What 146 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 335i

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS AT LOW RPM (LESS THAN 650) AND LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 10MPH) WHILE DRIVING. STALL HAPPENS IN EVERY 300-500 MILES AND CAR LOOSES POWER (STEERING WHEEL AND OTHER POWER) WHILE ON STALL MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. CAR DOESN'T THROUGH ANY FAULT CODE TO THE SYSTEM IF STALLS. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA BMW DEALER'S TECHNICIAN COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE STALL AS IT HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND SERVICE AGENT SUGGESTED ME TO KEEP DRIVING TILL IT GETS FREQUENT SO THAT THEY CAN REPRODUCE AT THE DEALERSHIP. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT CAN BE A HUGE RISK AS IT LOSES POWER WHILE STALLS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENGINE COOLANT WAS STILL FULL. THE FAILURES RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COOLANT UNIT AND THE BATTERY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335-I. COMMENTS: I WAS DRIVING MY ON A LONG UPHILL SECTION WITH PLENTY OF ROOM TO PASS AND I STARTED PASSING TWO CARS WHEN MY ENGINE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE CARS I WAS PASSING KINDLY STARTED TO SLOW DOWN TO LET ME MOVE PAST THEM, BUT I KEPT SLOWING DOWN AT THE SAME RATE AS THEY WERE, REMAINING SIDE BY SIDE WITH THEM, LEAVING ME NO ROOM TO MOVE BACK TO THE RIGHT AND WITH THE TRUCK COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CLOSER AND CLOSER. EVENTUALLY I FELT I HAD NO CHOICE, AND MANAGED TO GET OFF THE ROAD ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE SO THE TRUCK COULD PASS BETWEEN THE TWO CARS AND MINE. I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR. IT DID START ALBEIT WITH THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION ? REDUCED POWER LIGHT ON. THE RECURRED THE NEXT DAY I DROVE MY CAR TO BMW OF DARIEN WHICH TOLD ME THAT FOR THE THIRD TIME (TWICE ON MY PREVIOUS 2008 335IS CONVERTIBLE) THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. THEN I RECEIVED RECALL NO. 13V-044: POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM ABOUT A POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RESULTING IN ENGINE STALLING, BUT COULD NOT EVER GET AN ANSWER FROM BMW WHETHER THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE STALLS WITH MY CAR WAS REALLY THE FUEL PUMP. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS DANGEROUS ENGINE FAILURE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY EVASIVE. ONE GENTLEMAN CALLED ME ONCE ON MY CELLPHONE, NOT ON THE PHONE NUMBER I HAD PROVIDED. I CALLED THEM AND WROTE TO THEM MULTIPLE TIMES. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH COPIES OF THAT CORRESPONDENCE THAT SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A RESPONSE! THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LOOKING INTO THIS. BEST REGARDS.THE CONTACT REQUESTED THE COMPLAINT TO FILED IN THEIR OWN WORDS PULLED FROM AN EMAIL SENT TO NHTSA.

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FOR 8 MOS NOW, MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING. I HAVE TAKEN IT IN TWICE AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY AND I CALLED BUT NOW IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY! IT HAPPENS ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES INTO MY MORNING COMMUTE, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY OR EXPRESSWAY. USUALLY AT A COMPLETE STOP OR ROLLING TO A STOP. IT ALWAYS STARTS RIGHT BACK UP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN APPROXIMATELY FOUR INCHES OF WATER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HYDROLOCKED DUE TO WATER ENTERING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

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THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND STRANDED ME IN THE INTERSECTION. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AT FIRST. IT WOULD NOT EVEN CRANK. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE CAR IT FINALLY RESPONDED AND STARTED. IT STALLED 4 MORE TIMES DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. CAR WENT IN FOR SERVICE THURSDAY THE 31TH AND WAS RETURNED TO ME SATURDAY THE 1ST OF AUGUST. STALLING ISSUE IS BACK AND THE CAR IS NOW BEING TOWED IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ISSUE. THERE WAS ANOTHER 335D IN FOR SERVICE AT THE DEALER ALSO EXPERIENCING STALLING ISSUES!!!!!

