general problems of the 2015 BMW 328 - part 1

I was in my vehicle parked up on January 1st 2026 and the vehicle caught on fire while I was inside of it,the fire started from the right side of the car and flamed up everything,the car had a check engine light on and a lightning system issue was popping up on the dash right before this situation accord I did research and found that the cause of the fire is related to NHTSA recall 24v-608 (water pump/connector fire risk).

On November 17, 2025, my 2015 BMW 328i (VIN: [xxx] ) caught fire while parked, locked, and turned off inside my enclosed residential garage in irvine, California. The vehicle had been parked for approximately 90 minutes prior to the incident. No flammable materials were stored in or around the vehicle. Responding police and fire personnel identified the vehicle itself as the source of the fire, with ignition originating in the engine bay. The building’s fire sprinkler system activated, and residents were evacuated due to smoke and fire conditions. No injuries occurred, but the incident posed a serious risk to life and property due to the residential setting. The vehicle was a total loss. While the exact technical cause of ignition could not be determined at the scene, first responders confirmed that the fire originated within the vehicle’s engine compartment. BMW of north America was notified of the incident and represented that an inspection would be coordinated. I remained in contact with all involved parties and relied on BMW’s stated intent to contact the tow facility directly to arrange inspection. Despite this, BMW did not make contact with the tow company prior to the vehicle’s disposal. After the vehicle had already been sold by the tow yard, BMW indicated that coordination had not occurred and that inspection was no longer possible, resulting in loss of physical evidence. This complaint is submitted due to concern regarding a vehicle fire occurring while the vehicle was not in operation, inside a residential structure, and due to the manufacturer’s handling of the matter in a way that prevented timely inspection and meaningful safety review despite early notification and cooperation. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph he noticed that the a/c was blowing hot air and that the temperature gauge was rising. Additionally, the contact had observed that white smoke was being emitted from under the hood. The contact stated that no warnings had illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system). The contact had received the notice from the manufacturer. The contact had called a local dealer and was told that a plastic shield was to be installed on the water pump, but that the shield would not stop the vehicle overheating. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that they had no authority over the dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the front end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the failure had originated from the driver's side low beam headlight, which had become inoperable. The contact stated that there was a burning odor coming from the headlight. The contact removed the bulb from the headlight housing. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact stated there was a smoky odor coming through the a/c vents upon activating the heat. The contact stated that the instrument cluster had become inoperable. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The check engine light came on a few months ago and my mechanic informed me that the vehicle has a recall issues for it. No remedy has been identified and the car is not operable as doing so may result in the car catching on fire. BMW has no timeframe for when they will be fixing this issue.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owned a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to confirm if a warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated there was fuel leaking from the engine compartment. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 mph, the engine was overheating. The contact noticed white smoke coming from under the hood on the passenger's side. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the vehicle. The message "engine overheating" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where two independent mobile mechanics diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Coolant supply line to turbo is leaking, very common issue that lots of owners experience. This should be addressed by the company.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, all four tires felt flat, and the vehicle was pulling to the left, with an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The message "chassis stabilization" error was displayed on the instrument panel. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle needed to be jump-started. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic for a second opinion, and the contact was advised to disconnect the battery after driving the vehicle as a temporary repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Engine coolant pump recall (August 2024) with no remedy to this day. Has caused major smoking issues from exhaust and engine. The turbocharger has been affected and deemed inoperable. Fluid leaks from chassis and engine bay. The car is inoperable. Prior to being unable to drive I was experiencing transmission issues, went for a few repairs but would experience the car coming to a complete stop on its own at highway speeds. Experienced this on the bridge, being left stuck and almost causing a wreck. Made the bridge very unsafe for others. I had a “drive train malfunction” warning& check engine light that I thought was fixed with multiple mechanic trips but problems have only gotten worse. No inspections have been done in regards to the recall. The car has sat unable to drive for 2 full months now.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact was notified of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

