Reliability & cost of ownership
BMW 135I Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the BMW 135I? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
BMW 135I problems by model year
26 recall entries across 6 model years and 154 owner complaints across 7 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining model year — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 135I | 2 | 12 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2012 135I | 6 | 19 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2011 135I | 6 | 27 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2010 135I | 4 | 15 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2009 135I | 4 | 29 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2008 135I | 4 | 51 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2007 135I | Not confirmed | 1 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the BMW 135I, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- air bags35 complaints
- fuel system, gasoline32 complaints
- engine29 complaints
- electrical system20 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system17 complaints
- power train13 complaints
- exterior lighting9 complaints
- unknown or other7 complaints