Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW 320 · model year
1998 BMW 320
7 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMW320 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1998 320 is seat belts:front:anchorage with 1 filings, followed by structure:body:door (1) and visibility:rearview mirrors/devices:exterior (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1998 320. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010625POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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 30,000 MILES. SERVICE DEALER AT SAVAGE BMW STATED THIS IS ONLY THE 3RD MANUAL TRANSMISSION HE'S HAD TO REPLACE SINCE 1968. BMW HAS A SERIOUS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *AK
19990823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FUSE BLEW CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS / TAIL LIGHTS / REAR SIDE LIGHT BULB TO FAIL. *YC
19990630UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CAR DEALER/MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SUPPLY A SHOP MANUAL. THE ONE AFTERMARKET MANUAL AVAILABLE IS LIMITED AND HAS INCORRECT INFORMATION. I NEED A SHOP MANUAL TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR MY CAR MYSELF. *AK
19990511EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED. *YC
19990503VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
THE RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR MALFUNCTIONING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *YC
19990315SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT FAILED.
19990315STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
Compare 1998BMW320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW 320 have?▼
The 1998 BMW 320 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW 320?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW 320 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR and VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR.
Is the 1998 BMW 320 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1998 BMW 320; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.