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BMW · vehicle model

BMW 320I

241 NHTSA complaints and 8 safety recalls across model years 1978–2018.

Complaints
241
Recalls
8
Model years
13

The BMW320I appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 241 consumer safety complaints and 8 recall campaigns across 13 model years (1978–2018). That averages roughly 19 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 34 investigation files tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
201835
201713
201638
201544
201479
201313
20125
20042
20021
19821
19806
19791
19783

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 106 in 2017-2021 to 97 in 2022-2026, a fall of 8.5%. That is the 58th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

1
’99
1
’00
2
’02
3
’03
4
’06
2
’13
15
’14
4
’15
6
’16
12
’17
17
’18
30
’19
40
’20
7
’21
16
’22
33
’23
27
’24
19
’25
2
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare BMW320I to Similar Vehicles

BMW320I vs MAZDAMX-6 → BMW320I vs PORSCHEMACAN → BMW320I vs VOLVOVN770 → BMW320I vs TOYOTARAV4 PRIME →

NHTSA Investigations

PE20002Preliminary EvaluationClosed2020-04-01

Brake fluid leak at front brake caliper

EA19003Engineering AnalysisClosed2019-10-11

Steering Oscillation

PE19002Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-03-25

Steering Oscillation

RQ18001Recall QueryClosed2018-04-18

Idler Pulley Bolt Failure

AQ15004Audit QueryClosed2015-09-24

BMW Safety Act Violations

PE13030Preliminary EvaluationClosed2013-09-06

Loss of power assist braking

EA13006Engineering AnalysisClosed2013-07-12

Fuel Leak - Motorycle

EA12002Engineering AnalysisClosed2012-04-10

Vehicle Rollaway

DP12001Defect PetitionClosed2012-01-20

M/C final drive ball bearing failure

PE11025Preliminary EvaluationClosed2011-08-05

Vehicle Rollaway

View all 34 investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the BMW 320I?▼
The BMW 320I has received 241 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1978 to 2018, with 8 recalls. That averages about 19 complaints per model year.
What years of BMW 320I are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the BMW 320I from 1978 to 2018 (13 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the BMW 320I have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many BMW 320I model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common BMW 320I complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the BMW 320I are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my BMW 320I has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

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. BMW 320I totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; 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.