Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW 228i, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system8
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Engine3
- Air bags2
- Power train2
- Seat belts1
- Visibility1
- Steering1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Wheels1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2015 228i vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 8.4–9.0 L/100 km (about 26–28 mpg US), CO₂ 193–207 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 228i Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.0 | 6.5 | 8.4 |
| 228i Cabriolet · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.4 | 7.1 | 8.9 |
| 228i Coupe · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.7 | 6.9 | 9.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive), and 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i, M235i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2015 BMW 228i: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11009423 | Fuel tank limited warranty for leakage, due to defects in materials or workmanship, has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date |
| 11009422 | Fuel tank limited warranty for leakage, due to defects in materials or workmanship, has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date |
| 10249027 | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 10249018 | At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21. |
| 10245376 | The steering wheel heating takes a long time to achieve the desired temperature. |
| 10245372 | The paint finish on the door jamb (above the door striker) is scratched due to the inner door cavity window seal. |
| 10238090 | After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails. |
| 10235205 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice cont |
| 10230722 | After an automatic engine start (MSA start), the transmission intermittently goes into the Park "P" or Neutral "N" position without any customer influence. |
| 10225126 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. |
| 10218384 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. Note: Opening, closing and starting via the BMW Digital Key or the Digital Key Card are not affected. |
| 10218374 | The sunroof and/or panoramic sunroof jams sporadically. |
| 10214990 | The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 4 (HU-H4, also called MGU21) superseded the MGU starting with certain MY2021 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional. This uses map North America JOY. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line business version of the navigati |
| 10214256 | The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine. |
| 10212788 | The quick disconnect coupling on the cylinder head coolant vent line could break at the cylinder head. This would lead to loss of coolant from the engine. |
| 10212780 | Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension. This bulletin is notice of a limited emission warranty extension. This is NOT a notice of a Recall or Service Action. There is no immediate repair required unless the BMW vehicle is currently experiencing this problem. Customer Notification Letter Even though this is NOT a Recall, BMW NA is sending VIN-specific customer notification letters. The plastic fuel tank has two openings, one at the top right and the other at the top left. The top right opening (passenger's side, serviceable) provides a mounting point and rep |
| 10212779 | Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension. This component-specific limited emission warranty extension applies to defects in materials or workmanship. |
| 10205092 | Rattling noises heard from vicinity of glove box. |
| 10205068 | Customer may complain of reduced air flow when the air conditioning system is operated for an extended time, usually longer than 30 minutes. |
| 10204656 | With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Gelis, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and BMW of North America, LLC. |
| 10204619 | BMW of North America, LLC BMW NA is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date |
| 10204534 | For the above-referenced vehicles, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date. |
| 10203340 | Groaning, scraping, or squeaking noise coming from the steering wheel area in the interior of the vehicle,when turning the steering wheel. |
| 10203331 | BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) is extending the limited warranty for the engine timing chain and oil pump drive chain modules to: 7 years/70,000 miles as determined by the vehicle's original in-service date |
| 10201140 | With the court's FINAL approval, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW NA) has entered into a nationwide settlement with the plaintiffs in the following class action: Gelis, et al. v. Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and BMW of North America, LLC. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation