Total Complaints
12 filings
BMW 320 · model year
2001 BMW 320
12 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001BMW320 carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2001 320 is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (3) and visibility:windshield (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. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2001 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.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
Recalls (1)
17V04700020/01/2017
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
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 hav
Recent Complaints
20120821SERVICE BRAKES
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
Mileage: 113,000
20120821ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
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
Mileage: 113,000
20010628ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
20010626ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
COOLING FAN FAILURE CAUSED RAPID OVERHEATING AND COOLANT LOSS, DISABLING VEHICLE. *AK
20010621ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
I COMPLAINED TO BMW NA OF REPORTED FAILURES OF THE FAN. THEY AGREED THAT THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SIEMENS MANUFACTURED FANS. THEY LEFT A PHONE MESSAGE (I HAVE A COPY) AGREEING TO PAY FOR A VEHICLE INSPECTION TO DETERMINE IF THE FAN IS THE TYPE PRONE TO FAILURE DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS I HAVE FOR MY SON WHO WILL BE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, BUT THEY WILL CHARGE ME TO REPLACE THE FAN BECAUSE IT HAS NOT YET FAILED. *AK
20010620ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE, YET THE ENGINE OVERHEATS AT 1828 MILES. A LOT OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HOOD AND HINDERED VISIBILITY. THE OVERHEATING HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND ALLOWED ME VERY LITTLE TIME TO REALIZE AND TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE STOPPED, THERE APPEARED TO BE MAJOR LEAKAGE OF COOLANT/ANTI-FREEZE UNDER THE CAR. THE CAR DEALER AND THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WERE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY. THE SHORT TIME IT TOOK THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS AS IT ALLOWS THE DRIVER VERY LITTLE TIME TO STOP AND EXIT THE VEHICLE BEFORE ANY FIRE IS IGNITED. *AK
20010619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
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.
20010619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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
20010619FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THEN ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS
20010619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
VEHICLE OVERHEATS: 9 DAYS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF MY BRAND NEW CAR, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGINS REGISTERING ABNORMALLY HIGH UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS. I IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE A/C, TURN ON THE HEAT TO THE MAXIMUM SETTING, AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE TEMPERATURE, AND THE RED TEMP INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. I PROMPTLY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND, WHILE DOING SO, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. BMWSF SERVICES MY VEHICLE BY INSTALLING AN UPGRADED AUX FAN UNIT ON 5/15/01. PROBLEM 1: BMWNAS LACK OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN DETECTING A DEFECTIVE PART IN MY VEHICLE AND WILLFUL NEGLECT TO INFORM SERVICE/SALES PERSONNEL ABOUT THE KNOWN PROBLEM. EXPLANATION 1: I AM APPALLED THAT BMWNA WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS BY NEGLECTING TO OFFER PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO DEALERSHIPS ABOUT A KNOWN PROBLEM. BMWNA HAS DEMONSTRATED A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF IGNORING, OBFUSCATING, OR DENYING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUXILIARY FAN WHEN MOST BMW MESSAGE BOA
20010619ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE OVERHEATS: 9 DAYS AFTER TAKING DELIVERY OF MY BRAND NEW CAR, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGINS REGISTERING ABNORMALLY HIGH UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING CONDITIONS. I IMMEDIATELY TURN OFF THE A/C, TURN ON THE HEAT TO THE MAXIMUM SETTING, AND ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE NO IMPACT ON THE TEMPERATURE, AND THE RED TEMP INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. I PROMPTLY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND, WHILE DOING SO, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. BMWSF SERVICES MY VEHICLE BY INSTALLING AN UPGRADED AUX FAN UNIT ON 5/15/01. PROBLEM 1: BMWNAS LACK OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN DETECTING A DEFECTIVE PART IN MY VEHICLE AND WILLFUL NEGLECT TO INFORM SERVICE/SALES PERSONNEL ABOUT THE KNOWN PROBLEM. EXPLANATION 1: I AM APPALLED THAT BMWNA WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF ITS CUSTOMERS BY NEGLECTING TO OFFER PRELIMINARY INFORMATION TO DEALERSHIPS ABOUT A KNOWN PROBLEM. BMWNA HAS DEMONSTRATED A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF IGNORING, OBFUSCATING, OR DENYING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUXILIARY FAN WHEN MOST BMW MESSAGE BOA
20001213VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
IMAGE DISTORTION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *AK
Compare 2001BMW320 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 BMW 320 have?▼
The 2001 BMW 320 has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 BMW 320?▼
Yes, the 2001 BMW 320 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 320?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 BMW 320 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD.
Is the 2001 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.