2013 BMW 328XI
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2013 BMW 328XI. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2013 BMW 328XI. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical…
Risk and remedy
Risk
An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and…
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Owner complaints
27 complaints2 involved a crash2 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine
2013 BMW 328xi sulev. Consumer writes in regard to turbo failure. *As the consumer stated the vehicle started spewing grey smoke from the exhaust on some cold starts. The oil supply lines to the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired the failure recurred. *js
- Air bags
System restraints passenger side. Will not reset. Continues to illuminate restraint errors. Happened while driving, and stays on when parked.
- Power train
The car had recently had its 8 speed automatic transmission fluid changed. The transmission was not refilled to the correct capacity and was low. The car began exhibiting drivetrain errors and went into limp mode. The problem IS that the computer automatically shifted the car into park while I was…
The car had recently had its 8 speed automatic transmission fluid changed. The transmission was not refilled to the correct capacity and was low. The car began exhibiting drivetrain errors and went into limp mode. The problem IS that the computer automatically shifted the car into park while I was driving it. As I approached a stoplight and slow down to around 6 miles an hour the computer automatically put the car in park causing significant grinding of the shark locking gear. there IS a bug in the control software did not recognize the car was rolling at a relatively high speed when it decided to put the car in park. The computer should not put the car in park if the car IS fully underway.
- Engine
**Press BMW to issue recall** 2013 BMW 328I - xdrive has faulty turbo actuator design. BMW corrected the design of turbo actuator arm in subsequent models. BMW realized it was their design mistake. Turbo act arm breaks very easily. Lot of customers have been made to spend a fortune (>$3000) to…
**Press BMW to issue recall** 2013 BMW 328I - xdrive has faulty turbo actuator design. BMW corrected the design of turbo actuator arm in subsequent models. BMW realized it was their design mistake. Turbo act arm breaks very easily. Lot of customers have been made to spend a fortune (>$3000) to fix this issue. 2013 was the launch model for this generation. BMW has corrected the design of arm in 2014 onwards model. Turbo IS one of the most expensive part on these luxury cars. 2013 model owners were left to fix it on their own expense, even after they realized their design was faulty. Arms have broken in less than 4 years (less than 40K miles). BMW should be pressed to accept fault and pay back customers who were made to pay themselves. An inquiry should also be requested for how many cars did BMW fix for the same issue while the vehicle was under original warranty. BMW blogs are full of same actuator arm issue. I work in automotive field in detroit. Similar actions have been taken against other brands for similar issues. I know more than 2 people who faced the same issue, which pushed me to investigate this issue further. Thank you! God bless!
- Unknown or other
Several times, when the vehicle was in park and stationary, the door latch failed to unlock the door. The latch was pulled repeatedly but the lock didn't unlock and the door couldn't be opened. The door lock was unlocked using the button on the instrument panel. This happened several times, most…
Several times, when the vehicle was in park and stationary, the door latch failed to unlock the door. The latch was pulled repeatedly but the lock didn't unlock and the door couldn't be opened. The door lock was unlocked using the button on the instrument panel. This happened several times, most recently monday, and it was taken for service at BMW roanoke but they were unable to diagnose the problem or recreate it when they tested the vehicle. I have an iphone video of what IS going on if you want to view it.
- Power train
Jerking with changes of lower gears (automatic) on city streets loss of traction in inclimate weather conditions at highway speeds, tranfer case replaced at 55K believe it to be failing again
- Fuel/propulsion system
Upon a complete refill of the vehicle with fuel, raw gasoline was found leaking down the tank and puddling under the car. diagnostic inspection upon lowering the fuel tank found a defective "dummy port" seal at the top of the tank. this port was used in early models for emission control sensing.…
Upon a complete refill of the vehicle with fuel, raw gasoline was found leaking down the tank and puddling under the car. diagnostic inspection upon lowering the fuel tank found a defective "dummy port" seal at the top of the tank. this port was used in early models for emission control sensing. the cap over the seal was not properly sealed allowing fuel to spill out the top of the tank. when in motion this fuel blows onto the hot muffler and poses a potential for catastrophic fire
- Engine · Power train · Vehicle speed control
Error - "drivetrain malfunction: drive moderately. Maximum drivetrain output not available. Consult service center." this was taken to the dealer (BMW of silver spring, md) at first. they said it was thermostat issue. so, they installed a new thermostat and I paid my $100 deductible. the same…
Error - "drivetrain malfunction: drive moderately. Maximum drivetrain output not available. Consult service center." this was taken to the dealer (BMW of silver spring, md) at first. they said it was thermostat issue. so, they installed a new thermostat and I paid my $100 deductible. the same error started appearing again just a few days later. the car suddenly shudders, jolts and shifts from eco mode to comfort mode if driving on freeway. If the error appears when the car IS parked, the car does not switch from park mode to drive mode until you totally you shut down the engine, then restart and drive out immediately. instantly, it shows "drivetrain malfunction" error on screen. The engine make a groaning noise. you can feel the power of the engine IS significantly reduced. You have to hit the accelerator pedal deep to extract power out of the engine. the tachometer (the right dial on dashboard) moves up in the region of 3x1000 to 4x1000 /min range even to get to a speed of 30 miles/hour. So, when driving moderately, it can suddenly stall. this IS a huge safety risk on city roads as one can get hit and be rear-ended by a car from behind with your family inside the car. I feel much unsafe driving this car now. BMW should fix this drivetrain error on install a new engine altogether. my car IS still under warranty. this IS a recurrent error, and it does not go away. I am losing faith in BMW.
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system
TL* the contact owns a 2013 BMW 328xi. The contact stated that thick, white smoke emerged from the exhaust pipe upon starting the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the failure was due to rain water seeping into the exhaust. The contact stated that there was a recall for this failure in 2017, but…
TL* the contact owns a 2013 BMW 328xi. The contact stated that thick, white smoke emerged from the exhaust pipe upon starting the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the failure was due to rain water seeping into the exhaust. The contact stated that there was a recall for this failure in 2017, but the nhtsa campaign details were unavailable. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unavailable.
- Exterior lighting
For the 2013 BMW 328xi model halogen lights on the low or high beam are absolute of no use. Lighting on this car IS very poor, on a normal night it IS hard to see the curves and you cannot drive more than 30 mph if want to see what's coming up next or see the signboards ahead. It was raining…
For the 2013 BMW 328xi model halogen lights on the low or high beam are absolute of no use. Lighting on this car IS very poor, on a normal night it IS hard to see the curves and you cannot drive more than 30 mph if want to see what's coming up next or see the signboards ahead. It was raining yesterday in dallas and driving this 2013 BMW, I could barely see the road as the halogen lights are very dim and not even appropriate on a car. Golf carts seem to have better lighting than this model. I am very positive that BMW will defend their lights. this 2013 328xi with its poor lighting IS the ultimate (hazardous)machine driving on the road. replacement for a better lighting equipment cost $1300 each which IS ridiculous. could you please look into the safety aspect of this poor lighting.
- Engine
Timing chain stretch. The timing chain has stretched and as a result IS rubbing on internal components and IS at severe risk of snapping this IS a known issue and BMW has offered and extended 7 year/70,000 mile warranty to cover cars manufactured before 3/2013 however cars ineligible for factory warranties aren't covered and there are exceptions. They need to issue a recap!
- Wheels
I purchased a 2013 BMW 328xi certified pre-owned sedan 6/22/16 for my wife. It came with 18" wheels and pirelli cinturato run-flats. The tire-pressure monitor (tpm) warning started coming on a few months after we bought it, so I put air in the tires. But it started happening more frequently. I took…
I purchased a 2013 BMW 328xi certified pre-owned sedan 6/22/16 for my wife. It came with 18" wheels and pirelli cinturato run-flats. The tire-pressure monitor (tpm) warning started coming on a few months after we bought it, so I put air in the tires. But it started happening more frequently. I took it in for service. The diagnosis was that the passenger rear wheel was cracked and leaking air. I asked if the tire was damaged and they said there was no visible damage but they recommend replacing it anyway because the wheel was damaged. I asked what would cause a crack in an alloy wheel, and their answer was that she 'probably hit a pothole'. I couldn't believe that was all it would take, because it's impossible to avoid hitting potholes on our freeways. My wife drives very carefully and only put 5,700 miles on the car in 14 months. They said it was because the run-flats don't provide enough cushion to protect the wheel from road impacts. I bought a new wheel (BMW gave me 50% off) and took the car to a tire store to buy a set of conventional tires to replace the run-flats. They said there was no damage to the tire on the cracked wheel, and no evidence of impact. I have the cracked wheel and its tire. I feel that BMW IS putting drivers at risk because there's no way to avoid hitting potholes under normal driving conditions. They've essentially acknowledged that it's a hazard because they sell tire & wheel insurance to new owners (but not to buyers of certified pre-owned like us). The tire store manager told me that he's had 'lots' of BMW owners come in with cracked wheels. There are also many similar complaints on the internet. Plus BMW settled a class-action lawsuit over cracked wheels on their Z4 model. And since the car has no room for a spare tire, BMW has put owners who switch to conventional tires at risk.
