Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW 320 · model year
1998 BMW 320
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category 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). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1998 320. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.