BMW 328I · model year

2008 BMW 328I

373 NHTSA complaints, 12 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2008BMW328I carries 373 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 12 crashes, 35 fires, 16 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 2008 328I is air bags with 82 filings, followed by electrical system (79) and engine (53). 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. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2008 328I. 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.

373
Complaints
12
Crashes
35
Fires
16
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

373 filings

Crashes Reported

12 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS82
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM79
ENGINE53
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING27
UNKNOWN OR OTHER19
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM13
SEATS12
SEAT BELTS11
EXTERIOR LIGHTING8
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION8
POWER TRAIN7
STEERING7
SERVICE BRAKES6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)5
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES4

Recalls (5)

17V68300030/10/2017

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2011 128i and 2007-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi, X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive30i, Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may sho

17V67600025/10/2017

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and ai

20V01700015/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi,

13V04400007/02/2013

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-

24V51300003/07/2024

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a spor

Recent Complaints

20260116SEATS

The vehicle’s "Passenger Airbag Off" light and dashboard SRS warning lamp are illuminated. A diagnostic scan using a BMW-specific tool confirms manufacturer Fault Code 93C3 (Passenger Seat Occupancy Detector). This indicates a hardware failure of the OC3 internal seat sensor mat. Safety Risk: The failure of this sensor prevents the vehicle from correctly identifying if an adult is in the passenger seat. This compromises the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) and may result in the passenger airbag failing to deploy during a collision, posing a significant risk of injury or death to the occupant. Confirmation of Problem: The fault was confirmed via a digital diagnostic system (Foxwell NT510) which identified the specific "Open Circuit" within the seat mat. The component is currently installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. Connection to Existing Recalls: This failure is identical in symptoms and fault code to those described in NHTSA Safety Recall 17V-428. Although

20260116AIR BAGS

The vehicle’s "Passenger Airbag Off" light and dashboard SRS warning lamp are illuminated. A diagnostic scan using a BMW-specific tool confirms manufacturer Fault Code 93C3 (Passenger Seat Occupancy Detector). This indicates a hardware failure of the OC3 internal seat sensor mat. Safety Risk: The failure of this sensor prevents the vehicle from correctly identifying if an adult is in the passenger seat. This compromises the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) and may result in the passenger airbag failing to deploy during a collision, posing a significant risk of injury or death to the occupant. Confirmation of Problem: The fault was confirmed via a digital diagnostic system (Foxwell NT510) which identified the specific "Open Circuit" within the seat mat. The component is currently installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection. Connection to Existing Recalls: This failure is identical in symptoms and fault code to those described in NHTSA Safety Recall 17V-428. Although

20251026VISIBILITY/WIPER

The wipers will wipe 5-6 times then stop. Sometimes mid windshield. Does not reset at any setting on the washer arm. Leads to an urgent stop on side of the road. It is available for inspection. I have tested while sitting in driveway and it does every time (of the 4 times I tested). Only way to reset is to turn off motor and remove key. No confirmation by mechanic. Reading online similar happenings and people replacing wiper relay. No inspection by dealer or others yet. No warning lights before.

20250626ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the PCV heater needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unavailable.

20240927ENGINE

My vehicle was not included in BMW Recall "23V-707: Replace Vanos Adjustment Unit Screw Connection" but has suffered the same failure described in this recall. My VANOS adjustment unit screws came loose and caused my engine to completely stall in the middle of traffic on a very busy road [XXX] ). I lost some braking ability and narrowly avoided a major collision. I've been having issues with misfires related to my VANOS system and today I found that despite being told my vehicle wasn't affected by the recall, it is experiencing the same issue as the recall above mentioned. My vanos adjustment unit bolts on both exhaust and intake sides of the engine were all much more loose than factory specification, so much so that I was able to remove 6 of them with my fingers alone. I think there should be a full safety recall on this issue as it seems to affect a much wider variety of cars than initially thought. I was able to re-tighten them to factory specs, but I have no confidence that it wil

20240906LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact stated that the manual door locks became inoperable. The contact had to climb out of the driver's side window to exit the vehicle. The contact was able to enter the vehicle by using the key fob. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Mileage: 170,000

