BMW M235I · model year

2015 BMW M235I

6 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2015BMWM235I carries 6 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. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and Not Rated/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2015 M235I is air bags with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and tires:sidewall (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. This model year has 2 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 34 investigation files overlapping the 2015 M235I. 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: Not Rated/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
TIRES:SIDEWALL1
SEAT BELTS1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1

Recalls (2)

24V28800024/04/2024

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 42

25V87100017/12/2025

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:HEAD

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive), and 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i, M235i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fai

Recent Complaints

20250110EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The headlight and tail light went out unexpectedly. I brought my vehicle to a shop and they told me that my headlight got water inside of it. The shop informed me that this is a known issue with multiple BMW models. The headlight seal will slowly fail allowing moisture inside the housing which damages the electronics. The taillights have to have their electronics replaced due to some defect form the factory. This defect was covered under warranty but my car is out of warranty.

20250110ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The headlight and tail light went out unexpectedly. I brought my vehicle to a shop and they told me that my headlight got water inside of it. The shop informed me that this is a known issue with multiple BMW models. The headlight seal will slowly fail allowing moisture inside the housing which damages the electronics. The taillights have to have their electronics replaced due to some defect form the factory. This defect was covered under warranty but my car is out of warranty.

20240613SEAT BELTS

The seat belt failed due to a short. I am not sure if my safety was really at risk but the car said it was. There was warning on startup on the large display in the middle of the car and a constant warning in the gauge cluster. The fault has been confirmed at the dealership. The seat belt was inspected at the dealership and they are suggesting a replacement for $662.74. The warning did not cause any drivability issues.

20220228TIRES:SIDEWALL

I purchased 4 new Pirelli P zero tires a year and half ago since then I’ve replaced 5 tires where the sidewalls have blown out in that year and half time frame. I’ve only kept two of the tires and I’m not sure if the other tire has a different DOT # but it is the same brand and size. I gave the dot from the most recent tire. Pirelli has a road hazard warranty but will not honor it and swears their is no recall on p zero tires but it states on their website that size r19 have a recall. Mine are size 225/40 R18 Pirelli P-zeros. The last picture is of another tire about to blow out its sidewalk.

20191010UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, WINDOWS UP, SUNSCREEN CLOSED, AND SUNSCREEN SHADE CLOSED AS WELL. I HEAR WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A SHOTGUN BLAST ABOVE MY HEAD AND THEN PIECES OF GLASS BOUNCING OFF THE TOP OF MY CAR. THE EXPLOSION WAS EXTREMELY LOUD, OBVIOUSLY STARTLING, AND CAUSED ME TO SWERVE MY CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I WAS NOT PASSING UNDER A BRIDGE AND THERE WERE NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME EITHER. I SLOW DOWN AND LOOKED UP THROUGH THE VENTS IN THE SUNSCREEN SHADE AND I NOTICED A GAPING HOLE IN THE GLASS OF MY SUNSCREEN. THERE WAS A CAR BEHIND ME WITH A MAN AND A WOMAN IN THE FRONT SEATS WHO PULLED UP ALONGSIDE ME WITH THEIR WINDOWS DOWN. I ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW AS WELL AND WE BOTH SLOWED TO A SPEED WHERE WE COULD HEAR EACH OTHER. I ASKED WHAT HAPPENED AND THE WOMAN SAID IT JUST EXPLODED OUTWARDS MAKING HAND GESTURES OF AN EXPLOSION. I ASKED IF THEY SAW ANYTHING HIT MY ROOF AND THEY SAID NO. I GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE AND PULLED OVER TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE AND

Mileage: 39,500

20170817AIR BAGS

JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE MAY APPLY TO ME

Mileage: 6,600

Compare 2015BMWM235I to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2015 BMW M235I have?
The 2015 BMW M235I has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2015 BMW M235I?
The 2015 BMW M235I received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of Not Rated/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2015 BMW M235I?
Yes, the 2015 BMW M235I has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 BMW M235I?
The most-complained component for the 2015 BMW M235I is AIR BAGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and TIRES:SIDEWALL.
Is the 2015 BMW M235I safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2015 BMW M235I has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. 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.