2013 Bmw 328I
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Bmw 328I has 389 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: while slowly coming to a stop, the brake pedal became hard yet the car would not stop and seemed to glide for 10-15 feet before finally stopping at which point the engine revved to 6000 rpm, but did not accelerate. the pedal became so hard that i could not press any harder, yet was still slowly movi. ⚠️ 10 fire reports filed.
389
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
4.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
136 complaints- • WHILE SLOWLY COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD YET THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND SEEMED TO GLIDE FOR 10-15 FEET BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REVVED TO 6000 RPM, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE PEDAL BECAME SO HARD THAT I COULD NOT PRESS ANY HARDER, YET WAS STILL SLOWLY MOVI
- • ROUGHLY TWO MONTHS AFTER TAKING POSSESSION OF MY NEW BMW 328I, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD AS A ROCK. FORTUNATELY, I AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT BY COASTING OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND INTO A HOTEL PARKING LOT. MY CAR
- • 2013 BMW 328I X-DRIVE, DRIVING @ 40 MPH THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON, CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE (NO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH) MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. LUCKILY I COULD PULL OVER TO A SAFE AREA. I CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, NO WARNING LIG
“WHILE SLOWLY COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD YET THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND SEEMED TO GLIDE FOR 10-15 FEET BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REVVED TO 6000 RPM, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE PEDAL BECAME SO HARD THAT I COULD NOT PRESS ANY HARDER, YET WAS STILL SLOWLY MOVI”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
61 complaints- • LIGHT CRACKS, CHIPS, DEFECTS INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSING. VEHICLES ARE NOT THAT OLD AND THE DEFECT TENDS TO APPEAR ON ALL F30 BMW 3 SERIES MODELS. COULD WORSEN OVER TIME AND CREATE VISIBILITY ISSUES.
- • I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED FOR THIS LOCK ISSUE TO BE REPAIRED AT LEAST 6 TIMES DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THE ISSUE HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY. AT TIMES I AM IN THE CAR WITHOUT IT RUNNING, THEN I GO TO OPEN THE DOOR AND I AM LOCKED INSIDE. THE HANDLE ACT
- • REAR LEFT BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE GROUND WIRE ON THE CONNECTOR HAS OVER HEATED AND BROKEN.
“LIGHT CRACKS, CHIPS, DEFECTS INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSING. VEHICLES ARE NOT THAT OLD AND THE DEFECT TENDS TO APPEAR ON ALL F30 BMW 3 SERIES MODELS. COULD WORSEN OVER TIME AND CREATE VISIBILITY ISSUES.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
AIR BAGS
43 complaints- • 2013 BMW 328I X-DRIVE, DRIVING @ 40 MPH THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON, CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE (NO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH) MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. LUCKILY I COULD PULL OVER TO A SAFE AREA. I CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, NO WARNING LIG
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING 63 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS EXPLODED, EJECTING METAL FRAGMENTS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED L
- • TRAE IN VALUE $5000 LESS DUE TO RECALL AIR BAG
“2013 BMW 328I X-DRIVE, DRIVING @ 40 MPH THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON, CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE (NO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH) MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. LUCKILY I COULD PULL OVER TO A SAFE AREA. I CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, NO WARNING LIG”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
30 complaints- • AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR NEW, THE POWER BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON MAY 23. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BMW WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES VACUUM PUMP. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WHERE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, THE DAY IT WAS RETURNED, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE, THE PE
- • I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 BMW 328I IN LATE MAY. WITHIN A WEEK OF OWNERSHIP THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS THERE FOR THREE DAYS. THEN LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, LAST WEEK, THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. I ALMOST GOT IN A BAD ACCIDENT AND IN FACT DID SCRAPE THE CURB. I WAS TO
- • WHILE SLOWLY COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD YET THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND SEEMED TO GLIDE FOR 10-15 FEET BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REVVED TO 6000 RPM, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE PEDAL BECAME SO HARD THAT I COULD NOT PRESS ANY HARDER, YET WAS STILL SLOWLY MOVI
“AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR NEW, THE POWER BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON MAY 23. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BMW WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES VACUUM PUMP. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WHERE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, THE DAY IT WAS RETURNED, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE, THE PE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
22 complaints- • I STARTED THE CAR AND REVERSED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THEN PROCEEDED TO A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOP LIGHT. I ACCELERATED TO MERGE WITHF TRAFFIC AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY POWER WAS CUT DRAMATICALLY AND THE CAR DISPLAYED A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION ERROR. THIS PREVENTED ME FROM ACCELERATING AT THE
- • DRIVETRAIN MALFUCTION WARNING LIGHT. THE CAR IS LESS THEN 2 MONTHS OLD UNDER MOSTLY LOCAL DRIVING CONDITION IN ECO OR COMFORT MODE. *TR
- • I HAD A POWERTRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT COME UP THE FIRST WEEKEND AFTER I LEASED THE CAR, WITH BARELY 250 MILES ON THE ODOMETER! REPAIRS WERE DONE AT A BMW AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER, THE CAR NOW HAS 6000 MILES, AND THE ISSUE IS BACK! THIS IS THE 2ND TIME WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS THIS CAR HAS HAD PO
“I STARTED THE CAR AND REVERSED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THEN PROCEEDED TO A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION WITHOUT STOP LIGHT. I ACCELERATED TO MERGE WITHF TRAFFIC AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY POWER WAS CUT DRAMATICALLY AND THE CAR DISPLAYED A DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION ERROR. THIS PREVENTED ME FROM ACCELERATING AT THE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 389 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: WHILE SLOWLY COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD YET THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND SEEMED TO GLIDE FOR 10-15 FEET BEFORE FINALLY STOPPING AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REVVED TO 6000 RPM, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE PEDAL BECAME SO HARD THAT I COULD NOT PRESS ANY HARDER, YET WAS STILL SLOWLY MOVI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: LIGHT CRACKS, CHIPS, DEFECTS INSIDE OF HEADLIGHT HOUSING. VEHICLES ARE NOT THAT OLD AND THE DEFECT TENDS TO APPEAR ON ALL F30 BMW 3 SERIES MODELS. COULD WORSEN OVER TIME AND CREATE VISIBILITY ISSUES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: 2013 BMW 328I X-DRIVE, DRIVING @ 40 MPH THE DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON, CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE (NO HIGHER THAN 20 MPH) MAKING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. LUCKILY I COULD PULL OVER TO A SAFE AREA. I CALLED BMW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. WHEN TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, NO WARNING LIG
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR NEW, THE POWER BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED ON MAY 23. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO BMW WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES VACUUM PUMP. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WHERE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, THE DAY IT WAS RETURNED, EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS BEFORE. WHEN YOU PUSH ON THE BRAKE, THE PE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Bmw 328I — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 389
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 10
- Crash reports
- 35
- Injury reports
- 30
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Bmw 328I