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EnginePart report

2011 BMW 128I Engine Problems

Complaints
12about this part
Share
24%of 50 total for the year
Median mileage
114,500miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the engine of the 2011 BMW 128I, 24% of the 50 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 114,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Vanos failed on 2011 Bmw 128I, manufacture offered extended warranty and failed to honor said warranty. Vehickle makes loud noise. Car will eventually break making car undrivable ever again, with 7k repair cost which exceeds value of car with less than 100k miles”

NHTSA complaint #11364505, filed 2020-10, 81,000 miles

“Three recall notices have been mailed to me. The BMW dealers say “remedy is not available”. My BMW has not been fixed. I have to drive 854 miles. Who is responsible if this VANOS assembly gives way on this lengthy drive?”

NHTSA complaint #11564009, filed 2024-01

“I received error code P052B and the car had a high pitched whistle and was way down on power. I had it towed to the nearest dealer for service. After speaking with the technician, they told me they'd gone through with a boroscope and saw nothing out of the ordinary and recommended a new valve cover since the PCV was bad. I opted to order replacement spark plugs, coils, an eccentric valve sensor, and figured why not replace the Vanos bolts while in there too. Unfortunately after getting the cover off, it's been discovered that 7! of the Vanos bolts have already either sheared off or backed out. …”

NHTSA complaint #11428492, filed 2021-08

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 128I. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated. The contact stated that on one occasion while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and then stalled. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11649325, filed 2025-03, 120,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 128i. The contact stated that on several occasion while driving, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact also stated that when she attempted to restart the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. No warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine would randomly start. The contact stated that the electrical system failed to operate as designed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cause of the failure could not be determined. …”

NHTSA complaint #11486110, filed 2022-09, 48,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2013411%
2012413%
20111224%
2010523%
2009519%
200816%

Other parts of the 2011 BMW 128I

Air bags
15 complaintsEngine cooling
14 complaintsElectrical system
7 complaintsOther or unknown
4 complaintsBrakes
3 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
2 complaintsVehicle speed control
2 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsTires
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2011 BMW 128I

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.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology