Power Train Problems of BMW 328 - part 1

While driving down the road my car gave me a notification “drivetrain malfunction” said full engine output not available then it just stopped and shut off (limp mode) it has done this multiple times and the shop says that it may be the high pressure fuel pump. This has happened on a busy city road with high traffic and curvy roads where my car would not move and people could not see me when coming over the hill until last minute narrowly missing my car. Luckily there wasn’t oncoming traffic. I had to switch ignition off and on (it then said “transmission not in park”) when it was in park. Finally started back after having to shut ignition off and on twice. Then anytime I got above 40 it went back into limp mode.

See all problems of the 2018 BMW 328 🔎.

The contact owns a 2013 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The drivetrain and passenger’s side air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 mph and the vehicle was shaking erratically. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,775.

See all problems of the 2013 BMW 328 🔎.

Hello I contacted BMW about a recall on my vehicle and made an appointment the gentleman I spoke with at first did the whole recall appointment. He wasn’t there on the day of and the other technician refused to conduct the recall repair and very rudely said to me you either pay $500 for diagnosing or you come pick up your car now otherwise I will charge you $200 daily storage he said the car didn’t start I told him yes of course is due to that recall which caused a meltdown leading to smoke coming in from the vents cutting all power to car . This guy refused to understand the situation and was really rude he said I have til the end of today to pick up the car and he disregard my appointment and refuse to fix it. So I call my aaa tow truck to pick up my vehicle and the refused to release it so now my car isn’t getting fixed and it’s being hold hostage.

See all problems of the 2007 BMW 328 🔎.

Engine oil pressure light came on and then the driver train malfunction light. Car at 113k miles and upon checking the timing chain was damage and now engine locked.

See all problems of the 2012 BMW 328 🔎.

Incident summary: on January 9, 2026, at approximately 1:30 pm, while traveling at 50 mph in north carolina, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic engine seizure without any prior "limp mode" warning or check engine light. This resulted in an immediate, total loss of motive power in active traffic. I was forced to navigate a dead multi-ton vehicle across lanes without power steering or vacuum-assisted braking, narrowly avoiding a high-speed collision. Timeline & negligence: this vehicle was purchased from an independent retail dealer on December 20, 2025—less than 21 days prior to this life-threatening failure. The vehicle was sold with an "open" status for safety recall 23v-707. The failure occurred exactly as described in the recall’s warning: a catastrophic stall at speed. Technical evidence: a non-invasive borescope inspection of the cylinders has confirmed the presence of metallic "silver chunks" (sheared bolt heads) and "half-moon" impact marks on the piston crowns, indicating a total timing failure and internal mechanical collision (piston-to-valve contact). Required remedy: this incident is a direct manifestation of the safety risk documented in recall 23v-707. Per BMW service bulletin sib 11 09 23, the presence of sheared bolt heads and seized internals constitutes "catastrophic consequential damage. " I am filing this report to ensure federal oversight of BMW north America’s obligation to provide a complete engine replacement, as the safety defect was present at the time of sale and resulted in a near-fatal incident within 300 miles of ownership.

2013 BMW 328i, n20 engine. Timing chain guide assembly and oil pump drive chain failed catastrophically. Vehicle is available for inspection, however the authorized BMW dealership has already made clear they will accept no responsibility, and I would bear the expense of towing it two hours to their facility. The failure is a known issue with a class action case, but BMW took no responsibility, and falsified information stating the vehicle showed no signs of an issue when I brought my vehicle in for inspection. Eighteen months before failure, steam came from the engine compartment on a humid day, later connected to the water pump electrical connector recall. Following this, the vehicle ran consistently hotter than normal and lost noticeable power. Twelve months before failure, an intermittent oil pressure warning began triggering under load at highway speeds, particularly on inclines above 70mph. I brought the vehicle to sandia BMW in albuquerque, nm and reported all symptoms when I was contacted by them for the recall. The service advisor falsely claimed elevated operating temperature was optimal, suspected a faulty sensor, and returned the vehicle without offering further diagnosis or making me aware of the impending issue, all classic signs of the engine faults. Eight weeks later, the oil pressure light activated on a highway, followed immediately by a drivetrain malfunction warning, a violent grinding sound, and complete loss of power. The vehicle was towed and has not restarted since. I contacted BMW of north America's recall line. A case was opened and an advocate stated BMW would accept no responsibility because the class action was closed and I'mpast 70k miles. I raised the dealership's direct culpability. The advocate stated a dealership representative would contact me. No call was ever received. This failure is consistent with BMW service bulletin si b11 03 17. A engine safety recall is warranted regardless of age to protect the public.

The primary failure involves the egr cooler system covered under recall 21v-907, with consequential damage to the intake system, including intake air leaks, charge pipe failure, displaced turbo-to-dpf v-band clamp, brittle/cracked fuel lines, and intake system integrity loss. Yes — the vehicle and all affected components are available for inspection upon request the egr cooler internal leak defect and intake system failures create risk of engine overheating, thermal degradation, loss of engine power under boost, exhaust gas leakage, and potential fire hazard, which can cause unsafe driving conditions and sudden loss of vehicle performance the vehicle was presented to a BMW dealership, and the recall defect was acknowledged. The dealer confirmed that any decisions regarding inspection and repair must come from BMW corporate. The dealership refused to inspect or evaluate the recall-related failures pending corporate authorization. No. BMW of north America has not authorized inspection or evaluation. The dealership also refused to inspect the vehicle pending corporate direction. Yes. Symptoms included audible air leaks, intake pressure loss under boost, performance degradation, and component failures occurring both before and after recall repair attempts. These symptoms developed during the period when the vehicle was operating under a known recall-defect condition and continued after recall repair.

See all problems of the 2014 BMW 328 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328d. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the vehicle hesitated. Additionally, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before slamming into gear. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v185000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

See all problems of the 2015 BMW 328 🔎.

Car just shut off when driving at 65mph and never started back up, took it in and repair was a bad fuel pump and fuel rail line causing metal shards to go through fuel tank and injectors.

The parking brake cable bracket is a cheap piece of plastic that fails on every single BMW model like mine from this era, which means the parking brake cable comes in contact with the drive shaft. Mine has broken. Dealers charge $1,100 to replace with an equally cheap 30 dollar plastic bracket. Replacement is labor intensive which explains the high fee (I guess). BMW mechanics as well as BMW owner internet forums tell me that this fails on every single car. This is a real hazard, as it can cause parking brake failure and drive shaft damage. Owners are very upset with BMW for not taking care of this obvious design flaw. My car has all of 52,000 miles on the odometer. This needs to be a recall!! BMW refuses to take care of this, just as they have refused to take care of the existing water pump recall. Thanks in advance for taking care of this safety issue.

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328d. The contact stated that after parking and turning off the vehicle on the slightly inclined driveway, the contact exited the vehicle and walked to the front door of the residence. The contact then noticed that the vehicle was rolling backward. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled back onto the street and stopped independently. The contact was able to drive the vehicle back into the driveway. The contact stated that upon shifting to park(p), the failure recurred. The contact engaged the electric parking brake, and the vehicle responded as needed. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v185000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

I recently brought my 2011bmw 328i in for recalls and a shutter noise. My vehicle is equipped with the n51 sulev motor. I recently was not able to set monitors for smog due to a shutter issue. I was told by a reliable mechanic it was the torque converter, and it is covered under the sulev warranty. I was shocked when bob told me that the torque converter was not covered under BMW sulev warranty. It clearly states that in the sulev warranty and my car only has 123,000 miles. He proceeded to call my car "a can of worms" and told me the technician simply does not want to work on my car. I know for a fact my torque converter and mechatronik are covered under the sulev warranty. I was simply kicked to the curb. This is unethical and my car is not passing smog due to this issue which is illegal. Please help resolve my issue.

See all problems of the 2011 BMW 328 🔎.

Unknown/ my car came up with an engine code . Trouble accelerating, tends to runs hot ( drive train malfunction.

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.

Engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules failed. I found this from BMW website that defect code: si b11 03 for this vehicle the timing chain and the oil pump drive chain modules (n20, n26 engines) limited warranty for in defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 7 years / 70000 miles as determined from the original in-service date. This coverage is subject to the same vehicle eligibility requirements, limitations, and exclusions that apply to the BMW new vehicle limited warranty for passenger cars and light trucks. For eligible vehicles that are beyond this 7/70 coverage, please refer to si b11 02 21 for additional coverage that may also apply. I filed a case directly with BMW of na - they told me get it towed to BMW dealership and get it diagnosed, I followed the instructions and got it diagnosed. BMW dealership confirmed the main cause was the timing chain broke and engine seized. But BMW declined to do anything about it. Please see the link by BMW below: [xxx] $ information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My car lost power. It would come and go. Now it's gone. The codes that come up pertain to the wheel speed sensor and timing.

