AI Damage2016 BMW M235I: common problems
Owners of the 2016 BMW M235I filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. The maker issued 58 service bulletins for this year. We found 4 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 58
- YouTube repair videos
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 25% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 13% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 13% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Visibility: 1 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 8-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wheels | 0 | 0 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Our M235I has a transmission leak "thru the wall of the case" (i.e. THROUGH THE METAL CASE) as determined by a local BMW Dealer. They are not able to provide any Technical Service Bulletins or etc. from BMW for this "leaky case" issue. But they are saying this is a KNOWN problem with the transmission cases.
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.
Summary: OVER TIME, RESISTANCE IN THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS MAY CAUSE ONE OR MORE REAR LAMP FUNCTIONS (TAIL LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND/OR TURN-SIGNAL), WITHIN THE VEHICLE'S BODY PANEL, TO STOP WORKING. Consequence: INTERMITTENT LIGHT OPERATION REDUCES THE ABILITY TO WARN OTHER MOTORISTS OF THE DRIVER'S INTENTIONS.
Driver side seatbelt is slow to retract and keeps getting twisted when retracting. You have to carefully help feed the belt into the b pillar for it not to do that. If not, it will almost get jammed in the b pillar and get stuck and becomes non-functional.
Tl* 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.
There is no way to switch the instrument lights on at all times, even if the headlights are switched on.
The sunroof made a loud pop and shattered spontaneously, raining glass down on me. The glass had an outward bend to it as if it had exploded outwards with pressure relief.
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 1,555 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 26% least complained about).
On average one model year of the M235I has 2 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 8, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few…
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important…
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e
when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the…
- Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop
- After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes…
- The 3G network in the US has been shut down
This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the…
- After an automatic engine start (MSA start), the transmission intermittently goes into the Park "P" or…
After an automatic engine start (MSA start), the transmission intermittently goes into the Park "P" or Neutral "N" position without any customer influence.
- Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may…
Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. Note: Opening, closing and starting via the BMW…
- The sunroof and/or panoramic sunroof jams sporadically
- TEC26 Turbo Charger Return
- Tec25 Wishbone Return
- Tech24 Snap-in Adapter Return
- MINI engine oil part number transition and model year 2016 engine oils
NHTSA lists 58 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW M235I?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, service brakes. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (38%), windows, sunroof (25%), seat belts (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 BMW M235I?
NHTSA lists 58 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 2016 BMW M235I 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 2016 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 2026-11-04.