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2015 BMW 328I

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2015 BMW 328I do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 98.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

48 reports with mileage · 76 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 56 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports8 fire reports2 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

7 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 27, 2026
Electrical SystemExterior LightingForward Collision Avoidance

i went online because i was having troubles with my vehicle battery alternator and other electronics , i found out other bmws with the same symptoms as my car led to having a bad footwell module , currently interior lights work when they want to if any constant battery dying from lights not turning off none of the parking sesnor…

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i went online because i was having troubles with my vehicle battery alternator and other electronics , i found out other bmws with the same symptoms as my car led to having a bad footwell module , currently interior lights work when they want to if any constant battery dying from lights not turning off none of the parking sesnors work no back up camera the rear windows do not work some times the power mirrors work , i have had the vehicle tested with a new alternator and battery each window motor works its the footwell module but i noticed that the extended warranty is for 2014 and older models sadly it also effects the 2015 models as well

NHTSA ODI #11740338

Mileage unknown · May 14, 2026
EngineExterior LightingFuel/propulsion SystemFire

I Was In My Vehicle Parked Up On January 1st 2026 And The Vehicle Caught On Fire While I Was Inside Of It,The Fire Started From The Right Side Of The Car And Flamed Up Everything,The Car Had A Check Engine Light On And A Lightning System Issue Was Popping Up On The Dash Right Before This Situation Accord I Did Research And Found…

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I Was In My Vehicle Parked Up On January 1st 2026 And The Vehicle Caught On Fire While I Was Inside Of It,The Fire Started From The Right Side Of The Car And Flamed Up Everything,The Car Had A Check Engine Light On And A Lightning System Issue Was Popping Up On The Dash Right Before This Situation Accord I Did Research And Found That The Cause Of The Fire Is Related To NHTSA Recall 24V-608 (Water Pump/Connector Fire Risk).

NHTSA ODI #11737824

90,000 miles · Sep 15, 2025
Exterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side taillight became inoperable. The taillight intermittently illuminated, creating an inconsistent lighting condition. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness and bulb socket…

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The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side taillight became inoperable. The taillight intermittently illuminated, creating an inconsistent lighting condition. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness and bulb socket in the driver’s side taillight had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact expressed concerns that the failure posed a significant safety hazard, as a non-functioning taillight increased the risk of a crash. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11687277

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2020
Exterior Lighting

MY 2015 BMW 328I LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND LEFT BRAKE HAVE MALFUNCTIONED FOR SOME MONTHS NOW. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS AND ITS NOT WORKING. I KNOW IT HAS TO BE SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY KNOW ISSUE LIKE MINE BUT THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR MY MODEL BMW.

NHTSA ODI #11302477

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2019
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

MY 2015 BMW 328I X DRIVE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND LEFT BRAKE HAVE MALFUNCTIONED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE SAME THING HAPPEN IN MY MOTHER'S BMW 328 SERIES AS WELL AND A RECALL WAS OPEN. THERE IS A OPEN RECALL ON THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS BUT NOT FOR MY ACTUAL VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS SO I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING ELECT…

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MY 2015 BMW 328I X DRIVE LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND LEFT BRAKE HAVE MALFUNCTIONED SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THE SAME THING HAPPEN IN MY MOTHER'S BMW 328 SERIES AS WELL AND A RECALL WAS OPEN. THERE IS A OPEN RECALL ON THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS BUT NOT FOR MY ACTUAL VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS SO I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING ELECTRICAL. BMW REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH IT IS A KNOWN RECALL! I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND JUST WANT MY LIGHT PANEL REPAIRED AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BY BMW MANUFACTURERS NOT THE OWNER.

NHTSA ODI #11282705

18,000 miles · Oct 22, 2018
Exterior Lighting

BOTH HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM LIGHTS ON MY 2015 BMW 328I, EQUIPPED WITH HALOGEN LIGHTS, ARE EXTREMELY DIM. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

NHTSA ODI #11141862

50,000 miles · Oct 11, 2018
Exterior Lighting

LEFT BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTION IS PERSISTENT EVEN AFTER CHANGING THE BULB 4 TIMES, ALSO CLEANED THE CONTACTS AND KEEPS ON HAPPENING RANDOMLY. THIS HAPPENS EVEN IF THE CAR IS STATIONARY. NUMEROUS FORUM POSTS REPORT THE SAME FOR THE F30 ENGINE MODELS

NHTSA ODI #11139713

Official recalls

4

24V608000 · Electrical System:wiring:connectors/plugs/receptacles; Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:pump

Aug 13, 2024

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:wiring:connectors/plugs/receptacles

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.

Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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.

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:pump

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.

Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: 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.

24V527000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jul 11, 2024

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.

Remedy: The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

24V288000 · Air Bags:side/window

Apr 24, 2024

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

15V520000 · Exterior Lighting

Aug 17, 2015

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."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA21002 · Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

Opened Sep 17, 2021 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module; Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

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 inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

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 inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

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 inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.