repaired · 2026 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
2008 BMW 335xiProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 62 owner complaints about the 2008 BMW 335xi, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-513 the manufacturer reports only 19% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 16, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 BMW 335xi has problems
62 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
17Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury
17Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
13Engine2 crash/fire/injury
9Fuel/propulsion system
4Power train
4Air bags
3Fuel system, other
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Engine and engine cooling
76 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 17 | 5 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 17 | 1 |
| Engine | 13 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 |
| Power train | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel system, other | 3 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 |
| 6 other systems | 7 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2008 BMW 335xi recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2021 Q2
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
repaired · 2019 Q3
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other 335xi year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 335xi median. How we score
'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What 335xi owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The ibs sensor on the negative battery cable failed on me causing the car to die and not start back up. It also caused my new battery to die within a year due to charging information it was sending to the car. And I keep getting codes such as battery exhausted and signal issues from the battery
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 335xi. The contact stated after parking the vehicle at a parking lot, he noticed smoke exiting the center dashboard. The contact detached the plastic kickboard and saw the fire located in the wires. A bystander had a fire extinguisher available and was able to extinguish…
My car hasn't start up for 2 years now. 1st it started with a dead starter, then alternator, then the radiator and water pump bursted, and as i was standing outside of my car the passenger air bag deploys while the car was off and key out of the ignition. Luckily no one was in my car but now my car…
Own a 2008 335xi?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.