20240409FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My vehicle engine cooling fan caught fire one evening while following behind someone to make sure they made it to a parking lot safely due to their own vehicle having problems requiring them to stay under around 20mph. Once we made it to a parking lot, i exited my vehicle to check on the other person, and realized there was smoke starting to come out from under my hood. My husband waited for me to pull the hood release and then proceeded to lift the hood, only to discover my car was on fire, and it was coming directly from the cooling fan. After almost a minute we were able to put the fire out, and discovered the whole electrical area for the fan was melted and destroyed. There was never any type of warning light or any information at all that would have told me a problem was imminent. Im thankful it wasn;t myself alone or with my kids just driving down the highway because it would have taken over the whole vehicle before i would have known it was having any issues at all. The part is

20240409FireENGINE

My vehicle engine cooling fan caught fire one evening while following behind someone to make sure they made it to a parking lot safely due to their own vehicle having problems requiring them to stay under around 20mph. Once we made it to a parking lot, i exited my vehicle to check on the other person, and realized there was smoke starting to come out from under my hood. My husband waited for me to pull the hood release and then proceeded to lift the hood, only to discover my car was on fire, and it was coming directly from the cooling fan. After almost a minute we were able to put the fire out, and discovered the whole electrical area for the fan was melted and destroyed. There was never any type of warning light or any information at all that would have told me a problem was imminent. Im thankful it wasn;t myself alone or with my kids just driving down the highway because it would have taken over the whole vehicle before i would have known it was having any issues at all. The part is

20240409FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

My vehicle engine cooling fan caught fire one evening while following behind someone to make sure they made it to a parking lot safely due to their own vehicle having problems requiring them to stay under around 20mph. Once we made it to a parking lot, i exited my vehicle to check on the other person, and realized there was smoke starting to come out from under my hood. My husband waited for me to pull the hood release and then proceeded to lift the hood, only to discover my car was on fire, and it was coming directly from the cooling fan. After almost a minute we were able to put the fire out, and discovered the whole electrical area for the fan was melted and destroyed. There was never any type of warning light or any information at all that would have told me a problem was imminent. Im thankful it wasn;t myself alone or with my kids just driving down the highway because it would have taken over the whole vehicle before i would have known it was having any issues at all. The part is

20240327ENGINE

The vehicle, stopped while driving, overheating, no heat/ ac. It's winter, car stopped at night in an unknown location fory safety. Had it inspected by 2 different auto shops and was confirmed of the issue. Warning lights came on right before the car failed.

20240327FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

The vehicle, stopped while driving, overheating, no heat/ ac. It's winter, car stopped at night in an unknown location fory safety. Had it inspected by 2 different auto shops and was confirmed of the issue. Warning lights came on right before the car failed.

20240327UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The vehicle, stopped while driving, overheating, no heat/ ac. It's winter, car stopped at night in an unknown location fory safety. Had it inspected by 2 different auto shops and was confirmed of the issue. Warning lights came on right before the car failed.

20231020ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

20230729ENGINE

ON ALL E90 SERIES 3 (2008 BMW 328i), the PCV VALVE FAILS AND IS WELDED INTO THE VALVE COVER, THUS IF IT LEAKS OR GETS CRACKS IN THE ORANGE MEMBRANE, IT WILL CAUSE CAR TO STALL.. I ALMOST CRASHED 2x and this part should be recalled..IT AFFECTS THE FUEL AIR RATIO IN BMW E90, AND THE CAR WILL RUN LEAN AND NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH GAS AS AIR IS LEAKING FROM THE BROKEN MEMBRANE IN THE PVC VALVE. BMW WILL THROW ENGINE CODES WITH LIT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DASH. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE WHOLE VALVE COVER HAS TO BE REPLACED TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE $10 PCV VALVE WHICH IS LUDICROUS...THE DEALER CHARGES thousand dollars and up to replace a ten dollar part. THE CAR HAS ROUGH IDLE AND WILL STALL, CREATING A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION AND FATAL ACCIDENT . PLEASE RECALL to HAVE BMW DEALER FIX ThESE PLASTIC PVC VALVES ON E90S...I HAVE ENCLOSED PIC OF THE VALVE ..IT ALSO HAS A SPRING BUT THE PLASTIC ORANGE MEBRANE CRACKS, BREAKS AND LEAKS AIR INSIDE VALVE, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE CODES, ROUGH

