2013 BMW 135I Problems: Airbags (12 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2013 BMW 135I is Airbags (58% of 12 owner reports). There are 2 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 12 complaints · 2 recalls

What problems show up on the 2013 BMW 135I?

7 of 12 filings named Airbags (58% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (2 reports).

There are 2 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2012 has 19 reports on file; this year has 12. 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 2013 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 2 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Cruise / speed control. Test cruise control and ask about unintended-acceleration reports on this year.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. 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: Airbags 7 complaints · 58.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 0
  • Fires 1
  • 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 Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 7 of 12 owner complaints (58.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 7 complaints, 58.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 7 · 58.3% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 2 complaints, 16.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 · 16.7% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 1 complaints, 8.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 · 8.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 2 complaints, 16.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 fire reports 2 · 16.7% 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)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 7 58.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 16.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 1 8.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 16.7% 0 crashes · 1 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 Apr 2014; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2016. 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2014 Sep 2021 Recall campaign 16V071000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V071000 Recall campaign 20V017000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V017000 Investigation EA21002 ● Investigation EA21002
  • Campaign 20V017000 was reported 1,311 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 2
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 16V071000
Recall campaign 1 20V017000
Defect investigation 1 EA21002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (2)

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.

  1. 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 →

  2. 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 12 complaints · page 1 of 1
2021-07-12Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11424454
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2013 BMW 135i. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
2018-08-20Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11121124
CrashFireInjuryDeath
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, AND AFTER GOING ABOUT 4-5 MILES, THE BELOW WARNING MESSAGES CAME ON.
2018-08-06Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11115896
CrashFireInjuryDeath
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, BURST INTO FLAMES, TOTAL LOSS
2018-07-31Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11115022
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE, BUT I HAD ANOTHER CLOSE CALL TODAY SO I AM LOGGING A FORMAL COMPLAINT. THE VEHICLE HESITATES TO ACCELERATE AFTER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. IT OFTEN TAKES 2 TO 3 SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. WHEN THE ACCELERATION FINALLY ENGAGES, IT TENDS TO BE HARD SINCE I OFTEN CONTINUE PRESSING THE PEDAL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR DOESN'T RESPOND. SO MY CHOICES ARE I EITHER GET HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR SPIN OUT OF CONTROL AT AN INTERSECTION. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON. THIS IS PARTICULARLY SCARY WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AT AN INTERSECTION. IF I HAVE SPACE TO MAKE THE TURN BECAUSE ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS FAR ENOUGH, THE VEHICLE WILL SIMPLY NOT MOVE AT ALL OR ROLL ACROSS THE INTERSECTION FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ACTUALLY ACCELERATING. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF CLOSE CALLS ALREADY. I HAD ALL THE SOFTWARE ON THE VEHICLE UPDATED AND NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES IT. DON'T KNOW IF TRUE, BUT I ALSO READ ON VARIOUS WEBSITES THAT BMW IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT DOES NOT INTEND TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I GUESS THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY FATALITIES YET. I HOPE I AM NOT THE FIRST ONE.
2017-09-27Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11030202
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER SEPT 2017 FROM BMW STATING THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR REPLACEMENT. I CALL CENTER BMW FOR SERVICE BUT WAS NOTIFIED THE PARTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME TIME. I RECEIVED MY FIRST NOTIFICATION OF THE PROBLEM IN MARCH 2016. WHAT CAN I DO TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM? (THIS IS A SECOND COMPLAINT. THE FIRST COMPLAINT NUMBER IS 11015212)
2017-08-14Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11015212
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL IN MARCH 2016 I RECEIVED A LETTER INFORMING ME OF A DEFECTIVE FRONT AIR BAG. THE LETTER MENTIONED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BUT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THEY WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIME SINCE. THE LAST WAS JUNE 26, 2017. EACH TIME I AM INFORMED THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. I UNDERSTAND THE SAFETY RISK OF THIS RECALL COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED. ITS BEEN OVER A YEAR. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
2017-07-07Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11003583
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE OF 2017, YET THE CONTACT WAS STILL AWAITING PARTS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2016-10-11Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10915235
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2016-09-12Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10905860
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 (NA) BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2016-06-17Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10874859
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 135I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V071000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 BMW 135I?

Owners named Airbags most often — 7 of 12 reports (58%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2013 BMW 135I?

NHTSA lists 2 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags. 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 2013 BMW 135I?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. 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