Which BMW 4 Series years should you avoid?

2015, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any BMW 4 Series model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the BMW 4 Series?

2017 is the best-scoring BMW 4 Series model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the BMW 4 Series have?

0 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored BMW 4 Series model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which BMW 4 Series years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2015 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · BMW 4 Series Full report

Grade 2014–2019

2015 vs model median 2.4×

Model median3× median

Electrical 6

Airbags & Restraints 5

Engine 5

Avoid

2014 · 2015

Best

2017 · 2019

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the BMW 4 Series
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2014	1.95×	38	D
2015	2.44×	39	F
2016	0.77×	17	B
2017	0.40×	13	A
2018	1.23×	25	C
2019	0.53×	14	B
2025 P	0.82×	15	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2014 D 38 reports · median 19,000 mi

Engine 8

On 7/9/14, I backed our new 435i up to our garage (outside for the night). The garage door was open, and the warning system let me know that I was close to our lawnmower. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Fuel System 8

Car surging and caused accident, very dangerous. According to dot recall notice, car may have bad fuel pump that caused irregular and unsafe acceleration. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Brakes 5

I was at a stop waiting to enter freeway, had my foot on the break pedal and my 428i started accelerating on its own. I was very scared since it would not stop and nearly rammed into the vehicle in front of me. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 5 fire

2015 F 39 reports · median 6,545 mi

Electrical 6

I smelled a funny smell, and then the entire dash went black. A "engine malfunction" warning came on. I stopped right away, got out of the car just as it burst into flames. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Airbags & Restraints 5

The contact owns a 2015 bmw 435i. While driving at approximately 30 MPH, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 5

The contact owns a 2015 bmw 435x (na). While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning and was unable to restart. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 3 fire · 11 injuries

The best year for the 4 Series

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2017 is the best-scoring 4 Series model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.7 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2017	0.40×	13	A
2019	0.53×	14	B
2016	0.77×	17	B

Recalls

No recall campaigns are on record for this model.

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2015 were reported at a median of 6,545 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which BMW 4 Series years should you avoid?: 2015, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any BMW 4 Series model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the BMW 4 Series?: 2017 is the best-scoring BMW 4 Series model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 86.7 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the BMW 4 Series have?: 0 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored BMW 4 Series model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2015 4 Series

Complaints in window: 39
Severity-weighted: 98
Model median (weighted): 40
vs model median: 2.44×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 0
Open investigations: 1

Score 35.8 F