While driving my 328 xdrive, I went to make a left turn and hear a loud bang like I ran over a boulder or large object. Lost almost all power to the wheels and had to cost the car into a gas station. After which I had the car towed to BMW and was determined to be a failed transfer case at 123k on the od. This seems to be happening to the older Bmws with the old transfer case. BMW knows this as they have since upgraded the transfer case and no longer sell the old one. This should without question be a recall for any 328d xdrive from this era.

Crashno fireno injuries0 deaths0 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 was told it’s the timing chain which has been common problem with this model.

I was driving and my car began to lose power and drivetrain malfunction appeared on the screen. I had to pull over to a side street and turn the car off. I turned it back on but it was very sluggish and moved very slow. Once I parked it I turned it off and tried to start it back up but it wouldn’t turn over. I contacted BMW and they said they couldn’t do anything. I need a new engine and timing chain, fuel pump and oil pan.

Check engine light is illuminated. Vanos exhaust warning codes are stored. Other vehicles with the same n52 engine are subject to recall 23v707. BMW indicates that this vehicle is not included but could be in the future. In the interim, we are faced with a $3500 - $4500 out-of-pocket expense (which will probably never be reimbursed) or the possibility of the events described in the recall, which include a crash. For the safety of drivers of other vehicles in this same series with this same engine, it is imperative that the recall be extended to all potentially affected automobiles. Thank you for your assistance. Todd gander.

I own a 2015 BMW 328i xdrive with 86k miles. While reversing out of my driveway, onto a main road during rush hour, my vehicle unexpectedly stopped working with the message “drivetrain malfunction”. I had the car towed to a BMW dealership and was told there was a fault found in vanos intake and that my car needed a timing chain replacement. I called bwm na and was informed that there is a vanos recall, but not for my car. They did however tell me that BMW would compensation for timing chain repairs for my 2015 328i if the car fell within certain parameters, low miles and within 7 years. While my car has low miles, I was told that my recall for the part had been “cleared” because I’m outside of the 7 year allotment for compensation on timing chain repairs. BMW will not help fix the timing chain nor compensate in anyway. I was informed they sent a letter in 2017, I purchased the car in 2017 and did not receive a letter. My vehicle had been serviced multiple times at BMW dealerships and I was never informed about a timing chain recall, not even in 2018 when my car was serviced at BMW for check engine light on. Bwm has purposely avoided fixing a major vehicle flaw that they’ve known about.

I was driving to work and the car stalled in the middle of traffic when I slowed the vehicle down, the idle is rough and all over the place, car is very hesitant to accelerate and vibrates or shakes when approaching any speed. Then the check engine light popped on and is still on, I’ve parked the car since the incident to do some research on what the cause could be.

After a drive from denver to breckenridge on snowy roads the car was parked in an unplowed parking space. When the car was moved 1 hr later the car had no abs--flashing on dash, no traction control--flashing on dash and steering was ineffective. Car was only drivable by backing into a space. 20 hrs later the car was to be moved again. . . Again, everything flashed on dash. . . No abs, no traction control, drive train failure and car just slid. Steering was totally ineffective. Car was pushed by people on both sides until dry pavement was reached. Car was restarted and I resumed driving on dry pavement back to denver. Had car "read" by my mechanic and then again by a BMW certified mechanic. No codes were available! the speculation was that my wheel sensors froze. If my xdrive can't be driven in snow, what's going on. There were two drivers involved in this and both of us reported a total lack of control of the vehicle.

Virtually all parking brake cable attachment clips fail on this BMW product years 2012 to 2019. Complaints are easy to find online. Upon failure, the parking brake cable drops down onto the drive shaft creating a safety hazard for the brake system as well as the drive shaft mechanism. The piece that fails (breaks) costs less than $20, but replacement costs $1200 due to labor intensive access. I have repeatedly contacted BMW of north America, but they refuse to own this serious issue. Even the people at the BMW dealership here are surprised that there has been no recall. Please advise.

The contact owns a 2014 BMW 328d. The contact stated that there was oil leaking near the front driver's side tire. While driving at various speeds there was a cloud of smoke and burning odor coming from the area of the leaking. The smoke dissipated while the vehicle was idling. The vehicle was jerking from the front driver’s side wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cv joint needed to be replaced. The brakes had been replaced; however, the cv joint had not been replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 20v185000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 133,000.

My vehicles check engine light came on, and the car started to misfire and idle hard when driving. Jack furrier tire and auto ran the code, and it came back with peoblems with the cam shaft. I brought it to BMW, and vanos bolt (recall) code was confirmed, but they told me it was a problem with internal piece missing from the oil filter. I asked if the car was safe to drive, and they confirmed and also told me the car is having other mechanical issues I should be aware of. The service agent described possible future problems with transmission and told me that there was no remedy available for recall yet, so I need to wait. I paid to have oil filter replaced. A week later, I was driving myself to work and my daughter to daycare when the car began to stall out and misfire in traffic. After bringing it back to the dealership, they replaced 1 spark plug free of charge and advised me that the car was coming back with other codes. I addressed the safety risk and the continued mechanical breakdown of the car systems if I continued driving it, and I was encouraged to trade the vehicle somewhere. I will attach an email I sent detailing further frustration I have experienced with BMW. After speaking with customer relations, I received the same reply, which is yes, there is a safety risk it is minimal and unfortuanly, there is no remedy available yet. The following was my reply when asked to complete customer survey: I am getting no help with a car that has a recall on it and being told the exact thing at every level I have presented my legtimate concerns. With no viable or reasonable options. I basically have to continue driving my car and risk car further breaking down and put my family's safety at risk with hope that "it's low probabilty". Somehow, these are my only options on a vehicle with a recall.

See all problems of the 2010 BMW 328 🔎.

Engine is making weird noise and a mechanic told me it’s related to this recall that still has “no remedy” when it should’ve been a recall years ago when the cars first came out and this issue became more apparent. I do not want to keep driving the car I paid hard earned money for just for a manufacturer defect to destroy it.

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact's husband coasted the vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway. The contact's husband attempted to shift the vehicle into different gears; however, the vehicle remained in neutral(n). Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer and diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic for a second opinion and received the same diagnosis. The contact paid out of pocket for the transmission repair however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v707000 (engine and engine cooling); but the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 328i. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle vibrated, and the brakes independently activated. Additionally, the contact stated that the “service required” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact stated that recently the transfer case was replaced by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

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 clip holding the emergency brake line is made out of plastic and mine broke (which I found out is common with these cars). When this happens, it rubs on the driveshaft which can wear through and sever the emergency brake line. This is a very dangerous situation and easily be avoided if BMW used a metal part vs. The current, plastic flimsy one.

See all problems of the 2016 BMW 328 🔎.

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 owns a 2011 BMW 328i. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The driver was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle initially failed to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance due to an error with the VIN. The failure mileage was 160,000.

Need to recall as it is common knowledge among the BMW technicians that these vehicles are plagued with hazard of parking / emergency break line clip breaking and for the line contacting the rotating drive shaft. The holding clip mfg part # 34406854898 breaks regularly ! the plastic parking brake retaining clip (BMW part # 34 40 6 854 898) deforms due to age/heat. The cable guide does not hold the cable in place anymore and hazardously starts to rub against the rotating driveshaft, causing the emergency parking lines which makes a noise that and sounds like coming from the center console. This is endangering the occupants, and also it is very costly replacement with the same plastic part again. This is such a prevalent issue that there are alternative clips being sold to replace for this manufactures omission of quality: https://agatools. Com/products/brake-line-bracket?_pos=1&_sid=3b0ae1e8f&_ss=r also there are videos on this https://youtu. Be/3n8qvis7vmm.

Vehicle information: •year, make, model: 2016 BMW 328i gt •VIN: provide VIN •mileage: insert mileage description of the problem: I am experiencing recurring drivetrain malfunctions and overheating issues with my 2016 BMW 328i gt, which is currently under a nationwide recall issued in August 2024. Despite having coolant in the system, the vehicle overheats and displays a “drivetrain malfunction” warning, forcing me to pull off the road and restart the car to temporarily clear the issue. Additionally, there appears to be a leak causing fluid to drip onto the belt and other components, further compromising the vehicle’s functionality and safety. My belt slips because of the leak and it has been severely deteriorated because of even after replacing it. The dealership has consistently advised me to repair this issue at my expense, quoting costs exceeding the value of the car. Only recently did I learn about the recall addressing this defect. The dealership has failed to provide timely solutions, leaving me without a drivable vehicle. Safety concerns: these persistent issues pose serious safety risks. The drivetrain malfunction and overheating increase the likelihood of sudden breakdowns while driving, endangering myself and other road users. Pulling off unexpectedly also creates hazardous situations on highways or busy roads. Request for action: I request that BMW resolve this recall promptly. If repairs cannot be completed within a reasonable timeframe, I demand compensation for my inability to use the vehicle, including reimbursement for expenses incurred during this period. Alternatively, BMW should provide me with a rental vehicle or replace my car with another comparable model free of defects. Failure to do so will prompt me to seek legal arbitration to recover damages and ensure accountability. Contact information: [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).