2015 BMW 228I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 228I years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW 228I. That ranks 2nd out of 8 228I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (8 complaints, 47%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 17owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 BMW 228I problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 8 | 47% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 29% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 18% | 54,900 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 12% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 12% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 6% | 34,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 6% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 6% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 6% | 27,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 6% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 6% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 6% | 27,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 BMW 228I recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:side/window:head
Problem: 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 fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
Risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system:wiring:connectors/plugs/receptacles; engine and engine cooling:cooling system:pump
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 28, 2025. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: 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, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
Risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Left rear taillight assembly failed. Needed a whole new taillight assembly, as well as an additional ground cable retrofit repair. This was a known problem and would have been covered under warranty if the problem had surfaced much earlier. In fact, it did occur in the right taillight, and BMW…
Recall notice from manufacturer since at least September 2024, and no fix has been made yet. Based on manufacturer note: Water Pump Connector May Short Circuit -- Risk Rank = Fire Concerned since problem not addressed for more than a year
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 228i. 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 that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time…
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 228i. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the electrical connector underneath the hood. The master warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling…
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 228I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling…
Other BMW 228I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 228I | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 228I | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 228I | 3 | 2 |
| 2021 228I | 8 | 3 |
| 2020 228I | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 228I | 18 | 1 |
| 2015 | 17 | 3 |
| 2014 228I | 7 | 4 |
See all BMW 228I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 BMW 228I?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 BMW 228I?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 BMW 228I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 228I model years, the 2015 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.