Auto Recall Watch
U.S. public vehicle records

Bmw 320 recalls by model year

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

26 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

113,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1977 to 2002 model years. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

1989
0
1995
0
1996
0
1997
0
1998
0
1999
0
2000
1
2001
1
2002
1
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
19890
19950
19960
19970
19980
19990
20001
20011
20021

1989: 0; 1995: 0; 1996: 0; 1997: 0; 1998: 0; 1999: 0; 2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 1

Year-by-year records

Bmw 320 model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
197701Not available
1978110
1979110
198110Not available
198910Not available
199520Not available
1996100
1997100
1998600
1999200
200001+1
20011010
2002010

Recall history

4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

77V092000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Springs

Reported: 1977-06-16 (June 16, 1977) · Model years: 1977

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS". THE TWO ACCELERATOR RETURN SPRINGS LOCATED ON TOP OF ENGINE MAY OSCILLATE AT HIGH ENGINE SPEEDS, WHICH MAY CAUSE VIBRATION NOISE AND LEAD TO PREMATURE SPRING FATIGUE AND POSSIBLE BREAKAGE. THIS MAY MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ACCELERATOR SYSTEM TO RETURN TO IDLE SPEED.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL RUBBER SLEEVES OVER THE RETURN SPRINGS TO PRECLUDE OSCILLATION, WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
78V056000 · Tires

Reported: 1978-03-13 (March 13, 1978) · Model years: 1978

DUE TO A MATERIAL STUCTURAL DEFECT, THE RUBBER SEAL BETWEEN THE METAL VALVE STEM AND RIM ALLOWS SLOW SEEPAGE OF AIR AROUND THE VALVE BASE.

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL REPLACE DEFECTIVE METAL TIRE VALVE STEMS AND RUBBER SEALS WITH NEW ONES, AT NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
79V001000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage

Reported: 1979-01-12 (January 12, 1979) · Model years: 1979

TO PREVENT VAPOR LOCK, AN AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP IS INCORPORATED IN THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM. THE WIRING CONNECTIONS AT THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP MAY NOT MAKE PROPER CONTACT, RENDERING THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP INOPERATIVE. DRIVING UNDER CONDITIONS OF EXTREMELY HIGH ALTITUDE, HIGH TEMPERATURES, OR FUEL CONTAMINATION, WITH THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP INOPERATIVE COULD ALLOW VAPOR BUBBLES TO FORM. THIS MAY LEAD TO ROUGH ENGINE RUNNING AND POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.

Remedy: DEALER WILL HAVE THE WIRING CONNECTIONS TO THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SOLDERED AT NO COST TO OWNER.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
17V047000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module

Reported: 2017-01-20 (January 20, 2017) · Model years: 2000, 2001, 2002

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

26 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

3.8%Usable mileage1 / 26 records
73.1%Valid incident date19 / 26 records
100.0%Valid filing date26 / 26 records
73.1%Ordered incident and filing dates19 / 26 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

Component complaint heatmap
Component198919951996199719981999200020012002
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

330.0%
ODI 746659

THIS IS AN ACKNOWLEDEGED PROBLEM FROM BMW. THE MANUFACTURER HAS CLAIMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RECALL. UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF US ARE BEING LEFT STRANDED WHEN THE PROBLEM SURFACES. EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS ACKNOWLEDGED BMW DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS REQUIRED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE BMW NEEDS TO BE CONTACTED AND FORCED TO OFFICIALLY ISSUE A RECALL ON THE 3.0 LITER ENGINES. *AK

Look up ODI 746659 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

330.0%
ODI 746628

VEHICLE COOLING FAN FAILED, MANY OTHER BMW OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FAN, MADE BY SIEMENS IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY ALL VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THIS DEFECT. WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO BE STRANDED DUE TO ENGINE OVERHEATING.

