. CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE RESTRAINT ERRORS. HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, AND STAYS ON WHEN PARKED.
Apr 1, 2019 · 36,000 miles
Power train
THE CAR HAD RECENTLY HAD ITS 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REFILLED TO THE CORRECT CAPACITY AND WAS LOW. THE CAR BEGAN EXHIBITING DRIVETRAIN ERRORS AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED THE CAR INTO PARK WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. AS I APPROACHED A STOPLIGHT AND SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 6 MILES AN HOUR THE COMPUTER AUTOMATICALLY PUT THE CAR IN PARK CAUSING SIGNIFICANT GRINDING OF THE SHARK LOCKING GEAR. THERE IS A BUG IN THE CONTROL SOFTWARE DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE CAR WAS ROLLING AT A RELATIVELY HIGH SPEED WHEN IT DECIDED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE COMPUTER SHOULD NOT PUT THE CAR IN PARK IF THE CAR IS FULLY UNDERWAY.
Feb 26, 2019 · 92,000 miles
Engine
**PRESS BMW TO ISSUE RECALL** 2013 BMW 328I - XDRIVE HAS FAULTY TURBO ACTUATOR DESIGN. BMW CORRECTED THE DESIGN OF TURBO ACTUATOR ARM IN SUBSEQUENT MODELS. BMW REALIZED IT WAS THEIR DESIGN MISTAKE. TURBO ACT ARM BREAKS VERY EASILY. LOT OF CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN MADE TO SPEND A FORTUNE (>$3000) TO FIX THIS ISSUE. 2013 WAS THE LAUNCH MODEL FOR THIS GENERATION. BMW HAS CORRECTED THE DESIGN OF ARM IN 2014 ONWARDS MODEL. TURBO IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART ON THESE LUXURY CARS. 2013 MODEL OWNERS WERE LEFT TO FIX IT ON THEIR OWN EXPENSE, EVEN AFTER THEY REALIZED THEIR DESIGN WAS FAULTY. ARMS HAVE BROKEN IN LESS THAN 4 YEARS (LESS THAN 40K MILES). BMW SHOULD BE PRESSED TO ACCEPT FAULT AND PAY…
Nov 8, 2017 · 40,000 miles
Unknown or other
SEVERAL TIMES, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND STATIONARY, THE DOOR LATCH FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE LATCH WAS PULLED REPEATEDLY BUT THE LOCK DIDN'T UNLOCK AND THE DOOR COULDN'T BE OPENED. THE DOOR LOCK WAS UNLOCKED USING THE BUTTON ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, MOST RECENTLY MONDAY, AND IT WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE AT BMW ROANOKE BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM OR RECREATE IT WHEN THEY TESTED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE AN IPHONE VIDEO OF WHAT IS GOING ON IF YOU WANT TO VIEW IT.
Oct 22, 2018 · 50,000 miles
Power train
JERKING WITH CHANGES OF LOWER GEARS (AUTOMATIC) ON CITY STREETS LOSS OF TRACTION IN INCLIMATE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TRANFER CASE REPLACED AT 55K BELIEVE IT TO BE FAILING AGAIN
Nov 8, 2016 · 46,000 miles
Fuel/propulsion system
UPON A COMPLETE REFILL OF THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL, RAW GASOLINE WAS FOUND LEAKING DOWN THE TANK AND PUDDLING UNDER THE CAR. DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION UPON LOWERING THE FUEL TANK FOUND A DEFECTIVE "DUMMY PORT" SEAL AT THE TOP OF THE TANK. THIS PORT WAS USED IN EARLY MODELS FOR EMISSION CONTROL SENSING. THE CAP OVER THE SEAL WAS NOT PROPERLY SEALED ALLOWING FUEL TO SPILL OUT THE TOP OF THE TANK. WHEN IN MOTION THIS FUEL BLOWS ONTO THE HOT MUFFLER AND POSES A POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FIRE
Jul 17, 2018 · 85,580 miles
Engine
ERROR - "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION: DRIVE MODERATELY. MAXIMUM DRIVETRAIN OUTPUT NOT AVAILABLE. CONSULT SERVICE CENTER." THIS WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (BMW OF SILVER SPRING, MD) AT FIRST. THEY SAID IT WAS THERMOSTAT ISSUE. SO, THEY INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTAT AND I PAID MY $100 DEDUCTIBLE. THE SAME ERROR STARTED APPEARING AGAIN JUST A FEW DAYS LATER. THE CAR SUDDENLY SHUDDERS, JOLTS AND SHIFTS FROM ECO MODE TO COMFORT MODE IF DRIVING ON FREEWAY. IF THE ERROR APPEARS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, THE CAR DOES NOT SWITCH FROM PARK MODE TO DRIVE MODE UNTIL YOU TOTALLY YOU SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, THEN RESTART AND DRIVE OUT IMMEDIATELY. INSTANTLY, IT SHOWS "DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION" ERROR ON SCREEN. THE ENGINE…
Jun 8, 2018 · 38,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpen
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled…
EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021