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WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP INTO TRAFFIC, THE CHARGE PIPE LEADING FROM TURBO TO ENGINE RUPTURED CAUSING A DANGEROUS LOSS OF POWER WHICH RESULTED IN A NEAR COLLISION. BMW USES PLASTIC FOR THE CHARGE PIPE WHICH IS EASILY CRACKED UNDER NORMAL TURBO BOOST LOADS.

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THIS IS A KNOW FAULT PROBLEM THAT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO EMISSIONS OF THE DEISEL ENGINE STARTING AT 2008-2012 FOR ALL BMW DEISEL ENGINES. MAYBE EVEN NEWER MODELS. THIS SO CALLED SCR TEMPERATURE SENSOR THAT IS LOCATED INSIDE THE DEF (UREA) TANK FAILS, WHICH IN TERM FAILS THE SMOG INSPECTION IF IT IS NOT REPLACED. SOME OWNERS AND DEALERS HAVE REPLACED THIS TANK/SENSOR ( WHICH IS ONE PART TOGETHER, CANT BUY SEPARATELY) UNDER EMISSIONS WARENTY. BUT MOST DEALERS WILL DENY THE FACT THIS SYSTEM IS THE PRIMARY SYSTEM OF EMMISSION. AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING HOW INTENDED I'M SURE EMISSIONS OF THIS CAR WON'T MEETC THE FEDERAL OR STATE REQUIRMENT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND GET THIS FIXED/ ADDED TO THE EMMISSION SYSTEM FAILURE LIST.

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MY 2011 335I BMW CONVERTIBLE STALLED FOR 2ND TIME WHILE LESS THAN 200 MILES DRIVEN IN BETWEEN. VEHICLE STALLED IN SLOW SPEED WHILE TURNING LEFT IN BOTH CASES. VEHICLE LOST TOTAL POWER IN BOTH CASES. TOOK TO THE BMW MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA DEALERSHIP IN FIRST OCCURRENCE. DEALER CHECKED AND NO FAULT FOUND IN THE SYSTEM. TECHNICIAN DROVE ~60 MILES AND COULDN'T REPRODUCE THE ISSUE. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT STALLS. VEHICLE HAS ONLY ~38K MILES ON IT. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY 2011 BMW 335CI EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER FAILURE LEAVING ME WITH VERY SLUGGISH STEERING, NO FUEL POWER, AND ESSENTIALLY A DEAD ROLLING HEAVY PIECE OF METAL. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ENGINE WAS RIDING EXTREMELY ROUGH. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), RECEIVED THE RECALL REPAIR AND WITHIN FOUR MONTHS THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT WAS ABLE TO RESTART WHICH RESET THE COMPUTER. THE CONTACT LATER TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE RECALL REMEDY DID NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

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DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND CAR LOSS POWER. THEN STOP CAR, TOOK A WELL START CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MAKE HOME. LATER SLOW CRANKING CAR AND LOSING POWER WELL DRIVING. NEXT DAY ENGINE LIGHT TURN OFF. THEN LATER ENGINE LIGHT BACK ON CAR RUNS WITH LESS POWER AND SLOW CRANKING UP. I ONLY HAD MY CAR 1 YR AND BMW DEALERSHIP SAYS IT MY HPFP/INJECTOR IT'S NOT GOOD EVERYTHING START HAPPENING RIGHT AFTER WARRANTY END ON CAR THAT WAS LEFT FROM FIRST PERSON PURCHASE. AND I LOVE MY CAR BUT THIS NOT LOOKING GOOD.. *TR

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AFTER STARTING THE CAR, THE CENTER CONSOLE GAVE AN ERROR MESSAGE "ENGINE MALFUNCTION. ENGINE OPERATING AT REDUCED OUTPUT. POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE. DRIVE WITH CAUTION. HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED BY THE NEAREST BMW CENTER." THE CAR COULD NOT GO MORE THAN 2MPG AND THE ENTIRE CAR WAS SHAKING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT DID THE SAME THING. I TOOK IT TO THE BMW CENTER AND I AM WAITING TO GET IT BACK. THEY CLAIM IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FUEL PUMP OR THE FUEL INJECTORS AND THE DETECTION OF ETHANOL IN THE GASOLINE. *TR

