1979 Bmw 320I: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1979 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core | 1 |
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 1 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
2003: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10050069 · 2003-12-04 (December 4, 2003)
WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A NOISE. WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, THE HEATER CORE EXPLODED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON THE FEET. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050069 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
80V076000 · Vehicle Speed Control:Springs
Reported: 1980-06-19 (June 19, 1980)
WHEN SUBJECTED TO THE EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT CAN OCCUR IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE DAMPER SLEEVES WHICH COVER THE RETURN SPRINGS OF THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM CAN DEFORM AND PREVENT THEIR RETURNING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE POSITION AFTER RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Remedy: DEALER WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE RETURN DAMPER SLEEVES WITH NEW SLEEVES OF HIGH TEMPERATURE-RESISTANT PLASTIC MATERIAL.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
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 | 2004 | 2005 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1100.0% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2%ODI 11447154engine overheating, passenger safety belt, failed speed control (difficulty accelerating) Due to these issues and malfunctions; it causes injury to the driver as the airbags/seat belts are not stable. If the car suddenly stops it can injure the driver. The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly, vehicle loses power/ says to drive moderately or stop driving/ the car drives slow does not past 35 mph, the car goes into 'limp mode' (less than 10 mph) it goes in a very low speed with no acceleration; This is a safety hazard, as it becomes easy to be rear-… | 1223.1%ODI 11204171I JUST HAD A COOLANT LEAK PROBLEM FROM MY RADIATOR. ON MY BMW PROFIL, IT IS NOT SHOWING ANY RECALL, BUT KNOWING THAT THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM COMING FROM ME, I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR AN ANSWER AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ID FROM NHTSA 18V755000 FOR ENGINE COOLING. | 1133.3%ODI 10794340BOUGHT A BRAND NEW BMW 320I I HAVE HAD IT FOR 45 DAYS WITH 1548 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE THIS MORNING DRIVING POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 70 MPH ON HIGHWAY. MY CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" AND DROPPED DOWN TO 20 MPH AND WOULD NOT GO OVER ANY FASTER. DISPLAY SAYS "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" I DROVE MY CAR ON SIDE OF THE ROAD AT 20 MPH ON THE SIDE OF ROAD UNTIL I MADE IT TO WORK. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS FOR A VEHICLE TO DROP FROM 70 TO 20 MPH SUDDENLY IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC. FROM READING SEEMS TO BE A ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH BMW'S. RE… | 728.0%ODI 11289981 · 150,000 miTO NHTSA: NOT TOO LONG AGO THE TIMING CHAIN AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL PINION BEARING WENT OUT ON MY 2016 BMW 320I ([XXX]) TIMING CHAIN ISSUE SHOULDN'T OCCUR ON A MOTOR WHICH ONLY PRODUCES 180 HORSEPOWER WITH NO MODS OR TUNES. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SHOULD DEFINITELY NEVER GIVE OUT UNLESS YOU'RE PUSHING OVER 700 HORSEPOWER ON A STOCK DIFF. AGAIN MY CAR HAS 180 HORSEPOWER AND HAS NEVER BEEN MODDED. THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR | 333.3%ODI 11525044 · 87,000 miThe contact owns a 2017 BMW 320I. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact stated that there was white smoke coming from the exhaust tip. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: SI B11 11 16 (N20 Engine Oil Feed Line to The Turbo Charger). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000. | 523.8%ODI 11337852 · 21,000 miI WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD.I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE,ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR , BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE CAR ,AS HE WAS STOPPED TOO. THE CAR THEN BOUNCED BACKWARD AND TURNED OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS ON A MAIN STREET AT A LIGHT. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT ANOTHER CAR WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT STOPPED THE CAR AND PREVENTED MY CAR FROM HITTING PEDESTRIANS. