VehicleVerdict

BMW 135i years to avoid

The BMW 135i years to avoid are 2008, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2010, 2013 — each drew complaint volumes well above the model's norm or has an open safety investigation. The 2007 is the cleanest year on record.

199

Total complaints

6

Recall campaigns

2007–2013

Years covered

6

Years to avoid

Complaints by model year

BMW 135i NHTSA complaints by model year62 complaints2007: 1 complaints2008: 62 complaints2009: 34 complaints2010: 16 complaints2011: 35 complaints2012: 35 complaints2013: 16 complaints
BMW 135i NHTSA complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

135i years to avoid

YearWhyComplaints
2008High complaints + open investigation62
2012Open safety investigation35
2011Open safety investigation35
2009Open safety investigation34
2010Open safety investigation16
2013Open safety investigation16

Every 135i year

YearComplaintsRecalls
2013avoid162
2012avoid356
2011avoid356
2010avoid164
2009avoid344
2008avoid624
200710

Common questions

What are the worst BMW 135i years?

Based on NHTSA complaint rates and open investigations, the 135i years to avoid are 2008, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2010, 2013. The cleanest year on record is 2007.

What is the best year for the BMW 135i?

By complaint volume, 2007 has the cleanest NHTSA record among 135i years with enough data to compare.

How many recalls does the BMW 135i have?

Across all model years, the 135i has 6 distinct NHTSA recall campaigns and 199 consumer complaints on file.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.