2011 BMW 328 problems & reliability
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW 328, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 13 | 35% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 24% |
| Unknown OR Other | 5 | 14% |
| Engine | 4 | 11% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 11% |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 8% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 5% |
| Power Train | 2 | 5% |
| Seats | 2 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 15 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My bmw 328i e93 has the service engine soon (ses) light come on while I was driving on the highway. The computer shows error code 2b3a (p1449 dmtl system fault). I cleared the code and it came back a week later. I tried replacing the gas cap and the error still comes back the same. I was doing further research and…”
Engine · filed Mar 26, 2019
“Sometimes when I try to open the driver's side door using the mechanical handle, door does not unlock. I have to use my key fob to remotely unlock the car before the door handle will work to open the door.”
Unknown OR Other · filed Mar 9, 2019
“The door handle actuator sporadically fails and the door can not be opened with either the inside or outside door handle.”
Electrical System · filed Feb 22, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
9 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2011 BMW 328.
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B510819 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2024
The 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…
B611305 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 11, 2024
The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification
SIM010717 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2017
Bmw: 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. *pe
SIB-63-11-14 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 2014
Bmw: different fault codes stored for the n51, n52k, n52t, and n55 engines in the dme related to vanos and camshaft position. *kb updated 11/1/13. *pe updated 05/05/2014 *js
SIB-12-14-12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2014
Bmw: crankcase pressure diagnosis and information for all vehicles. *rm updated on 4/24/2013. *kb
SIB-11-03-08 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 2013
Bmw: changes have been made to the vehicle¿s display elements of the tire pressure monitor system. *rm
SIB-36-02-11 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2011
Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty. *rm
SIB-63-02-01 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 2010
Bmw: a new technical process has been created for bmw to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models. *rm
SIB-32-04-07 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2010
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2011 BMW 328 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2011 BMW 328?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.