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 10561519HEAD LIGHTS FOR NEWER CARS ARE TOO BRIGHT AND BLIND DRIVERS APPROACHING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 917.3%ODI 10644131 · 2,000 miBRAND NEW CAR (2 MONTHS OLD, ABOUT 2000 MILES). RECEIVED WARNING ON HIGHWAY THAT MY LEFT REAR TIRE WAS LOW AND TO PULL OVER. I HAVE RUN FLATS SO I SLOWED DOWN IN RIGHT LANE AND EXITED TO GET TO A GAS STATION. THE TIRE WAS NOT FLAT BUT I PUT AIR IN IT AND THE TPM WENT BACK TO GREEN. THE NEXT MORNING THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND I DROVE STRAIGHT TO BMW OF NAPLES WHERE THEY TOPPED OFF ALL 4 TIRES AND SAID IT'S NORMAL AND TO COME BACK IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE NEXT MORNING WAS FINE. DAY 4 AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT WE GET IN THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND… | 515.2%ODI 11255354 · 80,000 miMY 2015 BMW 320I GAVE ME A WARNING OF CHARGING MALFUNCTION WARNING SO I TOOK MY CAR TO BMW SERVICE FOR AN INSPECTION. THIS WAS IN APRIL 2019. THE SERVICE ADVISOR LET ME KNOW I COULD NEED A NEW BATTERY SO I APPROVED NEW BATTERY IF THAT'S WHAT IT NEEDED. ONCE INSPECTED FURTHER I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND THAT CAUSED MY DRIVEBELT TO DETERIORATE AND SLIDE OFF BELT TENSIONER. THE OIL LEAK WAS DUE TO NEEDING A NEW OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET, SO I REPLACED THAT AS WELL. I WASN'T WHAT CREATED THE OIL LEAK ISSUE ONLY THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE … | 28.0%ODI 11046601 · 27,000 miCAR HAS SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION AND INDICATOR WARNING COMES ON SAYING 'DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION' THE GAGE INDICATES THERE IS AT LEAST 42 MILES OF FUEL BEFORE EMPTY. LUCKILY THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR SHAKES AND MAKES A LOUD SOUND BEFORE PUTTING ITSELF IN NEUTRAL. ALSO THE BRAKES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED BY BMW BUT THEY DO NOT STOP PROPERLY AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH. ALSO THE SUNROOF OPENS INDEPENDENTLY WHEN IT RAINS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. | 111.1% | 733.3%ODI 11233062 · 9,000 miTHIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE A WAY FOR DRIVERS TO PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL IF THE ELECTRICAL PANEL AND THE ENGINE IS DEAD. I WAS IN THE FLOODED AREA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND FELT SCARED WHEN BIG TRUCKS PASSED ME SIDE BY SIDE. EVEN THE SHERIFF WHO HELPED ME COULDN'T FIND IT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I HAVE A 12 MONTHS OLD GRANDSON AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 11165636THE TICKING NOISE FROM THE VALVES IS TERRIBLE, THE PEOPLE AT BMW SAID IS NORMAL BUT THAT NOISE IS TOO MUCH, ITS SOUNDS LIKE A DIESEL CAR | 917.3%ODI 11111729 · 70,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW 320I. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE LOW FUEL PRESSURE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. | 824.2%ODI 10978697 · 55,000 miHIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM OCCUR THREE TIMES NOW. THIS LAST TIME HAPPENED TO MY SPOUSE WHILE TRAVELING 70+ MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET. THE ONSET WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, AN IMMEDIATE AND UNSETTLING SHUDDER WITH AN ONSCREEN POPUP. THE ABRUPT LOSS OF SPEED NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT THIS TIME. IT OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND SINCE WE AREN'T' APPLYING BRAKES, OTHER DRIVES ARE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE AT THE SUDDEN DROP IN SPEED. WE NARROWLY PULLED FROM THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT GETTING HIT PRIOR TO STOPPING AND SHUTTING O… | 28.0%ODI 11484151I have smoke that comes from my exhaust pipe only whenever I first start my vehicle at the beginning of the day. I had a diagnosis done on my vehicle and was advised that my oil feed line was faulty. This is a known design flaw with BMW vehicles from years 2013 through 2016. I would like for BMW to repair the flaw on my vehicle since this is a known manufacturer issue which is something out of my control. Please contact me by email or cellular phone @ [XXX] or [XXX]. Thank you INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FO… | 111.1%ODI 11560376Cracked fuel tank. Smells of gasoline when the tank is full but the odor goes away once the fuel level gets below 3/4-1/2 a tank. Here is a walk around video of when my car was in for this issue [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | 314.3%ODI 11607009My 2018 bmw 320 stalls and cuts off when I come to a stop. Very dangerous. It has cut off in the middle of the road. I have checked online to see if this is a common issue. Other bmw owners have reported this same issue. There has been a recall on other bmw models with this same issue from 2014-2018 for fuel system and fuel pump that may cause this issue. Letters were sent out I. January of 2022. My 2018 bmw 320si has not been included in this recall for some odd reason. When car shuts off a warning message appears on screen. One message stat… |
| Unknown Or Other | 1100.0% | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1121.2%ODI 10978967 · 53,000 miTHE CAR KEPT STALLING AND DISPLAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION | 721.2%ODI 10807796 · 9,000 miTHE BMW 320I 2015 VEHICLE CONTINUES TO DROP TIRE AIR PRESSURE BELOW A SAFE LEVEL. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM IS DISABLING THE DRIVER'S ONBOARD DISPLAY WITH A LOW TIRE WARNING ALERT. ALL 4 TIRES ARE DROPPING FROM 32PSI TO 23PSI WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. EACH TIME I VISIT THE CLASSIC BMW DEALERSHIP OF PLANO, TX ABOUT THE TPMS PROBLEM, TIRES ARE AGAIN TOPPED OFF AT 32PSI. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT GIVE ME A SERVICE RECEIPT AFTER ADDING AIR IN THE TIRES. I WAS INFORMED THAT I MUST PAY $163 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A SERVICE RECEIPT ONCE THE AIR I… | 14.0%ODI 11324617 · 55,000 miI WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT IN A 2016 BMW 320I WITH FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT. IT WAS SO BAD, IT PUSHED BACK MY ENTIRE AXLE, WHEELS, ETC. MY DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. I WAS TRAVELING 40 MILES PER HOUR WHEN HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER WHO WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL AT OR ABOVE THE SAME SPEED. SOS BUTTON DID NOT WORK EITHER. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET (INTERSECTION). THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAD TWO MINORS IN THE CAR WITH ME. THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON MY DASH, ETC. SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT FAULTY AIRBAGS, ETC. C… | 222.2%ODI 11538397The A/C shuts off after driving 40 minutes and the temperature of 250. Blower is running but will barely force air into the cabin | 29.5%ODI 11233062 · 9,000 miTHIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE A WAY FOR DRIVERS TO PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL IF THE ELECTRICAL PANEL AND THE ENGINE IS DEAD. I WAS IN THE FLOODED AREA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND FELT SCARED WHEN BIG TRUCKS PASSED ME SIDE BY SIDE. EVEN THE SHERIFF WHO HELPED ME COULDN'T FIND IT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I HAVE A 12 MONTHS OLD GRANDSON AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 266.7%ODI 10905081TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 (NA) BMW 320I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V346000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. | 222.2% | 47.7%ODI 11014668"TAKATA RECALL" I RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT MY BMW THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT. I WENT TO WEBSITE: WWW.AUTOAIRBAGSETTLEMENT.COM & CALLED [phone removed]. WHEN I ENTERED THE VIN# OF MY VEHICLEON THAT SITE IT READ: THIS VIN HAS BEEN MATCHED WITH AN ELIGIBLE SUBJECT VEHICLE. SO I CALLED THE 888# AND THEY SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED YET. I AM CONFUSED AND NEED TO KNOW IF MY CAR CONTAINS A FAULTY TAKATA AIR BAG. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW. I AM CONCERNED SINCE MY SON IN COLLEGE DRIVES THE CAR IN ANOTHER CITY THAN I LIVE IN. | 13.0%ODI 11562032 · 78,000 miThe contact owns a 2015 BMW 320I. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the front driver's side airbags and passenger side airbags deployed unintendedly, causing the driver to lose control of the steering wheel and drive over the curb. The contact stated that there was no crash to cause the airbags to deploy. During the failure, the rear driver’s side and passenger’s side tires became deflated. The vehicle was later towed away from the scene. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer we… | 520.0%ODI 10930071 · 6,243 miI WAS DRIVING IN A 25 MPH ZONE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, DRY ROADS DURING DAYLIGHT AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, THEY LOCKED AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO SLIDE TOWARDS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR HEAD ON. I HIT THE CAR ON THE LEFT SIDE AND DAMAGE TO MY CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR | 222.2%ODI 11475820The brakes wouldn’t work and car kept going even though I tried to brake several times and with all my strength The car stopped when crashed another car and I was able to shut down the car but the brakes did not work. The crash was very severe and airbags didn’t deploy. A faulty airbag message was shown on my car screen. | 419.0%ODI 11079929 · 3,900 miAIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING WHEN STUCK IN FRONT LEFT BUMPER BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2%ODI 10592551 · 7,420 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 320I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER TO ACCELERATE OVER 2800 RPMS WHEN IT WAS PLACED IN SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,420. .... UPDATED 08/05/14 *BF UPDATED 08/18/2014 *JS | 815.4%ODI 10650847 · 17,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW 320I. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEARS INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FLOORMATS DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT TO OTHER GEARS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION CONFIRMING THE DEALER'S DIAGNOSIS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. ..UPDATED 12/17/14 *BF UPDATED 9/29/2015 *JS | 13.0%ODI 11579138I have been getting P0420 code over 2 years now. Loss of power while driving caused multiple times sudden stop and slow speed. I328 has recall but mine is not on the recall list. I tried everything to fix it but the light still comes on. And also my car is having the Navigation display delaminating. It seems like common problem for bmw owners. There are no recalls. | 312.0%ODI 11046601 · 27,000 miCAR HAS SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION AND INDICATOR WARNING COMES ON SAYING 'DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION' THE GAGE INDICATES THERE IS AT LEAST 42 MILES OF FUEL BEFORE EMPTY. LUCKILY THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR SHAKES AND MAKES A LOUD SOUND BEFORE PUTTING ITSELF IN NEUTRAL. ALSO THE BRAKES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED BY BMW BUT THEY DO NOT STOP PROPERLY AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH. ALSO THE SUNROOF OPENS INDEPENDENTLY WHEN IT RAINS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 314.3%ODI 11546214Rattling noise we’ll driving and when going over 30 mph can lose control |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 111.1%ODI 10553277RE: TCN-KDN21-40701 ON 9/17/13 I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY CAR AS IT ROLLED DOWN A HILL - ALTHOUGH I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS LEAVING A DRIVEWAY WHICH IS POSITIONED ON A HILL. IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT A WARNING MESSAGE FLASHED ON MY SCREEN. I THEN HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND THEN A "GRINDING" NOISE. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE CAR CONTINUED ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND THE AIRBAG POPPED OUT - KNOCKING ME UNCONSCIOUS. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR. WHEN MY CAR REACHED THE BOTTOM … | 23.8%ODI 11258392 · 48,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BMW 320I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLUG AND PINS AND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE WIRING HARNESS BEING MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. | 13.0%ODI 11588074The engine would completely shut down while driving you had to completely take foot off gas petal because it would not excellent to make the car run it would almost come to complete slow down and stop you could then push gas and it would pick up and start running again.was worse when raining. Then the brakes got to where they would not stop and would lock up.Iwas on busy road and on interstate when it happened several times I could have been hit in the rear end and it would have caused a major collision. There was no warning lights come on at a… | 728.0%ODI 10930071 · 6,243 miI WAS DRIVING IN A 25 MPH ZONE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, DRY ROADS DURING DAYLIGHT AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, THEY LOCKED AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO SLIDE TOWARDS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR HEAD ON. I HIT THE CAR ON THE LEFT SIDE AND DAMAGE TO MY CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR | 111.1%ODI 11475820The brakes wouldn’t work and car kept going even though I tried to brake several times and with all my strength The car stopped when crashed another car and I was able to shut down the car but the brakes did not work. The crash was very severe and airbags didn’t deploy. A faulty airbag message was shown on my car screen. | 29.5%ODI 11337852 · 21,000 miI WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD.I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE,ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR , BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE CAR ,AS HE WAS STOPPED TOO. THE CAR THEN BOUNCED BACKWARD AND TURNED OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS ON A MAIN STREET AT A LIGHT. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT ANOTHER CAR WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT STOPPED THE CAR AND PREVENTED MY CAR FROM HITTING PEDESTRIANS. |
| Structure:Body | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 222.2%ODI 11338821FRONT DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE AND CAN'T USE KEY TO INTER MANUALLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF EMERGENCY AND CAN'T GET INTO THE CAR EASILY | 35.8%ODI 10576432 · 100 miI WAS EASING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AND I ROLLED OVER THE PARKING BUMPER AND THE CURB AND HIT A POLE. *TR | 39.1%ODI 11413623 · 5,355 miCAN NHTSA ENFORCE A RECALL ON THE WELL-KNOWN 'TRUNK OPENS ON ITS OWN' DEFECT ON BMW 3 SERIES, WHICH MY 2015 320I ALSO HAS SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2016? PLEASE SEE ATTACHED 'TO NHTSA ON BMW SERIES 3 DEFECT.PDF'. | 520.0%ODI 10966258 · 32,000 miWHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ABOUT 40 MPH, I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT OR A LOUD POP OVERHEAD. I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND THE SUNROOF HAD A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE AND THE GLASS WAS BOWING UPWARDS. THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS PASSING ME AT THE TIME AND I DID NOT SEE ANY PROJECTILES COMING TOWARD THE CAR THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DAMAGE. THE SUNROOF JUST SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%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 | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
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
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | 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.
2017: 0 complaints · 2018: 7 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
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 | Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System:Heater Core | — |
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.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.