Total Complaints
8 filings
BMW 128I US · model year
2011 BMW 128I US
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2011BMW128I US carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 128I US is air bags with 4 filings, followed by structure (1) and electrical system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2011 128I US. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 4 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180706FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR RANDOMLY ACCELERATES FOR AN ADDITIONAL SECOND AFTER RELEASING THE GAS PEDAL.
Mileage: 60,000
20171028AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL. I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL DATED SEPT 2017 FROM BMW USA STATING THAT THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE AND TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A FREE REPAIR. WHEN I CALLED MY DEALER (STEVENS CREEK BMW USA IN SANTA CLARA, CA) THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PARTS ARE ACTUALLY NOT AVAILABLE, THEY HAVE THEM ON ORDER, AND IT WOULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 3-5 MONTHS FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY GET THEM. SINCE THIS IS OCTOBER 2017, THIS WOULD BE MEAN AN ESTIMATED REPAIR DATE IN JAN-MARCH 2019!
20170111AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 128I US. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER 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. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 03/17/17*LJ *CN
20170106AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 128I US. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
20161231AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL. NO COMMUNICATION FROM BMW ABOUT RECALL OR AVAILABILITY OF PARTS. THE DRIVER IS FIVE FEET TALL AND MUST SIT CLOSE TO STEERING WHEEL.
20120722ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 02/27/11. WE FIRST NOTICED THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WAS NOT WORKING THE FIRST WEEKEND OF OCT. 2011. WE TOOK THE CAR TO VALENCIA BMW ON 10/08/11. THE CAR FAILED AN ELECTRICAL TEST AND A NEW TOP WAS ORDERED BECAUSE THE REAR WINDOW AND CONVERTIBLE TOP ARE ONE PIECE. CAR WAS RETURNED ON 10/10/11. THE MILEAGE WAS 10273.ON 11/22/11, THE TOP WAS REPLACED AND CAR RETURNED ON 11/23/11. THE MILEAGE WAS 12168. ON 12/01/11, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE FABRIC ON THE NEW TOP DETACHED ON THE FREEWAY ON 11/30/11 (TERRIFYING). REPAIRS WERE MADE AND CAR RETURNED SAME DAY. I POINTED OUT TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT SYMMETRIC TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOP. THE REPAIRED SIDE DID NOT TUCK UP TIGHT TO THE REAR WINDOW AND MY CONCERN WAS THAT THE TOP WOULD FLY APART AGAIN. THE MILEAGE WAS 12495. ON 12/20/11, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THE FABRIC WAS SECURED AGAIN AND REINSTALLED. THE MILEAGE WAS 13116. THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS NOT PUT DOW
Mileage: 10,273
20120722VISIBILITY/WIPER
THE CAR WAS PURCHASED 02/27/11. WE FIRST NOTICED THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WAS NOT WORKING THE FIRST WEEKEND OF OCT. 2011. WE TOOK THE CAR TO VALENCIA BMW ON 10/08/11. THE CAR FAILED AN ELECTRICAL TEST AND A NEW TOP WAS ORDERED BECAUSE THE REAR WINDOW AND CONVERTIBLE TOP ARE ONE PIECE. CAR WAS RETURNED ON 10/10/11. THE MILEAGE WAS 10273.ON 11/22/11, THE TOP WAS REPLACED AND CAR RETURNED ON 11/23/11. THE MILEAGE WAS 12168. ON 12/01/11, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE FABRIC ON THE NEW TOP DETACHED ON THE FREEWAY ON 11/30/11 (TERRIFYING). REPAIRS WERE MADE AND CAR RETURNED SAME DAY. I POINTED OUT TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT SYMMETRIC TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOP. THE REPAIRED SIDE DID NOT TUCK UP TIGHT TO THE REAR WINDOW AND MY CONCERN WAS THAT THE TOP WOULD FLY APART AGAIN. THE MILEAGE WAS 12495. ON 12/20/11, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THE FABRIC WAS SECURED AGAIN AND REINSTALLED. THE MILEAGE WAS 13116. THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS NOT PUT DOW
Mileage: 10,273
20110124STRUCTURE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 128I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT MICE WERE EATING THROUGH A CABLE THAT MADE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS THE SECOND OF THE SAME MODEL; THE FIRST WAS TRADED IN BECAUSE OF THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 02/16/11
Compare 2011BMW128I US to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2011 BMW 128I US have?▼
The 2011 BMW 128I US has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 BMW 128I US?▼
The most-complained component for the 2011 BMW 128I US is AIR BAGS with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2011 BMW 128I US safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.