2008 BMW 135I Problems: Fuel system (51 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2008 BMW 135I is Fuel system (35% of 51 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 51 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2008 BMW 135I?

18 of 51 filings named Fuel system (35% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (11 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.

What to check before you buy a 2008 BMW 135I

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 4 campaigns on file below.
  2. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  3. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  4. Wheels. Look for bent rims, missing lug nuts and vibration at speed.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Fuel system. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Fuel system 18 complaints · 35.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
All BMW 135I years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) appears in 18 of 51 owner complaints (35.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 18 complaints, 35.3% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 18 · 35.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 11 complaints, 21.6% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 11 · 21.6% Wheels (WHEELS): 5 complaints, 9.8% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 5 · 9.8% Engine (ENGINE): 4 complaints, 7.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 4 · 7.8% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 4 complaints, 7.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 · 7.8% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 3.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 fire reports 2 · 3.9% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 2 complaints, 3.9% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 2 · 3.9% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 2.0% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 2.0% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 1 complaints, 2.0% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 · 2.0% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 15 complaints, 29.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 15 · 29.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 18 35.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 11 21.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 5 9.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 4 7.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 4 7.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 3.9% 0 crashes · 2 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 2 3.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 2.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 2.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 15 29.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2008; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2013. 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2008 Jan 2026 Recall campaign 13V044000 ◆ Recall campaign 13V044000 Recall campaign 16V071000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V071000 Recall campaign 19V579000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V579000 Recall campaign 20V017000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V017000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
  • Campaign 19V579000 was reported 411 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V017000 was reported 1,329 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 3
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 3
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 4
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 4
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 13V044000
Recall campaign 1 16V071000
Recall campaign 1 19V579000
Recall campaign 1 20V017000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags and Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 13V044000

    Safety recall 13V044000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If there is a loss of electrical power to the vehicle, the vehicle may unexpectedly stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    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 March 13, 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 16V071000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    Remedy:
    BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 19V579000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
    Remedy:
    BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the blower-regulator wiring harness, and replace it with a new part, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion of an earlier recall number 17V-676.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 20V017000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 51 complaints · page 1 of 3
2026-01-14Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11710933
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When the car was in a local Tire Discounters for an unrelated repair the mechanics noted that the rear subframe had significant degradation and the car was unsafe to operate without immediate replacement of the entire subfrane - at a cost of roughly $5,000. I know there have been subframe recalls of BMWs in the past. While this vehicle was not part of those recalls its obviously been an area of concern with this auto maker.
2025-02-10Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11641816
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Center High Mounted Stop Lamp, (CHMSL), lense breaks/detaches repeatedly.
2023-04-05Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11515609
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The owns a 2008 BMW 135I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. On several occasions the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and decelerated to approximately 35 MPH. The contact performed a diagnostic test on the vehicle and determined that the fuel injectors were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
2022-11-23Airbags (AIR BAGS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11494665
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 135I. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the passenger occupancy sensor mat to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V428000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 39,850.
2020-09-05Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11353369
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY VEHICLE IS A LOW MILEAGE (36K) WELL MAINTAINED CAR. MY LOCAL DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVER AIR BAG UNDER A RECALL JUNE 29, 2020. SHORTLY AFTER WITHIN 250 MILES/2 MONTHS A SRS/AIR BAG SYSTEM FAULT/WARNING STARTED HAPPENING. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY PASS OCCUPANCY SENSOR THAT THEY WANT $3600 TO REPLACE. UNFAIR, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PASS OCCUPANCY SENSOR RECALLS FOR OTHER MODELS OF THE SAME VINTAGE (2006-2008). THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE 15 YR EXTENDED LIMITED WARRANTY OFFERED TO OTHER BMW MODEL OWNERS.
2020-05-01Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11322928
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MISSING
2019-06-05Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11218082
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IGNITED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT AND PASSENGER FLOORBOARD. FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT AND FLOORBOARD. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED 3RD DEGREE BURNS AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL SKIN GRAFTS. THE CAR WAS MOVING AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE.
2019-04-16Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11196604
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A FREEWAY THEN THE ENGINE DIED.
2019-04-08Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11194766
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE PLASTIC INSULATION ON THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HAS FLAKED OFF LEAVING THE WIRES COMPLETELY BARE IN SOME PLACES. THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF A DRL, HEADLIGHT BALLAST, AND ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT MOTOR. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ONLINE, FROM BMW OWNERS OF MULTIPLE YEARS/SERIES. IN FACT, THERE IS ALREADY AN NHTSA COMPLAINT ON THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS I HAVE. THIS ISSUE IS DANGEROUS IN MULTIPLE WAYS. THE LOSS OF LIGHTING AT NIGHT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT, HARMING BOTH THE OCCUPANTS AND PEOPLE NEARBY. THE HIGHLY CHARGED BARE WIRING COULD SHORT, SPARK, AND CAUSE A FIRE. THE CONTINUED DESTRUCTION OF HEADLIGHT BULBS, MOTORS, ETC IS HARMFUL TO THE CONSUMERS AND ECONOMY AS THOSE PARTS CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
2018-06-21Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11103045
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2008 BMW 135I AND MY BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING A FEW MOMENT LATER AND I STARTED TO HEAR SPARK AND SMELT BURNING WIRES SO I IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF THE SAFETY RECALL THAT IS BEING DONE ON THE 3 SERIES BMW'S I INSTANTLY TURNED OFF THE CLIMATE CONTROL AND FAN SPEED AND SHUT THE CAR OFF I LOOKED OVER AND SAW A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE SO I WENT INTO THE TRUNK AND TOOK THE NEGATIVE CABLE OFF THE BATTERY I THEN WAITED A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TOOK THE KICK PLATE OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BLOWER MOTOR AND I FIND BURNT BROKEN WIRES COMING FROM THE PART OF THE HARNESS THAT CONNECTS INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR I INSTANTLY UNPLUGGED IT AND TAPE IT UP WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE ONCE DONE I PROCEEDED TO CALL UP MY NEAREST BMW DEALERSHIP AND AFTER EXPLAINING TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO BUT PAY OUT OF POCKET TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE MY CAR WASN'T COVERED UNDER RECALL SO I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND CALL BMW OF USA HEADQUARTERS AND SPOKE TO SOME GUY THAT PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THE SAME THING THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET A DIAGNOSIS DONE TO PROVE IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT HAS HAPPENED ON THE 3 SERIES EVEN THO IT'S THE SAME PART NUMBERS AND SAME SYMPTOMS. I ASKED HIM IF I WENT THERE AND PROVED THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE WOULD I BE COVERED AND HE PROCEEDED TO TELL ME NO THAT A RECALL IS BASED OFF OF STATISTICS AND THAT EVEN IF MY CAR WENT ON FIRE LIKE A LOT OF THE 3 SERIES DID THAT THERE IS STILL NOTHING I COULD DO BECAUSE MY CAR WASN'T ON THE RECALL LIST.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2008 BMW 135I?

Owners named Fuel system most often — 18 of 51 reports (35%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2008 BMW 135I?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2008 BMW 135I?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources