Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 BMW 328xi owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Wiring inside headlamp is not up to Standards. For the cost the replace the headlight the wiring should not be falling apart causing shorts. One night I was driving and got a warning on my dash for my headlights and noticed it was a bit harder to see. Pulled over and noticed the headlight was out. Went to replace the bulb and noticed the wires have zero protection on them and are all touching.. this is not safe as wire shorts can cause a fire and not to mention the visibility issues. The driver side is not the bright at all and flickers while I'm driving. Both sides are having this issue and that's unacceptable saying the headlights are over 800 dollars EACH and that's used.. I do not feel safe driving this vehicle knowing that the wire short can cause a fire while I'm driving.
The positive battery fuse cable under the glovebox is placed into a plastic space causing melting. This leads to the vehicle going dead and not even emergency lights will work. This recall has been placed on very few BMWs however it is affecting way more then they are saying. You can see in UK where a man was killed for the vehicle going dead in the middle of the road and emergency lights cannot be used to warn other drivers. How has their not been taken car of already. I am extremely disappointed in our system, and in BMW. My mind is completely blown that this is not cared about.
On June 24th 2017 as I was backing out of my driveway at my house in my 2008 certified pre-owned BMW 328xi, the car was in motion, with my 3 year old son and he noticed smoked coming from the vents. I turned my head around to see what he was talking about and noticed smoke billowing from the vents and glove box area. I immediately unbuckled him from his car seat and told him to get out. I exited the vehicle, dialed 911, and got him to a safe distance. I could see an electrical fire (based on location and smell) coming from under the passenger side dash board near the glove box, within 4 minutes the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. Luckily no one was physically injured. The fire investigator says the fire originated from the glove box area where a fuse panel and battery cable are located as identified in the fire report attached. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 328xi. While driving at an unknown speed, an odor of burning plastic emitted through the air vents. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle overheated. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V676000 (electrical system) and 17V683000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the parts needed for the repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The vehicle was taken to princeton BMW (3630 quakerbridge rd, hamilton township, nj 08619, [phone]), but was not repaired because parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 328xi. The contact noticed a burning odor outside the vehicle that was seeping into the interior of the vehicle. In addition, there were more than two separate, undisclosed failures that the dealer was unable to diagnose. The dealer (open road BMW of edison, 731 U.S. 1, edison, nj 08817, [phone]) did not know when the part would become available to service the vehicle for NHTSA campaign numbers: 17V676000 (electrical system) and 17V683000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact was uncertain if a loaner vehicle would be provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available. * (recall related incident) ts
According to fire fighters the car's electrical system caused a fire. The smoke and burn patterns indicated the fire began in the front dash area. The vehicle was stationary, nothing was on, no electrical devices plugged in. It hadn't been driven in several hours, no one was in the car (doors were still locked, the electrical system no longer operated and the windows had to be broken to get into the vehicle). The fire melted the front dash, especially on the passenger side, smoldered for quite a while, and was hot enough to crack the front windshield. There is extensive fire and smoke damage to the car.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 BMW 328xi. While the vehicle was parked in front of the contact's house, it caught fire. The origin of the fire was behind the glove compartment, which caused the air bag to deploy. A fire report was filed and the fire was extinguished by the fire department. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was declared destroyed by the fire department and the insurance adjuster. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Car caught on fire for unknown reasons. When the car was turned on smoke came out from the air conditioning vents and all doors locked from inside. There were 2 occupants inside that needed assistance to get out while the car was catching fire. The vehicle was parked.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW 328xi. On several occasions, while driving, the RPM needle dropped and then returned to normal. The vehicle shook and stalled. On several other occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The contact mentioned that the passenger side air bag and seat belt indicator illuminated. The contact was concerned that due to NHTSA campaign number: 16V071000 (air bags), the passenger side air bags could also be defective. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the key needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The dealer was not notified. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 13V044000 (electrical system). The contact was concerned that the stalling would occur and could cause a crash. …
Received 2 recall notices from BMW USA 11/17 and 11/17 for issues with the blower motor wiring and the engine pcv valve heater. Contacted my local dealership to have them fixed. Was advised that they did not have authorization from the national office to perform the repairs. When questioned about having the parts the service representative admitted that they could get the parts but would not be reimbursed for the repair because the national office had not authorized their use. Repeatedly check with them over the next several months. Received the same answer again and again. Contacted BMW USA directly through their customer service and spoke with their representative who stated that they did not have the parts to repair the known safety issues and were hoping to have them fixed later this year. …
Related recalls
Electrical system › Wiring
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017.
Electrical complaints in other 328xi years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 BMW 328xi?
NHTSA has 46 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 BMW 328xi, 46% of the model year's 99 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 BMW 328xi electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 17V-676 (wiring, Oct 25, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 BMW 328xi electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 16 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.