34 complaints reported

2008 BMW 3 Series ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
34
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2018

RECEIVED 2 RECALL NOTICES FROM BMW USA 11/17 AND 11/17 FOR ISSUES WITH THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING AND THE ENGINE PCV VALVE HEATER. CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM FIXED. WAS ADVISED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS. WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT HAVING THE PARTS THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ADMITTED THAT THEY COULD GET THE PARTS BUT WOULD NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE NATIONAL OFFICE HAD NOT AUTHORIZED THEIR USE. REPEATEDLY CHECK WITH THEM OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. RECEIVED THE SAME ANSWER AGAIN AND AGAIN. CONTACTED BMW USA DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WHO STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE KNOWN SAFETY ISSUES AND WERE HOPING TO HAVE THEM FIXED LATER THIS YEAR. WHEN I INFORMED THEM THAT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD GET THE PARTS THEY FINALLY ADMITTED THAT YES THEY HAD THEM BUT NOT ENOUGH TO COVER ALL THE RECALLED VEHICLES SO THEY WERE NOT AUTHORIZING REPAIRS YET.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jun 2018
Jan 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER (BMW OF SAN RAFAEL, 1599 FRANCISCO BLVD E, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901, (415)-482-2000) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
Dec 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (BMW OF MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, 6976 PEARL RD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OH 44130) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
Dec 2017 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. PRINCETON BMW OF PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE ENTERED THE VENTS OF THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2017
Dec 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328XI. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL ODOR WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
Dec 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V696000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 17V683000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BMW OF NORTH HOUSTON IN HOUSTON, TEXAS WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL AND STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2017
Aug 2017 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 335I. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE SMOKE. THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT, DUE TO THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN OVERHEATING, THE RADIATOR CRACKED AND THE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT CALLED MOMENTUM BMW AT (855) 645-6452 (10002 SOUTHWEST FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77074), BUT THE CALL WAS DISCONNECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 335I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2017
May 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW 328I. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY AND THE POSITIVE CONNECTION CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COIL, THE SPARK PLUGS, AND THE VALVE GASKET COVERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V044000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,025. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Apr 2015
Apr 2014

WHEN I STARTED AT THE CAR NOTICED A ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE AFTER A WHILE IT WAS GONE AND IT CAME BACK. ALSO DRIVING THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY SMELL WAS PRESENT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 BMW 335I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2014

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 BMW 3 Series has 34 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.