BMW 328i Complaints (2013)

257 consumer complaints on file.

#11420651June 12, 2021
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Always get the message: right break light. I have changed the lightbulb several times and the break light fails to work. Sometimes it works and sometimes it stops working. I believe this is common problem based on you tube videos and postings on the internet. How can it be fixed?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11419337June 2, 2021
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the drive train malfunction warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with the timing chain needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 117,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11414644April 30, 2021
ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN GUIDE FAILURE. COULD'VE BEEN PREVENTED HAD WE BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT AND THAT THIS PART HAD BEEN RE-ENGINEERED IN 2013 DUE TO KNOWN FAILURE. LIMITED WARRANTY LETTER SENT 12/2017 DID NOT ADEQUATELY INFORM US OF THE NEED TO HAVE THIS PART CHECKED AND REPLACED. IN FACT LETTER STATES "THIS IS NOT A NOTICE OF A RECALL OR SERVICE ACTION." DRIVING FROM LONG BEACH CA TO PHOENIX AZ ON 3/5/21. 90 MILES OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX, ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR "LOW OIL PRESSURE". PULLED OVER, RAN OIL LEVEL CHECK AND IT READ "FULL". SEEMED ODD. DROVE ON FURTHER, 20 MINS LATER, SAME MESSAGE CAME ON, PULLED OFF INTERSTATE AND AGAIN RAN OIL LEVEL CHECK, READ FULL. THOUGHT MAYBE IT'S JUST A FAULTY SENSOR AND COULD HAVE IT FIXED WHEN WE ARRIVE TO PHOENIX. NEXT DAY, BROUGHT THE CAR TO CHAPMAN BMW IN PHOENIX AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CRACKED OIL FILTER HOUSING. WHEN ASKED, "HOW MUCH OIL WAS IT LOW, AND WHY DID THE OIL LEVEL COME UP FULL IF THERE WAS A LOW PRESSURE?" THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. ONLY THEN DID THEY FIND THE BROKEN PART IN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TIMING CHAIN. THIS FAILED PART ALSO RESULTED IN HAVING TO HAVE OTHER PARTS REPLACED, INCLUDING THE OIL PUMP, DUE TO WORN PLASTIC SHAVINGS RUN THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THIS/THESE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE GELIS, ET AL. V. BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT AND BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC, CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:17-CV-07386 SETTLEMENT. WE HAD JUST PASSED 100K MILES A FEW DAYS BEFORE LEAVING FOR OUR TRIP. HOWEVER, THIS COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED HAD WE KNOWN THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO HAVE THESE PARTS PRE-EMPTIVELY REPLACED AT A SPECIFIC MILEAGE. ADDITIONAL PARTS/REPAIRS NEEDED DUE TO THIS PART FAILURE, WE ALSO INCURRED ADDITIONAL UNNECESSARY HOTEL, AIRFARE, AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES. ALL OF THIS COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED IF BMW PROVIDED PROPER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11408427April 16, 2021
AIR BAGS
THE CAR IS A 2013 BMW 328I SEDAN. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK. I HAD A PASSENGER GET IN THE CAR AND A WARNING APPEARS SAYING "PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION". I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE ISSUE WAS THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT SENSOR. THERE ARE KNOWN RECALLS FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR MULTIPLE MODELS OF BMW FOR A WIDE RANGE OF YEARS. HOWEVER, THEY SAID MY VIN WASN'T COVERED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11396991February 19, 2021
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT'S SISTER OWNS A 2013 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START-UP, THERE WAS A HEAVY WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT'S SISTER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ARROWHEAD BMW (19250 N, AZ-101 LOOP, GLENDALE, AZ 85308) WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT HER VIN WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11383999December 17, 2020
ENGINE
THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY ASKING ME TO PULL OVER AND DON'T DRIVE THE CAR ANYMORE. TOOK CAR TO INDEPENDENT BMW REPAIR SHOP THAT RECENTLY CHANGED MY OIL WHO FOUND OIL PRESSURE FAULTS BUT NO DEFINITE FAILURES BUT SUSPECT AN OIL PUMP TIMING CHAIN ISSUE THAT IS COMMON WITH BMW 4 CYLINDER TURBO ENGINES THAT LEADS TO ENGINE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE RECENTLY REPAIRED 4 CARS THAT SUFFERED ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THIS ISSUE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER NEXT DOOR TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. HE MADE FURTHER TESTS AT MY EXPENSE AND VERIFIED THERE IS SLACK IN THE TIMING CHAIN. DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT MAY LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. I WAS QUOTED $871 TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE AND IF THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED REPLACEMENT THE REPAIR WOULD COST AN ADDITION $5400 . MY CAR IS WORTH BETWEEN 7.5K AND 9K THERE'S A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (SEE WWW.TIMINGCHAINMODULESETTLEMENT.COM) BMW KNOWS THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING BELT IN THIS MODELS THAT MAY LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE BUT THE SETTLEMENT LIMITS THE MILEAGE TO 100K. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR HAS GREATER THAN 100K MILES SO I CANNOT PARTICIPATE ON THIS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. BUT WHY SHOULD I BEAR THE COST OF FIXING SOMETHING I HAVE NO CONTROL OF THAT LEADS TO ENGINE FAILURE BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY? THIS IS POOR DESIGN ON THE PART OF THE MANUFACTURER THAT LEADS TO ENGINE FAILURE AND NEEDS TO BE PART OF A RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11383616December 16, 2020
STEERING
AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS I DROVE ONTO A HIGHWAY. AS THE VEHICLE APPROACHED SPEEDS OVER 65 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME "NOTCHY" ALMOST AS IF IT WAS JUMPING FROM 15-20 DEGREES BUT NOT SMOOTH. IT BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AND CHANGE LANES. IT SEEMED ALMOST LIKE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND NOT MECHANICAL. ONCE I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND WENT BELOW 40MPH THE STEERING RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL SMOOTH OPERATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11377125November 30, 2020
ENGINE
PURCHASED THE CAR THIS MONTH AND ALREADY MAKING TIMING CHAIN NOISE I WENT TO INSPECT IT AND THE CHAIN IS REALLY LOOSE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11375878November 23, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST TIP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL HAD ENTERED THE TURBO CHARGER CAUSING THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY EMISSION CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 166EA05 (ENGINE N26) TO REPLACE THE TURBO CHARGER OIL SUPPLY LINES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.*DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11363605October 9, 2020
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TAIL LIGHT CARRIER BURNED. I HAD CHANGED TAIL LIGHT BULBS SEVERAL TIMES. BUT THEY KEEP BURNING OUT. I EVEN GOT A TICKET FOR BROKEN TAIL LIGHT. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE CAR AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A DEFECT AND RECALLED/REPAIRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11361512September 28, 2020
POWER TRAIN
WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN COLUMBUS, OHIO WHEN AN ERROR APPEARED ON MY SCREEN FOR POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTION, PLEASE CONTINUE TO DRIVE MODERATELY. SMOKE CAME FROM MY EXHAUST WHEN GOING OVER 50 MPH SO I PULLED OVER. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. ERROR MESSAGE WENT AWAY. DROVE 20 MPH HOME ON SIDE ROAD. NO SMOKE APPEARED. STARTED MY CAR THIS MORNING AND OVER HUGE SMOKE CLOUDS (NOT EVAPORATING) APPEARED. CALLED KELLY BMW TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11360679September 23, 2020
STRUCTURE:BODY
INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHERE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WON'T UNLOCK FROM THE INTERIOR USING THE DOOR HANDLE. DOOR WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL IT'S UNLOCKED. DOOR CAN BE UNLOCKED USING THE ELECTRIC CENTRAL LOCKING, AND THEN OPENED USING THE HANDLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11351232August 25, 2020
ENGINE
PREMATURE TIMING CHAIN FALIURE, HAD BMW LOOK AT IT AND SAID IT SEEMED FINE AND WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO KNOW UNLESS THEY OPEN THE MOTOR $500 TO CHECK? A FEW WEEKS LATER TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT 82,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11340114July 18, 2020
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