- Air bags
Takata inflators BMW service center say they don't have the parts available and don't know when. Isn't this dangerous that they don't quickly act on it and replace our parts? What if we get into an accident/ I would like to file a compliant on their inefficiency in trying to resolve this issue and request for them to get the parts asap.
- Fuel/propulsion system
Traveling at 65mph on a state highway, the vehicle experienced an abrupt loss of power, decelerated to 25mph, and narrowly avoided rear-end collision. Dealership diagnosis was a defective high-pressure fuel pump.
- Power train
The transmission has suddenly failed while driving, about once a year, beginning a few months after I purchased the car new. I experience a sudden loss of power and the display reads "drivetrain malfunction, maximum drivetrain output not available. consult service center." pulling over and…
The transmission has suddenly failed while driving, about once a year, beginning a few months after I purchased the car new. I experience a sudden loss of power and the display reads "drivetrain malfunction, maximum drivetrain output not available. consult service center." pulling over and restarting the car makes the problem go away. many people are reporting similar problems: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=667636 BMW refuses to make any further attempts to diagnose or repair the warrantied problem because they cannot reproduce it at will. *tr
- Unknown or other
My car doors intermittently won't open, potentially trapping me in my under-warranty car. this happens about once a week across any of the four doors and has been happening for about 12 months. I have taken the car to BMW multiple times under warranty without repair. others have reported the…
My car doors intermittently won't open, potentially trapping me in my under-warranty car. this happens about once a week across any of the four doors and has been happening for about 12 months. I have taken the car to BMW multiple times under warranty without repair. others have reported the same problem in their bmws. bottom line: BMW refuses to repair under warranty any intermittent car issue, even if it's a safety issue. this IS even in light of video evidence demonstrating the problem, unless they can make it happen in their shop. here's a link to my video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq9iuvqlo2s about once every week or two, one of our four doors completely fails to open using the door latch, even when pulling the handle repeatedly. during these failures, the only way out of the car IS if I press the power lock button. if the car's battery fails or there IS an electrical failure during an accident, there would be no escape from the car. there are other reports of this phenomenon online: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=674994 there were other intermittent issues they also refused to attempt to repair.
- Air bags · Structure › Body · Unknown or other
On december 1ST I was rearended at interstate speed (65 miles per hour) just prior to impact I had turned my steering wheel to the right to lessen the impact to the vehicle in front of me. However it IS clear from the damage to my vehicle that my car made contact on the driver side corner with the…
On december 1ST I was rearended at interstate speed (65 miles per hour) just prior to impact I had turned my steering wheel to the right to lessen the impact to the vehicle in front of me. However it IS clear from the damage to my vehicle that my car made contact on the driver side corner with the bridge as well as the entire passenger side of the vehicle made significant contact with the car in front of me. My car had been at a complete stop. No airbags went off causing me to suffer serious head injuries and scull fractures. in addition, upon impact, my car burst into flames. I was pulled unconscious from my burning car by bystanders with only moments to spare
- Electrical system
While driving down the road, the car's idrive system spontaneously rebooted. the system will often take several minutes to reboot (sometimes the system will reboot again directly after regaining connectivity or while trying to reboot). we had already been driving for about 30 minutes when this…
While driving down the road, the car's idrive system spontaneously rebooted. the system will often take several minutes to reboot (sometimes the system will reboot again directly after regaining connectivity or while trying to reboot). we had already been driving for about 30 minutes when this happened the first time. it has happened many times since. BMW has tried to fix the issue but has not been able to. they have replaced the head unit, idrive screen, and the combox, all with no resolution. the idrive system IS responsible for communication with the driver for the car's status including tire pressure and oil level (there IS no manual way to check the oil). in addition, this system controls the low jack communication, road side assistance and all bluetooth capabilities (hands free driving IS required in most our state) in the automobile.
- Service brakes
While I was exiting my driveway at my residence the vehicle's braking system did not engage. there was snow on the ground so I eased the vehicle onto the pavement on the main street, good thing no cars were coming. I then headed south on n broadway and the warning appears that the brakes have…
While I was exiting my driveway at my residence the vehicle's braking system did not engage. there was snow on the ground so I eased the vehicle onto the pavement on the main street, good thing no cars were coming. I then headed south on n broadway and the warning appears that the brakes have malfunctioned please drive moderately. after about 10 seconds the warning went away brakes came back. now I just had the rear brakes replaced about a year ago and BMW also replaced the front. now the service indicator IS on again to replace the rear brakes again, after less than 10,000 miles. my car IS mostly driven on the weekends and it IS mostly highway driving. I also take outstanding care of my car because it looks better than the day I picked it up. (i detail and make wax etc). besides that, these are the other failures on the car: fuel injectors, 15,600 mi (stranded), rattle steering wheel and drivers door. drivers side door rattle IS back. Drivers side mirror, replaced and starting to malfunction again. drivers side seat leather cover damaged and replaced. Door jam area damaged and the service department said nothing. I had to e-mail them. they said it could't be helped. I know better, they fixed all the damaged they caused. horns, replaced, oil level sensor not operating properly, repaired. the fuel injector breakdown occurred the day after I picked it up from the dealership horns rattle etc. I have less than 25,000 mi and the car IS 2 years an 5 months old. I transport my 12 year old son on the weekends and sometimes during the week. I do not feel safe in this car any more. called BMW n.a. And they send me a portrait of the 3 series prototype. 9 years in the marine corps as a sgt and over 30 years in law enforcement I have not scene this in competence in my entire life, if they cannot fix this vehicle its time for my attorney to step in.
- Electrical system
When I started the car up the parking light malfunction light came on. This IS 7 days after I got the car out of the shop for the engine light on. *tr
- Engine
Engine light appeared which IS resulting in a replacement of the thermostat. *tr
- Power train
While drive on a city street around 30 mph a warning suddenly appeared indicating a power train malfunction which immediately reduced power. fortunately I was coming upon a red light. proceeded to pull over and turn the car off and wait a few minutes before starting it again. after I started…
While drive on a city street around 30 mph a warning suddenly appeared indicating a power train malfunction which immediately reduced power. fortunately I was coming upon a red light. proceeded to pull over and turn the car off and wait a few minutes before starting it again. after I started the car, the warning did not reappear. drove the car for a few more blocks, but the warning has not returned. will continue to monitor. *tr
- Power train
I was driving at 55 miles per hour, at 5:30 pm in a very busy highway, and the car come to a full stop. This was very nerve wrecking. I am so thankful that the person behind me did not crash. The car IS still doing funny holdings of speed at times. *tr
- Structure › Body · Visibility › Sun/moon roof assembly
I was driving on I-84 and heard a loud explosion followed by what sounded like golf ball size hail hitting my car. luckily, I was able to keep control of the car and pulled over when it was safe to do so. the sunroof of my car had exploded. there were no trucks in the vicinity, I was not going…
I was driving on I-84 and heard a loud explosion followed by what sounded like golf ball size hail hitting my car. luckily, I was able to keep control of the car and pulled over when it was safe to do so. the sunroof of my car had exploded. there were no trucks in the vicinity, I was not going under an overpass, nor any other circumstance that could have caused the damage. I called BMW assist and was told to drive the car to the dealership. at the dealership it was determined that the sunroof exploded outward and that they would do an investigation as to why and fix the sunroof. this was not done willingly. I was also told that they knew of no other sunroof that this happened too. when I came home and did some research on line I discovered that IS a fairly common problem. I will never feel comfortable driving this car again. I am thankful that my grandchildren were not in the car with me and that I did not panic and was able to get the vehicle off the road safely. *js
- Engine · Power train
In light of recent hearings into gm failure to correct vehicle issues resulting in deaths, and BMW past history of not reporting malfunctions I submit the following: on 2 occasions while driving on a high speed highway the engine malfunction indicator came on, the vehicle lost power and started to…
In light of recent hearings into gm failure to correct vehicle issues resulting in deaths, and BMW past history of not reporting malfunctions I submit the following: on 2 occasions while driving on a high speed highway the engine malfunction indicator came on, the vehicle lost power and started to vibrate violently. I was able to get off the highway and the vehicle was returned to BMW for repair. I was told that in both incidents it was computer error. I don't believe them especially when they will not return my phone calls and e-mails, and I want to be on record as reporting both incidents. *tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10249437The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249027The 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 information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints.
- 10215025Shipping specific non-deployed vehicle safety devices to lighting resources, llc. This service Information bulletin provides information on shipping "specific" noin-deployed vehicle safety devices that are classified as Dangerous Goods (DG) to Lighting resources, LLC
- 10215024The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification
- 10215023Visual Inspection of Brake discs/Rotors for new car deliveries
- 10193495The customer complains of rattling noises from the rear window when driving on rough roads.
- 10193494Butt connector for repairing a plug connection. The ?top up coolant? message is displayed in the central display (CC message ID 166). When checking the cooling system there are no leaks found and the expansion tank is filled to the proper level.
- 10057707Bmw:some BMW models may or may not display airbag warning light.
- 10057568BMW: on some vehicles, when starting, low beam, with 0552 option, would briefly flashes, due to a faulty led main light module that needs replacing. Model 2008-14 F01, F02, F06, F07, F10, F12, F13, F25.
Every BMW 328XI model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.