2011 BMW 335D: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 29 owner complaints on record; most reports concern engine; the 2009 and 2010 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jul 2024
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335D. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed on a 6-hour trip, there was thick fumes coming into the cabin of the vehicle from the exhaust. The contact stated that he drove the vehicle to the dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed with a clogged DEF filter. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.”Owner report · Fuel System, Other · May 2023
“Passenger airbag malfunction, seat sensitivity is touchy, reports an occupant when empty and gives an occasional malfunction warning, at any speed, any time.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2020
“The front passenger seatbelt sensor malfunctions and sets off the warning sound as if someone is siting in the seat when nobody or nothing is in the seat. This may cause airbag malfunctions or have it not deploy. This has been happening since the first day I bought the car several weeks ago. The issue is constant while I'm driving.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Dec 2019
Show 7 more owner reports
“I've had to replace the egr module to avoid catastrophic results. An identical issues resulted in a recall from bmw for diesels from other years: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/bmw-recalls-diesel-cars-and-suvs-for-fire-risk/ . However, bmw has chosen not to expand the recall to cover this engine failure in all of the diesels. It's potentially only a matter of time before this starts to show up with increased frequency.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2019
“Less than 70k miles and had to replace manifold, injectors etc due to excess carbon bmw needs to do more to address the issue of pollution on these vehicles”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Jun 2019
“The 2011 vehicle with less than 65,000 miles normal runs at highway speed in a range of 2k rpms. A warning regarding the transmission immediately caused the car to rev up to 5k rpm (very high for a diesel engine sedan) and the speed reduces 30-40mph while driving. It is incredibly scary and dangerous. Assumed this was a one-off. Pulled to the shoulder, turned off the car and it ran fine. Took it to bmw for inspection and they said they could not diagnose the problem but would replace the transmission and charge me more than half the value of the car. The issue has since repeated and is very dangerous to all on the road.”Owner report · Vehicle Speed Control · Feb 2019
“While coming to a stop in a parking lot the steering became difficult and the smell of burning rubber was present. Had the car been going a high rate of speed it would have been disastrous.”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2018
“The car is in the shop every week I have had it towed 12 times since may. I took it in for the recall (electrical issued recently) the vehicle ran great, now the dealership says I need 3 new injectors. The injectors are bad. I am reading reviews and others stated their bmw's need new injectors. So is their a recall for injectors I did not see? The car stahled while I was driving it stopped in the middle of the road.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2018
“The vehicle continues to stahl and now the dealer said it was the high/low fuel pumps and injectors which cost more than the vehicle. I am stuck making payments this car is junk and the car needs to be recalled...... Every month I have a problem since october the vehicle has been in the shop 12 times. The injectors, fuel pump I was told the catalytic converter, injectors and now fuel pump”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2018
“2011 bmw 335d. Consumer writes with regard to recall campaign no. 18v-314: power supply system, and inquires when repairs will be done. *as the consumer stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time completing the recall repair. *js”Owner report · Electrical System · Jun 2018
When filing, owners marked a crash in 0 of these complaints and injuries in 3 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2011 BMW 335d vehicles with diesel engines. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade over time, possibly resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the positive battery cable connector and secure it with an improved method, free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009 328i and 328xi, 2009-2011 335d, 2008-2012 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible, and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and secure the positive battery cable connector, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion of a previous recall, number 18V-314.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 1 Series M Coupe and 135i Convertible vehicles, 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i, 335i, 335d, 335i Coupe, 335is Coupe, 335i Convertible, 335is Convertible, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535i Gran Turismo and 550i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles and 2012 740i and 740Li vehicles. The rear driveshaft constant velocity (CV) joint on the affected vehicles may fatigue and break.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear driveshaft CV joint and, based on its production date, will replace it, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 335D by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
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Is the 2011 BMW 335D reliable?
NHTSA has 29 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2011 BMW 335D. The most complained-about area is engine.
Does the 2011 BMW 335D have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:wiring. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.