The 2008 BMW 335xi has 3 safety recalls and 62 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (17 complaints).
Recalls3safety recalls
Complaints62filed by owners
Crashes · fires0 · 6reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Components: Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module; Air bags › Frontal
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 20V017000 · Jan 15, 2020 · 59,965 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: 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 frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
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.
Electrical system › Wiring
NHTSA recall 17V676000 · Oct 25, 2017 · 702,965 vehicles
Problem: 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.
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.
Fuel economy
335xi
20mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
335xi
19mpg combined
City / highway
16 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
3 L · 6 cyl · Manual 6-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,350/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Fuel system, gasoline Delivery › Fuel pump
17
0
1
0
28,500 mi
Electrical system Instrument cluster/panel; Wiring › Interior/under dash
17
0
5
1
91,194 mi
Engine
13
0
2
0
75,700 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
9
0
0
0
122,250 mi
Air bags Sensor › Occupant classification › Front passenger; Sensor › Occupant classification
6
0
0
0
78,000 mi
Power train Automatic transmission
4
0
0
0
22,500 mi
Fuel system, other
3
0
0
0
26,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling Engine › Gasoline › Turbo/supercharger
2
0
0
0
—
Latches/locks/linkages
2
0
0
0
—
Unknown or other
2
0
0
0
—
Structure Body
2
0
1
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Jul 18, 2019Electrical system The ibs sensor on the negative battery cable failed on me causing the car to die and not start back up. It also caused my new battery to die within a year due to charging information it was sending to the car. And I keep getting codes such as battery exhausted and signal issues from the battery
Oct 11, 2024Fuel system, gasoline The contact owns a 2008 BMW 335xi. The contact stated while her son was driving at various speeds, the engine was misfiring and making an abnormal loud knocking sound. No further information was provided. The driver pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to BMW Campaign Number: SIB130120. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was unsure whether the manufacturer was…
Jun 6, 2023 · 123,000 miles · fire · 1 injuryElectrical system The contact owns a 2008 BMW 335xi. The contact stated after parking the vehicle at a parking lot, he noticed smoke exiting the center dashboard. The contact detached the plastic kickboard and saw the fire located in the wires. A bystander had a fire extinguisher available and was able to extinguish the fire. The contact burned his left hand but declined medical attention. The fire department arrived at the location and filed a fire report. The fire department informed the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number:Â 17V676000 (Electrical System). A police report was not filed. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where they associated the failure with the recall. The contact…
May 1, 2020Electrical system My car hasn't start up for 2 years now. 1st it started with a dead starter, then alternator, then the radiator and water pump bursted, and as i was standing outside of my car the passenger air bag deploys while the car was off and key out of the ignition. Luckily no one was in my car but now my car doesn't and wont crank or turnover, it makes a buzzing noise for a split second when i hit the start/stop button and thats all. I'm getting full voltage to it. Every time i run my scanner, i get different codes every time, i bought a 2nd scanner (carly) to compare and both threw out different codes every time but the main ones was the starter and pcv code; which i got 3 different starters put in,…
Aug 6, 2020 · 190,217 milesFuel/propulsion system I WRITE REQUESTING THAT MY VEHICLE 2008 BMW 335XI VIN NUMBER [XXX] BE TAGGED/LISTED AS NEEDING THE REVISED SIB 13 01 20 -EMISSIONS RECALL CAMPAIGN 10E-A02 ISSUED BY BMW ON 01/17/2020. THIS REVISED 2020 BMW INTERNAL AMENDED RECALL INSTRUCTIONS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF ALL ORIGINAL FUEL INJECTORS. IT AMENDS WHAT WAS BEING DONE SINCE THE ORIGINAL RECALL SIB 13 14 20 FROM THE YEAR 2011 WHICH REQUIRED ONLY INDIVIDUAL FAILING INJECTORS BE REPLACED. BACK IN 2011, THE BMW SERVICE CENTER THAT WORKED ON MY CAR, REPLACED TWO (2) FAILING INJECTORS AND REMOVED THE CAR FROM THE RECALL LIST PREMATURELY. THAT WAS WRONG BECAUSE FUEL INJECTORS ARE ?INDIVIDUAL? PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, AND MY CAR NEEDS SIX (6) OF…
Jun 1, 2020 · 102,000 milesEngine TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 335XI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE STARTER SLOWLY. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE INSPECTING UNDER THE HOOD, HE NOTICED A FUEL LEAK INTO THE SPARK PLUGS. THE CONTACT CALLED LOCAL DEALER ORANGE COUNTY BMW LOCATED AT 101 MAHER LN, HARRIMAN, NY 10926, (845) 782-4269 AND WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH MANUFACTURER RECALL 10EA02, HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
Dec 26, 2019 · 127,000 milesElectrical system CAR HAS ISSUES WITH COLD START, LONG CRANK, RPM SURGE, CYLINDER MISFIRES. CAR HAS INDEX 5 AND INDEX 8 FUEL INJECTORS. THE CAR IS SHOWING CODES FOR ISSUES WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. *TR
Jan 2, 2020 · 128,900 milesFuel/propulsion system FUEL INJECTORS ARE DUMPING EXCESS FUEL INTO THE CYLINDERS. ENGINE WILL SURGE CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. SURE HAPPENS ON COLD START AND ALSO CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.