2015 BMW 328I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 328I years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 125 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW 328I. That ranks 9th out of 21 328I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (56 complaints, 45%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 8 fires, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 125owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 BMW 328I 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 problems | 56 | 45% | 100,000 | “engine cooling electrical” (63%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 42 | 34% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 23 | 18% | 78,150 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 15% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 15 | 12% | 82,413 | — | — |
| Power Train | 13 | 10% | 15,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 7% | 39,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 6% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 2% | 73,750 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 40,115 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 16,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 BMW 328I recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
Fix: The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. 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.
Exterior lighting
Problem: BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at [email protected].
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.
Everything looks good
On XXX, while driving on Interstate XXX with my family near [XXX], the engine shut off and the vehicle lost all power. The event was preceded by a "Reduced Power" error displayed on the dashboard. Traffic was moderate and I was able to pull over to the right shoulder. The engine shutting off while…
The engine intake tract, PCV infrastructure, and the main lower engine wiring harness loom failed due to improper reassembly during Federal Safety Recall 24V-608. The technician left the main intake coupler completely loose and spinning freely by hand, and left the MAF sensor crooked. This…
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle caught on fire. The fire originated in the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was then…
On [XXX], my 2015 BMW 328i xDrive (VIN: [XXX] , N20 engine, 124,250 miles) suffered a catastrophic engine failure while in operation. Component/System Failed: The timing chain guides and oil pump drive chain module failed. The plastic timing chain guide broke apart inside the engine. The vehicle…
Other BMW 328I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 328I | 57 | 1 |
| 2015 | 125 | 4 |
| 2014 328I | 152 | 8 |
| 2013 328I | 257 | 5 |
| 2012 328I | 130 | 6 |
| 2011 328I | 577 | 7 |
| 2010 328I | 155 | 6 |
| 2009 328I | 193 | 6 |
| 2008 328I | 239 | 5 |
| 2007 328I | 399 | 6 |
| 2006 328I | 0 | 3 |
| 2005 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 328I | 4 | 3 |
| 2000 328I | 112 | 7 |
| 1999 328I | 98 | 7 |
| 1998 328I | 26 | 0 |
| 1997 328I | 25 | 0 |
| 1996 328I | 31 | 0 |
See all BMW 328I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 BMW 328I?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 56 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 BMW 328I?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 BMW 328I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 328I model years, the 2015 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.