10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 8
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 36,982 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
11.3.17 car caught on fire while driving. Total loss. Car lost power. Message was displayed "drivetrain malfunction, drive cautiously" pulled to side of highway, car was engulphed in flames within 5 minutes.
- East Stroudsburg, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328D. While driving 50 mph and slowing down to make a turn, the vehicle suddenly lost all power and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was towed to steve thomas BMW Inc (411 E daily dr, camarillo, ca 93010 (805) 482-8878) where it was diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump failed and released metal shavings into the fuel system and engine. The fuel system needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact researched online and found NHTSA campaign number: 15V189000 (fuel system, gasoline), but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
- Camarillo, CA, USA
At 55K miles in April 2017, in fast lane of freeway, drive-train malfunction message displayed with service engine lights. Car lost power as I was fortunately able to change multiple lanes to shoulder as car lost complete power. BMW sos did not function. It took 3 tow drivers and 3 hours to manually override system to get car in neutral to safely put on truck. BMW advised they would have to jack car and remove transmission panel to manually put in 'drive' which was not an option on the narrow shoulder of I-10 in ca. Diagnostics revealed high pressure fuel pump failed and 'exploded' sending metal particles through entire fuel system. Dealer advised over $10K in parts however BMW covered under the 'ca emissions warranty.' Entire fuel system replaced (tank, lines, injectors and pump). Unsure if it is related to the ultimate failure of the pump but all injectors failed and replaced in 2016. 42,162 mi / September 8, 2016 engine light -faulty cyl 3fuel injector fault code 24bd00 'replaced #3 44,495 mi / October 13, 2016 engine light-fault code 24C000 - replaced injectors 1 and 2 & 4
- Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Read document below.
- Bakersfield, CA, USA
This morning while driving the car on the freeway without warning the engine suddenly died. The car would not start. Luckily the traffic was slow and no one rear ended the car. The cops were there momentarily and help get the car to the shoulder. There is no police report as no accident resulted from the incident. The car is still under warranty and was towed to the dealership. A two year old car with less than 24000 miles on the clock should not put me and my family in a dangerous situation like this one. There must be a major design issue with some component that BMW has been ignoring to address for years going back to 2007. By the way this was not the first time the engine stall happened on this car. Almost a year or so ago the engine died just after I left my home to work. The car was fixed by BMW under warranty. The problem was due to failed catalytic converter sensors. That was odd to happen prematurely.
- Altadena, CA, USA
On several separate occasions car gets irregular idle at low speeds and the engine turns off. Normally happens while stopped, but once happened when I was performing a sharp and slow U-turn. Not safe. On online forums, I see that other people are having this issue too.
- Affton, MO, USA
Vehicle shut down while driving. First time when only 3 to 4 months old on a highway with 55 mph speed limit in heavy traffic, would not engage gear, had to coast while on the highway with flashers on to reach a safe location. Was repaired at the time - supposedly computer chip problem. Has now occurred for a second time at 16 months old, on a local road with 45 mph speed limit, vehicle indicated a failure and would not run after pulling over to shoulder. Both incidents were dangerous situations in traffic. Indicator on vehicle stated engine or drive train failure of some sort.
- Grand Island, NY, USA
Driving down the freeway and all of the sudden engine gives out and car goes into "limp mode" cruise control was set at 76 mph and suddenly it goes to 60 mph, I almost got rear ended by another vehicle as I had no control over the vehicle power. Vehicle continues to drive but does not go over 60 mph, shudders and shakes the acceleration is very mild to put it lightly. Poses a major safety risk. This is 3rd that that it has happened to this vehicle. This is well documented under BMW 328I (2012 - onwards) forums F30.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?T=776020 dealer refuses to do anything.
- Lincolnwood, IL, USA
On the morning of the main incident I was on my way to work and the engine suddenly died. I was on a road that was not heavily traveled and was able to pull over to the side of the road. I was able to restart the engine, though not easily, and made it to work. In the early afternoon when I had a break I went to the parking garage and attempted to restart the car so that I could drive it to the dealership to get it checked out. It would not start at all and I had to have it towed. The main problem turned out to be a failed fuel pump, and apparently it disintegrated to the point that shards of metal went through the entire fuel system leading to the need for replacement of the high pressure fuel injectors and common rail, a $15,000+ repair. Even though gasoline-powered engines had been recalled less than one month prior for the same problem. The dealer blamed the failure on the fuel that I used.
