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BMW M235IModel year report

2016 BMW M235I Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
18,000miles, 5 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 3.0L 6-cyl RWD · 20 city / 30 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2016 BMW M235I (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2016 BMW M235I. The part named most often is electrical system, with 2 complaints (25% of the total), followed by exterior lighting (2) and brakes (1). 5 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 18,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 289 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 82 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Exterior lighting complaints overlap with 11 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “BMW 2 series cars from about 2015-2018 have faulty wiring and brake light assemblies. BMW has admitted this design flaw in the harness and light - they extended the warranty for one year. As you know, brake light failures represent a real risk. It is unreasonable for BMW to charge $900 per light to fix a safety issue caused by a design flaw that they have admitted. THE CONSUMER STATED THE PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT HAS FAILED, ALSO.”

NHTSA complaint #11438512, filed 2021-10

Exterior lighting: “The car has instruments (speedometer and tach) with low contrast between the background and lettering. The instruments are highly visible when the instrument lighting is enabled, but are nearly invisible when the lighting is off. There is an ambient light sensor that turns the instrument lighting on and off as you drive in mixed sun and shade, so as you drive from a shaded area to a sun-lit area, the instruments alternate between visible and invisible. It is disconcerting and dangerous to suddenly lose instrument visibility as you drive. …”

NHTSA complaint #10903794, filed 2016-09, 14 miles

Fuel system: “The contact owns a 2016 Bmw M235I. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the odor of fuel was present. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel tank had cracked and needed to be replaced. The cause of the damaged fuel tank was not determined. The fuel tank was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 28,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11374618, filed 2020-11, 28,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 5 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 3,000 and 28,000 miles.

40%0–1020%10–2540%25–500%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (5 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 18,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

201620192020202132022
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2016 BMW M235I version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
M235i RWD3.0L 6-cyl8-speed automatic203024$3,400
M235i RWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual192722$3,750
M235i Convertible RWD3.0L 6-cyl8-speed automatic203024$3,400
M235i Convertible RWD3.0L 6-cyl6-speed manual192622$3,750
M235i xDrive AWD3.0L 6-cyl8-speed automatic203023$3,550
M235i xDrive Convertible AWD3.0L 6-cyl8-speed automatic203023$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2016 BMW M235I in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 289 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 289 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW M235I

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2016818,0000—24—Not enough data
2015523,0502—25—Not enough data
2014532,0003—25—Not enough data

All BMW M235I model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2016 BMW M235I have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2016 BMW M235I as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2016 BMW M235I is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 2 complaints (25% of the total), followed by exterior lighting with 2.

Has the 2016 BMW M235I been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2016 BMW M235I get?

The EPA rates the 2016 BMW M235I (M235i, 3.0L 6-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 20 city and 30 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2016 BMW M235I reported?

Among the 5 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 18,000 miles and the middle half falls between 3,000 and 28,000 miles; 100% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

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. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.