MY CAR IS A 2013 AND WAS PURCHASED IN 2016; WITH MILAGE AT 78,700. ON A COLD START, A HUGE CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE COMES OUT OF THE RIGHT EXHAUST PIPE. I TOOK IT TO BMW FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE. I WAS TOLD IT IS A TURBO FEED LINE AND IF THAT IS NOT IT THEN IT IS THE TURBO CHARGER ENGINE AS A WHOLE. I WAS QUOTE $5000 FOR THE FULL REPAIR ON A CAR. I FOUND A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME MODEL OF CAR, AND I SPOKE WITH BMW ABOUT IT. THE RECALL IS FOR THE N26 ENGINE AND NOT THE N20 ENGINE WHICH IS ON MY CAR, EVEN IF IT IS THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE TURBO CHARGER. THE RECALL NEEDS TO COVER ALL ENGINE STYLES FROM THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. MY VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED AND I WAS DENIED SERVICE HELP. PLEASE I WOULD LIKE TOO ATTACHED TO THIS VEHICLE VIN TO A RECALL FOR A TURBO CHARGER FAILURE. THE RECALL WAS FOR 8 YEARS/ 80,000 MILES AND MY CAR MEETS THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11337491July 4, 2020
ENGINE
AFTER ABOUT 75K MILES, THE ENGINE HAS STARTED TO MAKE A "WHINING" NOISE AT AROUND 3-4 THOUSAND RPM. DIAGNOSED AS A TIMING CHAIN TENSION ISSUE THAT MANY SIMILAR CARS WITH THIS ENGINE (N20) HAVE. THIS APPARENT DEFECT SEEMS TO BE QUITE COMMON AMONG OWNERS OF CARS WITH THIS ENGINE. CURRENT COURSE OF ACTION IS TO SPEND $4K IN LABOR AND PARTS TO PROACTIVE REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND PLASTIC GUIDES, OR NOT DO ANYTHING. THE LATTER WOULD SURELY RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE AND REQUIRE REPLACEMENT (ROUGHLY $20K).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11329467June 17, 2020
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I BOUGHT THE 2013 BMW 328XI BRAND NEW IN 2012. LAST YEAR, I SPENT $2,000 REPLACING THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AFTER MY CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. WHEN I WAS GOING IN FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST IS VERY EXPENSIVE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A PREVALENT ISSUE WITH BMW OWNERS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE N20/N26 ENGINE. I EVEN FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT CLAIMING THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BMW USED WAS KNOWINGLY DEFECTIVE! AS OF NOW, MY CAR IS WORTH ABOUT $10,000 AND THE COST TO FIX THIS ISSUE IS ALMOST HALF THE VALUE OF THE CAR. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE TIMING CHAIN REPAIRED YET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11323531May 6, 2020
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER COMES THROUGH CEILING OF PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHEN IT RAINS. SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR SOUNDS CONTINUOUSLY PROBABLY DUE TO SHORT. ONCE THE CAR DRIES OUT, THE INDICATOR STOPS SOUNDING. THIS OCCURS BOTH STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11322469April 27, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
ELECTRICAL ISSUES ,BRAKE LIGHTS , PARKING LIGHT , OIL LIGHTS , AND ETC , PURCHASED SEVERAL LIGHT HAD THEM INSTALLED , CONSTANTLY BLOWING OUT AND OTHER LIGHT CUTTING ON AND OFF . SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER A YEAR NOW OFF AND ON . NOW SURE IF THE RECALL IN 2015 WAS TAKING CARE . 2ND COMPLAINT FILED .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11320209April 4, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BRAKE LIGHT , , FLUID LIGHT , PARKING LIGHT ETC . KEEPS COMING ON , LIGHTS KEEP BLOWING OUT WHEN FIXED . SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRIC ISSUE FROM THE LAST RECALL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11319805March 31, 2020
ENGINE
WAS DRIVING MY BMW 328I ON A HIGHWAY WHEN A 'CHECK OIL' LIGHT CAME ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER, A 'DRIVETRAIN FAILURE' LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE NEXT EXIT AND WITHIN 3 MINUTES THE ENGINE FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED OUT THE VEHICLE AND SAID THERE WERE 'METAL FRAGMENTS' IN THE OIL, BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT CAUSED THAT WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING THE ENGINE. THEY SAID THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR THE CAR WOULD BE TO SPEND $15,000 TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS OF BMW OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, AND THE CAUSE WAS A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. I HAD MY CAR SERVICED JUST 5 WEEKS EARLIER AT MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP, AND THEY EITHER DIDN'T CHECK THE TIMING CHAIN OR DIDN'T NOTICE IT WAS CLOSE TO FAILURE. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE MY ENGINE STALLED, OR I COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED IN HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BMW SHOULD REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN IN ALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, AND IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY OWNERS ABOUT THE DANGER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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