Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 320 · model year
1999 BMW 320
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999BMW320 carries 2 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 1999 320 is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by structure (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 1999 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19991218STRUCTURE
MY SON AND I WERE TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE 405 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE IN MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN WITHOUT WARNING THE RIGHT FRONT PLASTIC GRILL FLEW UP OVER THE HOOD AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. I THOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. IT WASN'T UNTIL I RETURNED HOME THAT I DISCOVERED THE GRILL PIECE MISSING AND REALIZED WHAT HAD ACTUALLY HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM REPLACE BOTH THE GRILL AND THE WINDSHIELD(THE IMPACT HAD SCRATCHED THE WINDSHIELD). WHEN I DETAILED THE INCIDENT I WAS INFORMED THAT BMW WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD. I EXPRESSED MY OPINION ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS COULD BE AND WAS STILL MET WITH RESISTANCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER DEMONSTRATED TO ME THAT WITH A SMALL BUMP OF THE PALM THAT THE GRILL WOULD POP OUT VERY EASILY. IT WAS AT THIS POINT I LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND DECIDED TO CONTACT NHTSA. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL. THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED AS OF THIS TIME. MY GREATE
19990804POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Compare 1999BMW320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 BMW 320 have?▼
The 1999 BMW 320 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW 320?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 BMW 320 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE.
Is the 1999 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.