Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: running costs are the problem rather than the car itself.
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 335d, and it carries 6 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 10 | 17% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 16% |
| Engine | 8 | 14% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 5% |
| Air bags | 3 | 5% |
| Air bags | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 3% |
| Power train | 2 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
- The component that has failed is the front passenger seat occupancy sensor, as indicated by an OBDII scan showing fault code 93C3, seat-occupancy detector, passenger. - The safety of any person in the front passenger
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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 stat
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
YEARS OF MY 335D OVERHEATING AND STALLING AND DEALER CANT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE. I’VE REPLACED INJECTORS, DONE CARBON BLASTING, REPLACED NOX SENSOR, REPLACED WHOLE BATTERY/ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. JUST RECENTLY REPLACED THE
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Fine, white particles are blowing out of the cabin air ducts whenever the air conditioner or fan is turned on. My local BMW service center, Herb Chambers BMW of Boston, determined that the debris is flakes of aluminum fr
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
IT STARTED MAY, 2017, WHEN MY 335D WAS IDLING ROUGH AND JERKED AS I WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED. I TOOK IT INTO CREVIER BMW IN SANTA ANA. THE CAR HAD 53,000 MILES AND THEY SAID IT HAD CARBON BUILD UP ON THE INTAKE MANIFO
NHTSA complaint: Engine
PASSENGER AIRBAG MALFUNCTION, SEAT SENSITIVITY IS TOUCHY, REPORTS AN OCCUPANT WHEN EMPTY AND GIVES AN OCCASIONAL MALFUNCTION WARNING, AT ANY SPEED, ANY TIME.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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 H
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2011 BMW 335d. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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.
Risk: A loss of electrical power can cause the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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 1-800-5
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.
Risk: A loss of electrical power to the vehicle can cause the vehicle to unexpectedly stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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
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,
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: 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
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
Risk: If the CV joint breaks, the vehicle may have a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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
| Reliability raw | 51 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 60 | average |
| Maintenance | 41 | below average |
| Depreciation | 64 | average |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 46 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 10 of them (17%). There are 6 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 51/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 60/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2011 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: skip unless cheap, because running costs are the problem rather than the car itself. Its overall ownership score is 54/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.