2013 Bmw 128i: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
39
Complaints
3
Recalls
1
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
1
Injuries
46.2
Severity index
Severity index 46.2 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 27 | 69.2% |
| ENGINE | 4 | 10.3% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 | 10.3% |
| STRUCTURE | 3 | 7.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 5.1% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 5.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 | 2.6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 2.6% |
The single most-reported system is AIR BAGS, cited in 27 of 39 complaints (69.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V017000 | 15/01/2020 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 200 |
| 16V071000 | 05/02/2016 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and |
| 22V119000 | 02/03/2022 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV) | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xD |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.