While driving the vehicle it completely stopped and lost all power. No warning was given. We took it to dealership and was told timing chain failed causing engine damage. We were told this is a common problem and I only had vehicle for a little over a year. I am stuck with 5 years left on a vehicle I can’t drive or pay the repair cost of $14,000.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system). The contact had been calling the local dealer for several months and was informed that the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer had not informed the contact about parts availability. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Date reported 08/13/2024 description manufacturer safety recall issued NHTSA #24v-608 recall #24v-608:474 engine coolant pump status remedy not available there is no remedy for this issue that has rendered my vehicle inoperable. While I have to make payment on a vehicle I cannot use and cannot have repaired.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was fluid leaking on the ground. Additionally, the message "engine overheated, please stop now" was displayed while driving, and smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact pulled over and waited for the engine to cool down. Upon inspection under the hood, the contact discovered a hole in the coolant reservoir, with coolant all over the engine compartment. There was smoke coming from the coolant pump. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the coolant pump and coolant hoses; however, the failure persisted, with the engine overheating and the vehicle failing to accelerate above 60 mph while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a burning odor was detected, and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contacts son owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system). The contact stated that while his son was driving at approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that timing chain failed causing the engine to seize and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

On BMW there is a consistent problem with the oil filter housing gasket leaking oil which runs down and gets on the v-belt causing slipping that affects power steering. It is common problem for the emergency brake plastic clip to brake and cause the emergency brake cable that runs above the drive shaft to scrape the driveshaft, causing the cable to wear out and cause premature failure of the emergency brake.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 mph, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormal sound that worsened over time. The contact pulled over to inspect the vehicle and discovered smoke coming from the engine compartment; moments later the engine compartment engulfed in flames. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in the NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling; electrical system). The vehicle was occupied however, no injuries were sustained and the contact's friend was able to exit the vehicle safely. The fire department came and extinguished the fire however, no report was filed. The police department was also present however, a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not totaled however, the vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an auto repair shop to get a diagnosis. The contact received a diagnosis stating that the motherboard, navigation screen, along with other unknown components needed to be replaced. The check engine warning light was illuminated and several other unstated warning lights. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

My 2015 BMW 328i xdrive (VIN [xxx] ) experienced an engine-compartment fire that began shortly after coolant sprayed from the front of the vehicle. This incident occurred before BMW’s official recall announcement for NHTSA campaign 24v-608 / BMW 24v-608:474 (safety: engine coolant pump electrical connector). The fire originated near the coolant pump area, consistent with the recall’s described defect involving electrical shorting and overheating at the pump connector. The vehicle was declared a total loss by my insurance company. I believe this event was caused by the same defect identified in the recall and request that this incident be investigated and documented under campaign 24v-608. Supporting photos and insurance documentation are available upon request. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owned a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while parked, the vehicle had caught on fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The fire was in the engine. The contact used a water hose to extinguish the fire. A fire department report was filed. There was no police report filed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

Drivetrain malfunction warning comes on when the car runs for a few hours in the heat or when randomly driving. Sometimes the warning will clear itself after waiting a few minutes, but it might come back after a few minutes driving or not. In other instances, the drivetrain will not clear itself and will take more than a few hours. Took it to the repair shop 3 times and they indicated it could be the fuel pump modular or spark plugs or it could just be that the heat is messing up the software system. The mechanic has mentioned that drivetrain malfunctions have been occurring more regularly with Bmws. The issue is that this drivetrain can malfunction at any random time. Driving on a highway, street, or just starting up the car after letting it sit for a few minutes or days. It's a safety hazard because it can happen at any time unexpectedly. When it does, the car goes into neutral and this is dangerous if driving on the highway at higher speeds and needing to pull over into right hand lane. I've not yet taken it to a dealer to look at, just a certified BMW repair shop. There have been no warning issues and the car clears whenever it is taken to the repair shop.

After consulting many others that own or previously owned 328i BMW from around the same years (2015-2017); a common issue was found and assumed to be the timing belt. When I press on the accelerator moderately/ as per usual, my rpms and speedometer hesitate for a solid second then it will catch up and start shaking. I suspect its the timing belt.

The contact owned a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, and while at a complete stop, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood and through the a/c vents. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the a/c only blew hot air. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the timing belt, the oil gasket, the oil pan, and unknown fuses were replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the a/c vents and from the charging port. The contact stated that the infotainment system then caught on fire. The contact exited the vehicle. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with two extinguishers and with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the fire had not occurred due to a manufacturing defect. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system), which she related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

Driving to work and the engine oil pressure warning came up and the car began to decelerate and once completely stopped the power train malfunction warning popped up and I couldn’t restart the engine. Towed to BMW of toledo and was told the timing chain broke and destroyed the engine.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle lost motive power and independently restarted in limp mode. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred and various speeds. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.