Look up ODI 746628 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

1100.0%
ODI 523807

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY VIBRATES AND LUNGES FORWARD. PRIOR TO THESE EVENTS, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER, TACHOMETER ENTERS THE RED ZONE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WHINES. DIAGNOSED AS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

Look up ODI 523807 at NHTSA ↗

116.7%
ODI 747004

THIS IS 2ND FAILED TRANSMISSION IN 58577 MILES. ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AT APPROX 21000 AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BY BMW. CREVIER BMW WAS INFORMED OF PROBLEMS WITH 2ND TRANSMISSION MAY 2000 AND STATED THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THOUGH MADE NOTE OF ISSUE. ON JUNE 17, 2001 TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAR TOWED TO SAVAGE BMW, ONTARIO CA, WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED FAILED TRANSMISSION. STATED CAR NOT UNDER WARRANTY, THOUGH WOULD CONTACT BMW CORPORATE. I FIND IT INCONCEIVABLE THAT A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL APPROXIMATELY EVERY …

Look up ODI 747004 at NHTSA ↗

150.0%
ODI 844372

TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Look up ODI 844372 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

150.0%
ODI 976947

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING WHICH WORSENS AS TIME PROGRESSES. TT

Look up ODI 976947 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Visibility:Windshield
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

150.0%
ODI 978075

POOR ILLUMINATION OF HEAD LIGHTS. APARENTLY CASTS OFF DARK SHADOWS. TT

Look up ODI 978075 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

110.0%
ODI 737207

IMAGE DISTORTION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

Look up ODI 737207 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

110.0%
ODI 746692

VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THEN ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS

Look up ODI 746692 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

116.7%
ODI 606676

FUSE BLEW CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS / TAIL LIGHTS / REAR SIDE LIGHT BULB TO FAIL. *YC

Look up ODI 606676 at NHTSA ↗

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

00.0%

No examples available for this selection.

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

110.0%
ODI 10471685 · 113,000 mi

WHILE DOING 55 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY VEHICLE ENGAGED THE BRAKES ON IT'S OWN BRINGING US TO A SCREACHING, SKIDDING STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY SCARY SITUATION ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THE YAW RATE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE MERCEDES IS NOT RECALLING THIS VEHICLES TO BE FIXED WITH SUCH A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING THIS CAR. *TR

Look up ODI 10471685 at NHTSA ↗

0Unavailable

No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
ComponentMileage range (25th–75th percentile)MedianUsable recordsExamples
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)Too few reports for a range113,000 mi1 (sparse)
ODI 10471685 · 113,000 mi

WHILE DOING 55 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY MY VEHICLE ENGAGED THE BRAKES ON IT'S OWN BRINGING US TO A SCREACHING, SKIDDING STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY SCARY SITUATION ESPECIALLY WHEN TRAVELING WITH YOUR CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED IN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THE YAW RATE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CAN NOT BELIEVE MERCEDES IS NOT RECALLING THIS VEHICLES TO BE FIXED WITH SUCH A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AFFECTING THIS CAR. *TR

Look up ODI 10471685 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

1 reports2024-112026-10

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
MonthComplaintsCampaigns announcedExamples
2024-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2024-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-100None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-110None

No examples available for this selection.

2025-120None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-010None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-020None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-030None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-040None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-050None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-060None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-070None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-080None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-090None

No examples available for this selection.

2026-10 (partial)0None

No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Age 0Age 1Age 28 reports

2001: 8 complaints · 2002: 0 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model yearThrough age 0Through age 1Through age 2
2001888
2002000
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
YearIncident dates usedFiling date fallbacksExcluded dates
2001811
2002000

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
ComponentEngine And Engine Cooling:Cooling SystemEngine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:FanPower Train:Automatic TransmissionSteering: Steering Wheel/Handle BarVisibility:WindshieldElectrical System:Wiring:Front UnderhoodElectrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit BreakersElectronic Stability Control (Esc)
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System—0000000
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan0—000000
Power Train:Automatic Transmission00—00000
Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar000—0000
Visibility:Windshield0000—000
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood00000—00
Electrical System:Wiring:Fuses And Circuit Breakers000000—0
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)0000000—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

2 patterns with matching reports.

Stalling or loss of power

1 mentions · 3.8% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 523807

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY VIBRATES AND LUNGES FORWARD. PRIOR TO THESE EVENTS, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER, TACHOMETER ENTERS THE RED ZONE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WHINES. DIAGNOSED AS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM.

Look up ODI 523807 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule\b(stall\w*|loss of power|lost power|engine shut\w* off)\b

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 3.8% of complaints

Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).

ODI 973803

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO A DITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Look up ODI 973803 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b