AI Damage2008 BMW 328: common problems
Owners of the 2008 BMW 328 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 50% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 38% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 38% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 13% of all complaints
- Air bags: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (38% of all).
- Engine: 3 complaints (38% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Takata air bag recall, pcv valve recall, blower motor recall, and constant electrical problems. Issues still not resolved by bmw. Issue keeps getting blown off by bmw.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 328. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 17v676000 (electrical system) and 17v683000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable.
Looked and saw flames from under the passenger side glovebox area. Car ignited in flames. Attempted put out but fire spread rapidly and called 911.
I have contacted united bmw of roswell several times over a year now. I just called again 10/24/2017 and they keep telling me the same thing. The airbags for my model they do not have yet but I am on their list to call when they come in. I've bern on that list since april 2016.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2008 bmw 328. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v071000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.
We had the sunroof angled open. Suddenly, we heard an explosion, which sounded like a gunshot, and we were all covered in bits of glass. The sound was so sudden and loud that I nearly ran off the road. We realized the source of the falling glass was from our sunroof, which now looked like a dome.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 328 has 12 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW 328?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (13%), windows, sunroof (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 BMW 328?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 BMW 328 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.