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 146 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 335i, and it carries 7 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 | 38 | 26% |
| Engine | 29 | 20% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 11 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 6% |
| Power train | 7 | 5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 2% |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% |
| Engine | 2 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Fuel sending unit has broken and began to expel fuel out upwards within the rear bottom of the back seat were the sending unit is located. The plastic that ensembles the gas sending unit itself cracks over a certain peri
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Loss of Oil Pressure" message displayed, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle made an abnormally loud clunki
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
hard to explain. looks like my NIV is ''bad''. There are 11 recalls on BMW 335xi Sedan 2011 and mine has 0 (same car, BUT special limited edition). For now, BMW is of no help at all, they follow their procedure which do
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Wiring harness in the engine compartment caught fire about 2 weeks after changing a water pump, battery kept being draining even after battery replacement. Locking of the trunk trunk forced usage of a BMW authorized jum
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I was in the middle of driving on the freeway and my motor started to get loss in power. Moments later a malfunction engine sign popped up. The codes I was able to pull from the vehicle were pointing towards a recall tha
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 335I. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but became persistent
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Transmission failure, while driving 45mph the car automatically downshifted then stopped pulling rolled to a complete stop was able to put into park turn car off then when tried to restart that is when the transmission f
NHTSA complaint: Power train
2011 BMW 335i COUPE E92 My vehicle has broken vanos bolts which caused the engine to shut off while driving. This was a terrifying experience in which i was on the freeway doing around 70mph and lost power steering and
NHTSA complaint: Engine
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for the 2011 BMW 335i. 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 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
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 ai
Risk: Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
Fix: 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
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 128i Coupe, 128i Convertible, 328i Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 328i Coupe, 328i Convertible, 328i Sports Wagon and Z4 sDrive 30i, 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 135i Convertible, 335i Sedan, X5 xDrive 35i, and X6 xDrive 35i, 2011 335i xD
Risk: If the bolts loosen or break the engine may have reduced power or stall. An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the four VANOS housing bolts for both VANOS units (intake and exhaust), free of charge. In addition, owners of approximately 170,172 model year 2010-2
BMW is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 1-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured December 2007 through September 2011; and 2007-2011 3-Series coupes and convertibles manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-2011 3-Series sedans manufactured March 2007 through October 2011; 2007-
Risk: If there is a loss of electrical power to the vehicle, the vehicle may 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 March 13, 2013. Owners may call BMW a
| Reliability raw | 68 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 68 | good |
| Maintenance | 47 | below average |
| Depreciation | 64 | average |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 39 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 146 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 38 of them (26%). There are 7 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 68/100 (good) 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 68/100, 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 60/100. 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.