20230729ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON ALL E90 SERIES 3 (2008 BMW 328i), the PCV VALVE FAILS AND IS WELDED INTO THE VALVE COVER, THUS IF IT LEAKS OR GETS CRACKS IN THE ORANGE MEMBRANE, IT WILL CAUSE CAR TO STALL.. I ALMOST CRASHED 2x and this part should be recalled..IT AFFECTS THE FUEL AIR RATIO IN BMW E90, AND THE CAR WILL RUN LEAN AND NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH GAS AS AIR IS LEAKING FROM THE BROKEN MEMBRANE IN THE PVC VALVE. BMW WILL THROW ENGINE CODES WITH LIT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DASH. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE WHOLE VALVE COVER HAS TO BE REPLACED TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE $10 PCV VALVE WHICH IS LUDICROUS...THE DEALER CHARGES thousand dollars and up to replace a ten dollar part. THE CAR HAS ROUGH IDLE AND WILL STALL, CREATING A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION AND FATAL ACCIDENT . PLEASE RECALL to HAVE BMW DEALER FIX ThESE PLASTIC PVC VALVES ON E90S...I HAVE ENCLOSED PIC OF THE VALVE ..IT ALSO HAS A SPRING BUT THE PLASTIC ORANGE MEBRANE CRACKS, BREAKS AND LEAKS AIR INSIDE VALVE, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE CODES, ROUGH

20230729FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

ON ALL E90 SERIES 3 (2008 BMW 328i), the PCV VALVE FAILS AND IS WELDED INTO THE VALVE COVER, THUS IF IT LEAKS OR GETS CRACKS IN THE ORANGE MEMBRANE, IT WILL CAUSE CAR TO STALL.. I ALMOST CRASHED 2x and this part should be recalled..IT AFFECTS THE FUEL AIR RATIO IN BMW E90, AND THE CAR WILL RUN LEAN AND NOT RECEIVE ENOUGH GAS AS AIR IS LEAKING FROM THE BROKEN MEMBRANE IN THE PVC VALVE. BMW WILL THROW ENGINE CODES WITH LIT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON DASH. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS THE WHOLE VALVE COVER HAS TO BE REPLACED TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE $10 PCV VALVE WHICH IS LUDICROUS...THE DEALER CHARGES thousand dollars and up to replace a ten dollar part. THE CAR HAS ROUGH IDLE AND WILL STALL, CREATING A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION AND FATAL ACCIDENT . PLEASE RECALL to HAVE BMW DEALER FIX ThESE PLASTIC PVC VALVES ON E90S...I HAVE ENCLOSED PIC OF THE VALVE ..IT ALSO HAS A SPRING BUT THE PLASTIC ORANGE MEBRANE CRACKS, BREAKS AND LEAKS AIR INSIDE VALVE, CAUSING CHECK ENGINE CODES, ROUGH

20230512ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed an abnormally strong burning odor coming from under the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic had previously repaired the vehicle for a similar failure. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) that she related to the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

20230421ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2008 BMW 328I. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. There was smoke coming from the engine compartment while the vehicle was shuddering. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the PCV stem seals and cap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and took the vehicle to a local dealer for the repair; however, the contact was informed he would be responsible for the cost of the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and advised the contact to seek legal advice to have the repair completed. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

Mileage: 170,000

20230410ENGINE

2008 BMW 328I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO LOSS OF POWER AND STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST BMW TO PERFORM A RECALL. ON MARCH 13, 2023 THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP AFTER REPAIRS AND THE RED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND ENGINE WAS STEAMING ONCE AGAIN.

20230330ENGINE

You guys have aluminum bolts that hold down the cylinder head they corrode or become loose thus pulling up the cylinder head and the head gasket is protruding out the front of the cylinder head causing oil and coolant to leak on to the belt causing the serpentine belt to slip off while it's raining and eventually causing a blown head gasket it's because of the aluminum bolts on the top of the engine that hold the cylinder head down the head gasket protrudes out the sides on the front where the camshaft sensors are and leaks onto the belt plus causing the belt to come off the track and possibly get sucked into the engine it's not something easy to get to or to fix for a person with low income

Mileage: 208,000

Compare 2008BMW328I to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2008 BMW 328I have?
The 2008 BMW 328I has 373 NHTSA complaints, 12 crashes, 35 fires, 16 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2008 BMW 328I?
Yes, the 2008 BMW 328I has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV). Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW 328I?
The most-complained component for the 2008 BMW 328I is AIR BAGS with 82 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE.
Is the 2008 BMW 328I 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.