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DRIVING 40MPH, SMOOTHLY AT CONSISTENT SPEED, IN MIDDLE LANE OF 3 LANE ROAD DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES AFTER CAR HAD BEEN IN GARAGE THE NIGHT BEFORE. ATTEMPTED SMALL ACCELERATION, CAR DID NOT RESPOND, ENGINE HAD TURNED OFF UNCLEAR IF BEFORE OR AT TIME OF ATTEMPTED ACCELERATION. POWER STEERING WAS OFF. I PUT ON MY HAZARDS, SLOWLY DRIFTED TO STOP, PUT CAR IN PARK, ATTEMPTED RESTART, FIRST ATTEMPT FAILED, WAITED 15 SECONDS AND SECOND ATTEMPT SUCCESSFUL. FOR NEXT 3 HOURS, THE ENGINE HAD A RHYTHMIC GRINDING SOUND WHICH THEN STOPPED. FUEL TANK HAD BEEN FILLED THE DAY BEFORE AND WAS NOT NEAR EMPTY. TOOK TO DEALER, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE EVENT OR FIND ANYTHING TO FIX. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN JUNE OF 2014 FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE). THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A LETTER FROM BMW WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW THAT STATED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 10/23/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/7/2015 *JS

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V176000 (ENGINE); HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC DATE AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. UPDATED 10/8/14*CN UPDATED 10/10/14

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UPON DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED (70+MPH) THE CAR SLOWED DOWN (ENGINE BRAKING) TO APPROX 40MPH INSTANTLY. THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE FORCED TO BRAKE FORCEFULLY. AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY MORNING AND LIGHT TRAFFIC. THE CAR DISPLAYED "ENGINE MALFUNCTION-DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP". THE CAR WAS WITHOUT POWER - JUST COASTING AT 40MPH OR SO, NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE. I MANAGED TO GET IT OVER TO THE DEALER - FIELDS BMW OF NORTHFIELD, IL. THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK - TOLD ME IT WAS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION THAT CUT OFF POWER TO THE PRESSURE CONVERTER FOR THE TURBOCHARGER. WHEN ASKED IF THIS CAN HAPPEN AGAIN, THEY SAID POSSIBLY. I CALLED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-831-1117 SPOKE TO [XXX] EXTENSION [XXX]. I DESCRIBED THE LIFE THREATENING MALFUNCTION AND I ASKED HIM TO TALK TO THE ENGINEERS AND TO GET BACK TO ME ON WHETHER THIS CAN BE AVOIDED IN THE FUTURE. NEXT TIME WE WILL BE LOOKING AT A FATALITY FOR ME OR OTHER DRIVERS. I ALSO ASKED HIM TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES DUE TO THE PROVEN LACK OF SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. HE NEVER RESPONDED TO MY REQUESTS - I CALLED TODAY - 8/25 - HE TOLD ME AS FAR AS BMW OF NORTH AMERICA IS CONCERNED - THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT DUE TO THE POSSIBLE FUTURE LOSS OF LIFE, THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I AM AVAILABLE FOR COMMENTS/CONTACT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V176000 (CAMSHAFT BOLTS/VANOS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN EXPECTED DATE FOR THE REMEDY PART TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

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I HAVE HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY CAR WHERE MY CAR DIED WHILING GOING ON TO MY MILITARY BASE. AFTER FINDING OUT THE ISSUE AND GETTING IT WORKED ON, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC COMPLAINTS OF USERS RISKING THEIR LIVES DUE TO A DOCUMENTED DEFECT WITH N55 ENGINES PRODUCED FROM 2/2010 TO 12/2010. THIS ENGINE IS USED IN SEVERAL BMW MODELS, MINE INCLUDED. BOTH (INTAKE AND/OR EXHAUST) OF THE VANOS GEAR ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED; THE ATTACHING BOLTS MAY HAVE ALSO LOOSENED AND/OR BROKEN. THIS HAS SOMETIMES CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. BMW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SI B12 14 12 BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO PREVENT THIS ISSUE, EVEN IF THE VEHICLES ARE RELATIVELY NEW, AND STILL UNDER BASE WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY $3700 FOR A JOB THAT SHOULD OF BEEN COVERED. *TR

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DEFECTIVE SWIRL FLAP ACTUATOR. DEALER REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH SWIRL FLAP MOTOR. *JB

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