AI Damage2011 BMW 328: common problems
Owners of the 2011 BMW 328 filed 37 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 37
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 35% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 11% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 8% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 13 complaints (35% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 9 complaints (24% of all).
- Engine: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Seat belts: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 37 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 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
My airbags did not deploy. My car has been declared a "total loss." I have had 5 cars and 2 of them were bmw 3 series. My 2007 bmw never had a problem. I've never had an accident before this one and am confident driving in the rain. I do not feel that my bmw performed like it should have.
The contact stated that while sitting idle at a traffic stop, he noticed that the vehicle would slowly surge forward autonomously. On one occasion, while driving into a garage, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into a pillar. The contact was not injured.
My bmw 328i e93 has the service engine soon (ses) light come on while I was driving on the highway. The computer shows error code 2b3a (p1449 dmtl system fault). I cleared the code and it came back a week later. I tried replacing the gas cap and the error still comes back the same.
Bmw dealer ship not taking responsibility for these defects, the sparks plugs keep burning out due to the car overheating.
I called the dealership (motorworks bmw in bloomington mn) regarding two open recalls (pcv heater and air bag) they told me that the airbag was not affected but they would repair the pcv heater. I am more concerned about the air bag as it is related to crash safety.
Both driver and passenger led tail lights are starting to fail. Both are flickering and one is dimming, this is happening on the tail gate mounted lights
While driving 45 mph, the contact heard an explosion coming from the air conditioner/heating system. The contact noticed fumes coming from the vents. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. Upon restarting the vehicle, the air conditioner failed to operate.
Blower motor wiring and positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) valve heater. Car feels hot sometimes I went to the dealer already and was told someone would call me back is been over 2 months already
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 6,176 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 328 has 12 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 37, above 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.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 BMW 328?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 37. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (16%), door locks, latches, handles (5%), headlights and tail lights (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.