- Winston-Salem, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328D. The vehicle experienced a complete loss of power while approaching a stop light at 10 mph. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the failure was a result of a faulty fuel pump that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine light illuminated twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.
- Yonpville, CA, USA
I was driving along the streets, while it was heavily raining. While I was stuck in traffic, my car suddenly stopped working (note: There were cars behind me, in front of me, and right next to me). While I was stuck in traffic and stepping on my brakes, the moment I let go of the brakes to move forward by stepping on the gas, it wouldn't move. Then I tried stepping on the brakes and the brakes stopped working too, so I had to put my car on park because I was afraid it would start rolling by itself without my control. When I attempted to put it back in drive, it wouldn't let me. The signal still said P for park, and it wouldn't work in reverse mode nor neutral mode either. Then I tried turning off my vehicle and tried re-starting it. When I tried to re-start my vehicle, the whole vehicle just shut down, and wouldn't start up anymore. All the other cars around me were able to drive just fine, and even had to drive past me because my car stopped working in the middle of the street during the rain. The firemen and policemen ended up coming to try to re-start my engine, but it didn't work, so they ended up having to tow my car away to avoid traffic (so all the other cars can drive through without going around me). BMW said my car stopped due to water damage, specifically damaging the engine, costing roughly around $18,000. However, all the other cars around me drove in the same lane, same spot, and same time in this heavy rain just fine. I don't know why my vehicle was the only one that was severely damaged by "water" when all the other cars around me were just fine. I believe there's something wrong with the car itself, for the car should be able to handle heavy rain like all the other cars that were driving just fine around me.
- Glendale, CA, USA
I pulled slowly into a parking space at the gas station. I stopped and I had my foot on the brake. I was pressing the park button when the car surged forward, accelerated over the curb and into the outside wall of the store. The damage to the car was enough to render it undriveable and there was significant damage to the building. Thank goodness, no one was on the sidewalk. Police and fire departments responded.
- Boyds, MD, USA
On October 26, 2014 at approx. 5:00 pm est, my wife had pulled our car, listed above, into our neighbor's driveway after a small trip. As soon as she parked the car, she noticed smoke coming from under the hood of the BMW. Within a few minutes, the car was engulfed in flames. The fire started under the hood and completely engulfed the front end, melted the engine compartment and destroyed our car and neighbors garage siding and driveway. This was a brand new BMW purchased in August 2014.
- Jenison, MI, USA
Sometimes when I accelerate to pass a car or semi truck the engine stalls or misfires. It goes into a limp mode and slows down in the middle of passing and I'm forced to pull of on the side of the road and shut the car off and try to reset it. This is the second 2014 BMW 328I that has done this. They could not fix my first 2014 BMW 328I that had the same problem and I had to use the lemon law to get them to buy it back. It is ridiculous that the second new car is now doing the same thing. BMW of macon just keeps it awhile and changes a few parts and tell me its fixed. Within less than a week of having the car back it is doing the same thing. The parts they put on last time were not even new, the took them off of a loaner car. I don't feel safe on the road because I never know when its going to stall/misfire on the interstate again. Will it be in front of a semi truck that rear ends me or will I get hit trying to get off the road to restart/reset it. Will it restart at all? I feel like there is a safety issue with this vehicle model. This is the second car with the same engine defect. I feel like they are just waiting till my warranty goes out, where they can take advantage of me even more.
- Macon, GA, USA
On interstate 10, during the acceleration, the engine completely lost its power. I had to immediately pull over before I lost the momentum.the ca highway patrol pushed me to a safe place. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer replaced the entire fuel tank. The second incident was almost 20 days after again during the acceleration on freeway at the speed of 70, the engine lost its power in a way that the car did not proceed for a while. The dealer advised that it was nothing wrong with engine because they could not read any error in the system and II had to wait till I receive an error on the lcd. I notified them that it is a serious problem specifically on the freeway because loss of power can cause an accident, but to no avail.
- Henderson, NV, USA
Slight knocking sound when car is idling. Car shakes, when it is at idle, during traffic, the complete car shakes, even the steering wheel shakes and vibrate!
- Orlando, FL, USA
- Perris, CA, USA