2008 BMW 328I Engine Problems
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2008 BMW 328I, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 99,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “electrical engine engine” (20% of reports).
- 54engine complaints
- 99,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 23%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Electrical engine engine: mentioned in 11 of 54 complaints (20%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 30 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 54 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 1 an injury.
BMW 328I engine complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: 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 short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notification by the end of October 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
RECALL OMISSION & SAFETY DISPUTE (Case #10683843): I am reporting two documented safety defects in my 2008 BMW 328i (N51 engine) that are identical to existing Federal Safety Recalls but have been omitted from the recall VIN list for this model year. 1. AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE (Recall 17V-428): The…
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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 BMW 328Is have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about engine for the 2008 BMW 328I (23% of the 239 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 BMW 328I engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 99,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2008 BMW 328I?
The most frequent phrase is “electrical engine engine”, in 11 of 54 complaints.
Other 2008 BMW 328I problems
See all 2008 BMW 328I problems or engine problems across all 328I years.