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What 20 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 BMW 335i

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (20)Crash / fire / injury (4)Engine (5)Electrical system (4)Fuel system (4)Transmission & drivetrain (4)Airbags (3)Backup camera & sensors (1)Body & structure (1)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (1)Lane Departure (1)Steering (1)

4 of 20 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters

Jul 27, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

THE SYMPTOM: THE CAR MISSES OR SHUTTERS UNDER LOAD. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE HAS 80K MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN MY OPINION FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE WITH AVERAGE MILES AND CONTINUALLY SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND DRIVEN BY TWO PEOPLE. TODAY I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR A 2014 MODEL 328D THAT REQUIRES REPLACE THE CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT AND INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. I SUSPECT THE SAME FAULTY PART COULD ALSO BE THE CAUSE OF MY NOW FAULTY TRANSFER CASE.

NHTSA ODI 11534907

Jun 15, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

THE SYMPTOM: THE CAR MISSES OR SHUTTERS UNDER LOAD. THE PROBLEM STARTED AS INTERMITTENT BUT IS BECOMING WORSE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME TODAY THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE IS A JUST OVER 6YRS OLD WITH 82K MILES. THIS IS A MAJOR DRIVETRAIN FAILURE IN MY OPINION FOR A CAR OF THIS AGE WITH AVERAGE MILES AND CONTINUALLY SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND DRIVEN BY TWO OLD PEOPLE. TODAY I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR A 2014 MODEL 328D THAT REQUIRES REPLACE THE CONSTANT-VELOCITY JOINT AND INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. I SUSPECT THE SAME FAULTY PART COULD ALSO BE THE CAUSE OF MY NOW FAULTY TRANSFER CASE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11329053

Jan 4, 2015Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

DRIVING ON 4 LANE ROAD AT 40MPH WHEN 2104 BMW 335I XDRIVE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TOTAL FAILURE-STARTING WITH THE NAVIGATION SCREEN THEN THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD WENT BLACK AND ENGINE SHUTDOWN (ALL IN FEW SECONDS). THERE WAS NO SHOULDER (CONCRETE CURB) SO VEHICLE CAME TO STOP IN THE RIGHT LANE. HEADLIGHTS WERE "STUCK" ON BUT NOTHING ELSE WORKED INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS! CONTACTED BMW ASSIST BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP BUT SENT OUT POLICE AND TOW TRUCK. CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS DRAGGED ONTO A FLATBED DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING! WE COULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED AS CARS WERE BEARING DOWN ON US THEN SWERVING AS WE COULD NOT WARN THEM WITHOUT EMERGENCY FLASHERS. BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED/KILLED, THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED STARTING WITH WHY DOES THIS VEHICLE NOT "FAIL-SAFE"?--I.E., WHERE THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WORK AND TRANSMISSION CAN BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL? THANK YOU!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10669921

Dec 11, 2014Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrain

WAS DRIVING IN RAIN, STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH START/STOP ENABLED AND IN STANDBY MODE. WHEN SIGNAL TURNED GREEN VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO COME TO LIFE AND STALLED WITH MESSAGE ON I-DRIVE SAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION AND AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS TO BRING THE ENGINE BACK TO LIFE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND PULL OVER TO THE CURB AFTER WHICH THE ENGINE WOULD STILL STRUGGLE TO IDLE AND TRANSMISSION REFUSED TO ENGAGE DRIVE MODE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE BMW SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND REPLACED IT AND CLAIM THE ISSUE IS FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10663713

Working with the data? Download all 20 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 28, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 BMW 335i verdict →