Most common 2008 BMW 335xi problems
Share of the 62 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 335xi complaints by model year
Best 335xi years: 2006, 2014, 2013. Years to avoid: 2008, 2011, 2009. Compare all years →
2008 BMW 335xi recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi,…
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.
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.
What 2008 BMW 335xi owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 29 →
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 335xi. The contact stated while her son was driving at various speeds, the engine was misfiring and making an abnormal loud knocking sound. No further information was provided. The driver pulled to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to BMW Campaign Number: SIB130120. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was unsure whether the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
My car hasn't start up for 2 years now. 1st it started with a dead starter, then alternator, then the radiator and water pump bursted, and as i was standing outside of my car the passenger air bag deploys while the car was off and key out of the ignition. Luckily no one was in my car but now my car doesn't and wont crank or turnover, it makes a buzzing noise for a split second when i hit the start/stop button and thats all. I'm getting full voltage to it. Every time i run my scanner, i get different codes every time, i bought a 2nd scanner (carly) to compare and both threw out different codes every time but the main ones was the starter and pcv code; which i got 3 different starters put in, all new and the code was still ahowing. Ive spent more time researching and more money buying parts to fix my car then what I bought the car for which was $6k. …
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2008 BMW 335xi. The contact stated after parking the vehicle at a parking lot, he noticed smoke exiting the center dashboard. The contact detached the plastic kickboard and saw the fire located in the wires. A bystander had a fire extinguisher available and was able to extinguish the fire. The contact burned his left hand but declined medical attention. The fire department arrived at the location and filed a fire report. The fire department informed the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V676000 (Electrical System). A police report was not filed. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where they associated the failure with the recall. The contact stated a manufacturer inspector, later on, informed the recall was not associated with the fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. …
The ibs sensor on the negative battery cable failed on me causing the car to die and not start back up. It also caused my new battery to die within a year due to charging information it was sending to the car. And I keep getting codes such as battery exhausted and signal issues from the battery
Engine & cooling
My car hasn't start up for 2 years now. 1st it started with a dead starter, then alternator, then the radiator and water pump bursted, and as i was standing outside of my car the passenger air bag deploys while the car was off and key out of the ignition. Luckily no one was in my car but now my car doesn't and wont crank or turnover, it makes a buzzing noise for a split second when i hit the start/stop button and thats all. I'm getting full voltage to it. Every time i run my scanner, i get different codes every time, i bought a 2nd scanner (carly) to compare and both threw out different codes every time but the main ones was the starter and pcv code; which i got 3 different starters put in, all new and the code was still ahowing. Ive spent more time researching and more money buying parts to fix my car then what I bought the car for which was $6k. …
Blower motor recall. My BMW caught on fire on 5/17/2018. I believe it May be related to the current recall concerning engine fires in several model lines. It was parked in my driveway. Had been turned off for over 1 1/2 hours. Damage was primarily isolated to the front and rear. Fire department was called and arrived within 3 minutes to extinguish the fire. Comments made by arson investigators were odd burn patterns. First thought was electrical related fire. They had to call back fire fighters due to worry the battery would reignite.
2008 BMW 335xi engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 BMW 335xi a good car?
Based on 62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 335xi rates avoid: 3.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the 335xi at the same age. It is one of the 335xi years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 BMW 335xi?
The fuel & propulsion system — 29 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the electrical system (17) and engine & cooling (15).
How many recalls does the 2008 BMW 335xi have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 BMW 335xi, the most recent from July 3, 2024 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 335xi?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2014 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2011 and 2009. See the full BMW 335xi years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 BMW 335xi problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.