2013 BMW 128I problems
NHTSA has received 46 complaints about the 2013 BMW 128I, and 52% of them involve air bags. Next are engine (17%) and body & structure (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 46 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 52% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 2
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 31,000 miles 17 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 7 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 2 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 1 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 4 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 0 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 17 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 31,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 2 complaints mention a fire; 1 injury reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2013 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 5 model years of the BMW 128I with enough data (33 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I purchase vehicle from BMW may 3,2013,with 40 miles showing. The dealership had to jump start vehicle to get it started and off of show room floor. I asked about that and was told it happens all the time. After test drive and purchase I drove vehicle home 220 mile. For the next week every time I tried to start vehicle it would not start and acted like a dead battery. Made a appointment with service dept. May 15 after driving 25 miles I heard a loud noise "bang" and smoke.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 128i. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, she smelled a strong burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The contact stated that the strong burning odor caused her to collapse once. The contact sought medical assistance and was informed that her brain was not getting enough oxygen. The contact stopped driving the vehicle.
Cpsc:working with my mechanic, it was discovered over the course of 2 months, that the front seatbelts and several of the airbags had either been disabled or removed.
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 128I. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while his wife was seated in the front passenger’s seat, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the front passenger’s side seat occupancy mat had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.