Showing the 2015 M 235i RWD: as EPA lists it. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
22–25 mpgcombined; city 19–21, highway 26–31; the 235i RWD
Five years of fuel
$16,100–$18,290U.S. average; Ohio $15,170–$17,240 at local prices; the 235i RWD; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2015 M, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 M. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
7
0
0
0
Electrical system
5
0
1
0
Power train
4
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
3
0
0
0
Service brakes
2
0
0
0
Unknown or other
2
0
1
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2015 M over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Air bags: side/window
NHTSA campaign 24V288000 · reported Apr 24, 2024 · 5,761 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
Risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
NHTSA campaign 20V094000 · reported Feb 19, 2020 · 2,728 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 19V823000 · reported Nov 18, 2019 · 32,760 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will weld a reinforcing bracket to the lower anchor bars and the vehicle body, free of charge. Owner notification began January 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2015-2019 X6 sDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6M vehicles equipped with rear seat lower anchor bars used in securing child restraint seats. The lower anchor bars may become damaged over time when used with an ISOFIX-type, rigid-style connector, child restraint system.
Risk: Damaged lower anchor bars may increase the child's risk of injury in the event of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 16V653000 · reported Sep 9, 2016 · 196 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear sub-frame bolts with new bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 3, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 BMW M2 Coupe vehicles, 2015-2017 M3 Sedan vehicles and 2015-2016 M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible vehicles. During servicing of the rear differential for a prior service action, the rear sub-frame bolts may have been reused instead of being replaced. Reuse of the existing bolts may cause the bolts to loosen.
Risk: Loose rear sub-frame bolts may adversely affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 16V540000 · reported Jul 19, 2016 · 956 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during September 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 BMW M5 sedans manufactured September 4, 2014, through December 4, 2014, 2015 M6 coupes manufactured September 3, 2014, through December 3, 2014, 2015 M6 convertibles manufactured September 8, 2014, through December 4, 2014, and 2015 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles manufactured September3, 2014, through December 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have a driveshaft that may have been inadequately welded during manufacturing.
Risk: Due to the improper weld, the driveshaft may fracture and fail, causing loss of drive to the rear wheels and a loss of propulsion. Additionally, if the car is turned off and exited without the parking brake applied, the car may roll. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 15V782000 · reported Nov 23, 2015 · 42 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driveshaft, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 14, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 M3 Sedan vehicles manufactured May 30, 2015, to September 2, 2015, 2016 M4 Coupe vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to September 11, 2015, and 2015-2016 M4 Convertible vehicles manufactured May 29, 2015, to August 4, 2015. The affected vehicles have a driveshaft with a slip-joint that may not have been filled with grease. As a result, the slip-joint may fail over time.
Risk: If the slip-joint fails, there would be a loss of power to the rear axle and therefore the vehicle would stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 485 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2015 M, the latest on Sep 3, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (154), electrical system (137), structure (52), engine (48), equipment adaptive/mobility (44).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA21002 Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2015 M.
EPA class: subcompact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
M235i Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
21 / 31 / 25
M235i Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
19 / 26 / 22
M3 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
17 / 26 / 20
M3 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
17 / 24 / 19
M4 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
17 / 26 / 20
M4 Rear-Wheel Drive
3.0 L, 6 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
17 / 24 / 19
M5 Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
M5 Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 20 / 16
M6 Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
M6 Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 20 / 16
M6 Gran Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
M6 Gran Rear-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (AM-S7)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 20 / 16
X5 M All-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 19 / 16
X6 M All-Wheel Drive
4.4 L, 8 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Premium Gasoline
14 / 19 / 16
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data