What 125 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 BMW 328i Xdrive

There has been an open recall since August with no remedy as of now still. My concern is this is an electrical issue and the safety concern for this recall is possible fire.

NHTSA ODI 11632446

The contact owned a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to confirm if a warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated there was fuel leaking from the engine compartment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11627745

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the engine was overheating. The contact noticed white smoke coming from under the hood on the passenger's side. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the vehicle. The message "Engine Overheating" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where two independent mobile mechanics diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11627435

My vehicle has a open recall effecting the water pump and electrical issues. Whenever I drive it, the front hood starts to smoke. I notified the main bmw dealer and local bmw service. They stated there is no remedy available yet. This is my only source of transportation to work. Which is half hour away from my house. I explained the situation to the manufacturer. I have only been given the runaround from person to person promising they would return my call and nothing yet. My vehicle is very unsafe to drive .

NHTSA ODI 11623664

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 325I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced the failure stated in the recall and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment with the check engine warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11623666

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11622608

The contact’s mother owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated that occasionally while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated with a message to “Drive with Caution” displayed. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the failure was remedied; however, the failure persisted. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign 24V608000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) and linked the failure to the recall. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage 134,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11621766

The contact owned a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, and while at a complete stop, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood and through the A/C vents. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the A/C only blew hot air. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the timing belt, the oil gasket, the oil pan, and unknown fuses were replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the A/C vents and from the charging port. The contact stated that the infotainment system then caught on fire. The contact exited the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with two extinguishers and with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the fire had not occurred due to a manufacturing defect. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System), which she related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

NHTSA ODI 11621531

The contact’s son owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System). The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the timing chain had failed, causing the engine to seize. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

NHTSA ODI 11621082

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11619291

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormal sound that worsened over time. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle and discovered smoke coming from the engine compartment; moments later the engine compartment engulfed in flames. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling; Electrical System). The vehicle was occupied however, no injuries were sustained and the contact's friend was able to exit the vehicle safely. The fire department came and extinguished the fire however, no report was filed. The police department was also present however, a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not totaled however, the vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an auto repair shop to get a diagnosis. The contact received a diagnosis stating that the motherboard, navigation screen, along with other unknown components needed to be replaced. The check engine warning light was illuminated and several other unstated warning lights. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 11617257

While driving the vehicle it completely stopped and lost all power. No warning was given. We took it to dealership and was told timing chain failed causing engine damage. We were told this is a common problem and I only had vehicle for a little over a year. I am stuck with 5 years left on a vehicle I can’t drive or pay the repair cost of $14,000.

NHTSA ODI 11614589

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ODI 11611381

I own a 2015 BMW 328i xdrive with 86k miles. While reversing out of my driveway, onto a main road during rush hour, my vehicle unexpectedly stopped working with the message “drivetrain malfunction”. I had the car towed to a BMW dealership and was told there was a fault found in VANOS intake and that my car needed a timing chain replacement. I called BWM NA and was informed that there is a VANOS recall, but not for my car. They did however tell me that BMW would compensation for timing chain repairs for my 2015 328i if the car fell within certain parameters, low miles and within 7 years. While my car has low miles, I was told that my recall for the part had been “cleared” because I’m outside of the 7 year allotment for compensation on timing chain repairs. BMW will not help fix the timing chain nor compensate in anyway. I was informed they sent a letter in 2017, I purchased the car in 2017 and did not receive a letter. My vehicle had been serviced multiple times at BMW dealerships and I was never informed about a timing chain recall, not even in 2018 when my car was serviced at BMW for check engine light on. BWM has purposely avoided fixing a major vehicle flaw that they’ve known about.

NHTSA ODI 11576125

I drove my car to a parking garage yesterday. As I was pulling into a parking spot slowly, my car started to accelerate. I then pressed the brake pedal harder and the car went faster. The car stopped by hitting the wall in front. All airbags came out. The police came for the investigation. The car was not functioning so the police called the towing company to remove my car. No one was hurt, except some scratches and bruises on the face, chest and legs. No damage to the wall. But there is enough damage to my car so that the insurance company is deciding whether it has been totaled. I found online posts that people reported similar situations with the same model car (BMW328i). It could be related to accelerator module defects based on the online posts.

NHTSA ODI 11569590

On BMW there is a consistent problem with the oil filter housing gasket leaking oil which runs down and gets on the V-belt causing slipping that affects power steering. It is common problem for the emergency brake plastic clip to brake and cause the emergency brake cable that runs above the drive shaft to scrape the driveshaft, causing the cable to wear out and cause premature failure of the emergency brake.

NHTSA ODI 11561965

My drivetrain malfunction light comes on and my vehicle stalls while I’m driving it.

NHTSA ODI 11555553

I was driving hearing music, I did a reverse and hit the poll

NHTSA ODI 11553614

The contact owned a 2015 Bmw 328i. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle had caught on fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The fire was in the engine area. The contact used a water hose to extinguish the fire. A fire department report was filed. There was no police report filed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

NHTSA ODI 11544345

Drivetrain malfunction warning comes on when the car runs for a few hours in the heat or when randomly driving. Sometimes the warning will clear itself after waiting a few minutes, but it might come back after a few minutes driving or not. In other instances, the drivetrain will not clear itself and will take more than a few hours. Took it to the repair shop 3 times and they indicated it could be the fuel pump modular or spark plugs or it could just be that the heat is messing up the software system. The mechanic has mentioned that drivetrain malfunctions have been occurring more regularly with BMWs. The issue is that this drivetrain can malfunction at any random time. Driving on a highway, street, or just starting up the car after letting it sit for a few minutes or days. It's a safety hazard because it can happen at any time unexpectedly. When it does, the car goes into neutral and this is dangerous if driving on the highway at higher speeds and needing to pull over into right hand lane. I've not yet taken it to a dealer to look at, just a certified BMW repair shop. There have been no warning issues and the car clears whenever it is taken to the repair shop.

NHTSA ODI 11542816

After consulting many others that own or previously owned 328i bmw from around the same years (2015-2017); a common issue was found and assumed to be the timing belt. when i press on the accelerator moderately/ as per usual, my RPMs and speedometer hesitate for a solid second then it will catch up and start shaking. i suspect its the timing belt.

NHTSA ODI 11540161

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bags warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that water had leaked into the trunk of the vehicle and onto the amplifier causing electrical shortage in the vehicle to stop functioning as designed. The contact was informed that an extensive diagnostic test was needed to locate the leak. Additionally, the contact was informed that the air bag positive terminal cable and the seat belt battery cable and amp needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls on the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was 97,500.

NHTSA ODI 11537953

My son's 2015, BMW 328i was taken to BMW in Canton, Ohio due to "fluttering" in gas pedal and "possible transmission slipping and variations in transmission while driving. The check engine light was on and was diagnosed at dealership that the Mass Flow Sensor was malfunctioning. The wires to the Mass Flow Sensor were corroded and needed fixed before sensor could be assessed. The wires were fixed and the check engine light went out so the car was considered by the BMW dealer service department to be fixed and I paid $545 for $42 in parts and $503 in labor. The service advisor named Mark, assured me that it had been test driven by service technician and that the car was in proper working condition. I picked the car up, for my son, at 10 am and drove south to West Virginia to deliver the car to my son. At 12:15, I pulled off the freeway and stopped at a light that was at a busy intersection, with a car in front of me. I came to a complete stop with my foot on the brake and my car accelerated at a high speed with my foot completely on the brake almost to the floor. I rammed into the car in front of me and the car flew forward 500 feet. My BMW stopped after it hit the car in front of me. I sat in the car in shock with my foot still on the brake as the driver in front of me came to my window and asked me " what the hell are you doing"? She could clearly see that my foot was still on the brake. There were minor scratches on her bumper and, her and her son had sore necks. The front of my car had a broken grill, and other broken pieces. Broken pieces were lying on thre road. I called AAA and had it towed to BMW in St. Albans, West Virginia. A call was made to Canton, BMW and Corporate BMW to make a report on BMW rapidly accelerating with brakes completely on. Corporate personelle are to call me to get a report from me and send a special team to investigate the "rapid acceleration" while the brakes were on. Now awaiting for the 2015 BMW 328i to be looked at.

NHTSA ODI 11521081

Car isn’t receiving enough power to charge the battery so it’s cutting off while I’m driving

NHTSA ODI 11512925

Reporting very dangerous sudden unintended acceleration of 2015 BMW 328i: When about to back out of a parking space in a parking garage, I pressed the brakes and turned on the ignition switch. After looking around to ensure no cars or people were near the car, I put the gear shift in reverse, turned my whole head entirely over my right shoulder to look through the back windshield and, seeing nothing behind me, began to slowly lift my foot from the brake to reverse out of the parking space. I turned the steering wheel towards the left and the back of the car went to the left. The bumper gently tapped a white column that had been out of sight all the way further over my right shoulder. I gently pressed on the brake, and when I switched the gear shift into drive, the car suddenly and explosively accelerated forward extremely fast and sped out of control. I pressed the brakes to stop the car, which did nothing, and the car slammed into cement wall so hard that it sounded like an explosion and the air bags deployed. I hit my mouth/face/head on the air bag and got whiplash from the sudden stop. When I got out of the car, a couple who’d heard the explosion drove by and asked if I was ok. After a few moments I reached into the car to turn off ignition switch. This event resulted in very serious damage to the car, which was totaled, and I received medical injuries. This incident was reported to my automobile insurance company and to North America BMW, who has escalated the report to higher levels due to the seriousness of the incident, and will be doing investigations this week. The accelerator pedal or gear box dangerously and seriously malfunctioned, and the car is available for inspection upon request. My safety was seriously at risk as I have headaches and whiplash symptoms. If there were no wall there, or if there had been people or cars anywhere in front of the car, they would have been killed and smashed because the car suddenly accelerated so quickly.

NHTSA ODI 11504968