BMW 128I Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 183 consumer complaints across the 6 model years of the BMW 128I (2008–2013) that have at least 5 complaints. 2011 has the most, with 50. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (88 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 128I model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 36 | 31,150 | 3 | 15 | 56 · Typical | Rising |
| 2012 | 31 | 30,500 | 5 | 108 | 44 · Typical | Falling |
| 2011 | 50 | 87,000 | 7 | 104 | 59 · Typical | Stable |
| 2010 | 22 | 95,000 | 7 | 106 | — | Rising |
| 2009 | 26 | 72,879 | 6 | 91 | 22 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2008 | 18 | 67,412 | 6 | 98 | — | Falling |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags88 43%
- Engine31 15%
- Engine cooling30 15%
- Electrical system19 9.3%
- Other or unknown10 4.9%
- Exterior lighting10 4.9%
- Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)9 4.4%
- Body and structure7 3.4%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2009: “Nalley Bmw is saying they do not have this recall on my car, but it is coming up in the recall database and I am hearing a noise in my car (a whirring / high pitching humming sound) positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) valve heater : this recall involves an engine component known as the positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) valve heater.”
NHTSA complaint #11043652, filed 2017-11, 78,500 miles2012: “Takata recall I received a recall notice letter from Bmw in the spring of 2016, but they have not repaired my car yet. When I asked the dealer a couple weeks ago, they told me they could not fix it yet. What's taking so long? How long can they keep me waiting? I'm concerned about driving a car with an airbag that could explode.”
NHTSA complaint #10926219, filed 2016-11, 33,000 miles2010: “My 2010 Bmw 128I has two airbag lights and one seat belt warning light that are continuously illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair facility, where it was diagnosed with a faulty passenger side occupancy sensor under diagnostic code 93d2. Upon further research online, I discovered that this is a very common problem with Bmw 1 series and 3 series cars the faulty sensor results in the passenger side airbag being deactivated. …”
NHTSA complaint #11290306, filed 2019-12, 140,115 milesOther BMW models
3,165 complaintsBMW 328I
2,576 complaintsBMW X3
2,016 complaintsBMW 325I
1,377 complaintsBMW Z4
1,271 complaintsBMW 3 Series
832 complaintsBMW 528I
830 complaintsBMW 330I
813 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology