7 NHTSA safety recalls cover the BMW 128I, across model years 2008–2013. Every recall repair is free at any BMW dealer.
Is yours affected? Check your 128I by VIN — or pick your model year below for every recall, complaint and fix.
Recalls and owner complaints by model year
Of the BMW 128I model years, the 2011 drew the most owner complaints (57).
Recalls: NHTSA campaigns covering each BMW 128I model year on this page. Complaints: owner reports filed with NHTSA for that model year, including trims and variants sold under the model name (e.g. an F-150 page counts F-150 Raptor). Separate scales: compare the shape, not the heights across panels.
| Model year | Recalls | Owner complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 6 | no data |
| 2009 | 6 | no data |
| 2010 | 7 | 22 |
| 2011 | 7 | 57 |
| 2012 | 5 | 31 |
| 2013 | 3 | 36 |
What these recalls fix, grouped by the vehicle system NHTSA files them under:
BMW recalls certain 2008-2013 1 Series and 3 Series vehicles due to PCV valve heater overheating that could cause fire while driving or after parking.
BMW is recalling 2013 328i models with specific air bag inflators that may explode due to propellant degradation, risking serious injury or death. Owners must have the air bag replaced free of charge by dealers.
BMW recalls 2012 128i models with overheating wiring that could melt electrical connectors and cause fire. Owners must have blower-regulator wiring inspected and replaced free by dealers.
BMW recalls 2008-2011 128i and other models due to PCV valve heater short circuit risk of fire. Owners will get free PCV valve heater replacement by end of October 2018.
When the BMW 128I recalls were issued, by year — a cluster usually means one defect recalled in stages or across a platform.
Owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA about the BMW 128I; the most reported area is air bags. These are reports, not recalls: they are how NHTSA spots defects.
We have 7 NHTSA safety recalls on record for the BMW 128I, covering model years 2008–2013. The most recent was issued Feb 3, 2022 (Engine and Engine Cooling).
The 2011 BMW 128I has the most, with 7 recalls on record. Every model year with a recall is listed on this page with links to each one.
By system: Engine and Engine Cooling (3), Air Bags (2), Electrical System (2).
None of these recalls carries an NHTSA do-not-drive or park-outside warning, but each fixes a safety defect, so book the free repair promptly.
Run a VIN recall check: enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact year, then confirm at NHTSA.gov which are still unrepaired on your vehicle. Any BMW dealer can also look it up.
Yes. Federal law requires BMW to fix safety recalls free of charge at any authorized BMW dealer, regardless of the vehicle’s age or how many owners it has had.