2010 BMW 135I Problems: Fuel system (15 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2010 BMW 135I is Fuel system (53% of 15 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 15 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2010 BMW 135I?

8 of 15 filings named Fuel system (53% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Airbags (2 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 2009 has 29 reports on file; this year has 15. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2010 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. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  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 8 complaints · 53.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 0
  • 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 8 of 15 owner complaints (53.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 8 complaints, 53.3% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 8 · 53.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 2 complaints, 13.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 · 13.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 13.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 2 · 13.3% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 2 complaints, 13.3% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 · 13.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 10 complaints, 66.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 · 66.7% 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) 8 53.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 13.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 13.3% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 2 13.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 66.7% 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 Jan 2010; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2013. 2010-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2010 Sep 2021 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 16V071000 was reported 90 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 19V579000 was reported 3,295 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V017000 was reported 1,530 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2010-Q1 Owner reports 2
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q3 Owner reports 2
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-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 15 complaints · page 1 of 1
2018-01-20Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11063922
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE WIRING GOING TO THE BLOWER MOTOR ON MY 2010 BMW 135I IS MELTED. I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING AND THE BLOWER MOTOR STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE HEAT ON AT THE TIME. THE PROBLEM IS THE SAME AS RECALL 17V-676 WHICH COVERS THE BMW 3 SERIES FROM THE SAME YEAR BUT NOT THE 1 SERIES WHICH USES THE SAME PARTS.
2017-10-25Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11039786
CrashFireInjuryDeath
SUNROOF EXPLODED/SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON SMOOTH ROAD SURFACE AT 45 MPH.
2016-06-22Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10875975
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL-- I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN MARCH 2016 NOTIFYING ME OF THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL. IT STATED THAT REPAIR TIME WAS UNKNOWN AS YET. I CALLED OUR LOCAL BMW DEALER, BMW OF COLUMBIA, COLUMBIA, SC, RECENTLY AND WAS TOLD NO REPAIR CAN BE SCHEDULED YET. I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS CA RAND UPSET THEY CAN IGNORE THE DANGER.
2015-11-07Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10789036
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ON NOVEMBER 6, 2015, WHEN I TURNED ON MY CAR, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT OF MY CAR ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP WAS ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS NO ONE SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I DROVE THE CAR FOR 40 MINUTES AND THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I ASKED MY SPOUSE TO SEAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALER ON NOVEMBER 7, 2015 AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAR NEEDED THE SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT DETECTS SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT, WHICH IS CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT TO REMAIN ON. IN 2008 & 2013, BMW ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL INVOLVING FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT ON U.S.A. MODEL BMWS. THE MODEL AND YEAR OF MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. ON MARCH 31, 2015, BMW DECIDED TO EXPAND RECALLS 08V-384 AND 13V-564 TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER OCCUPANCY SEAT MAT ON ADDITIONAL AFFECTED VEHICLES.
2015-01-12Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10671989
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND ACTIVATING THE REAR DEFROSTER, THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DEFROSTER BURNED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
2011-04-03Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 10394073
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES CHATTERS AND DOES NOT CLEAR THE RAIN! ON 2010 BMW X6 VIN #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
2011-01-13Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10376464
CrashFireInjuryDeath
CAR LOST POWER AND HAD TO BE TOWED. *TR
2010-12-13Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10370498
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2010 BMW 135I PURCHASED LATE APRIL...3000 MILES WHEN PROBLEM STARTED...THE CAR TOOK LONGER THAN NORMAL TO START...WHILE IN TRAFFIC IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA...EXPERIENCED LOSE OF POWER OR STALL...SPITTING AND SPUTTERING TO A STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD...CALLED LOCAL DEALER AND THEY TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPLACED THE HPFP AND RE-FLASHED THE COMPUTER...SINCE THEN I HAVE TURBO-LAG AND STRANGE NOISES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD...THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT IS FINE, BUT THE LOWER PERFORMANCE OF THE NEW PROGRAM IS UNACCEPTABLE...I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE PERFORMANCE AND TO DUMB DOWN THE COMPUTER TO KEEP FROM REPLACING OTHER COMPONENTS IS WRONG...FIX THE PROBLEM FOR REAL AND THERE WOULD BE NO ISSUE. *TR
2010-08-10Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10348395
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ON AUGUST 5TH 2010, WHEN STARTING MY CAR I RECEIVED SEVERAL LONG CRANKS. ONCE STARTED IT DROVE FINE. ON AUGUST 7TH, (AT ABOUT 1:00AM) WHEN STARTING THE CAR, IT CRANKED FOR ABOUT 7 SECONDS AND FINALLY STARTED. IT DROVE FINE. I STOPPED AT A STORE, AND WHEN LEAVING, IT STARTED UP FINE, BUT AS I PULLED OUT INTO THE ROAD, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR HAD REDUCED POWER. THE CAR (WITH ONLY 5500 MILES OR SO) WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHEN GOING UNDER 10 MILES AN HOUR. THE RPM'S FLUCTUATED AT IDLE TO WHERE THE CAR ALMOST STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. I DROVE THE 15 OR SO MILES HOME WITH MY FLASHERS ON AS THE CAR WAS HAVING TROUBLE. THE ABOVE IS A DESCRIPTION OF HPFP FAILURE ON THE N54 ENGINE. I WOULD SAY MANY, MANY PEOPLE GET A BAD FUEL PUMP. BMW HAS COVERED THE PART FOR 10 YEARS/120K MILES, BUT IT WILL FAIL AGAIN. THERE IS NO FIX AT THIS POINT. JUST A NEW PUMP THAT EVENTUALLY GIVES WAY. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THEIR 4TH PUMP. JUST DO A GOOGLE SEARCH ON "BMW HPFP" AND SEE WHAT COMES UP. THE 135I, 335I, 535I AN Z4 35I ALL HAVE THE N54 ENGINE, AND THEY ALL SUFFER FROM THIS DEFECT. LOSS OF POWER REALLY CONCERNS ME, WHAT IF I WAS DOING 65MPH ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE PUMP DECIDED TO FAIL? I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, AND EXPLAINED THE LONG CRANKS AND LOSS OF POWER ETC.. AND THEY EXPLAINED BMW HAS TO APPROVE ALL FUEL PUMP SWAPS. GOT A CALL 2 DAYS LATER TO SAY THEY WILL REPLACE THE PUMP TODAY, AUGUST 10TH. IN ADDITION TO THE NEW PUMP, I WILL BE GETTING A SOFTWARE UPDATE AS WELL. *TR
2010-07-29Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10346115
CrashFireInjuryDeath
AT APPROX 70 MPH, "ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, POWER DECREASE" MESSAGE LIGHTS. VEHICLE COMES TO DEAD STOP DURING RUSH HOUR ON FL TURNPIKE. DRIVER PUTS ON FLASHERS. WATCHES REAR VIEW MIRROR AS DOZENS OF VEHICLES APPROACH. TWO CAR CRASH OCCURS BEHIND STALLED VEHICLE. DRIVER MUST EXIT CAR AND RUN TO SHOULDER TO AVOID POTENTIAL INJURY. MULTI CAR ACCIDENT MIRACULOUSLY AVOIDED. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 BMW 135I?

Owners named Fuel system most often — 8 of 15 reports (53%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2010 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 2010 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