Vehicle safety record

2001 BMW 320 Problems, complaints & recalls

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2001 BMW 320 with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (7) and the visibility & wipers (1). Those complaints describe 1 fire. It is covered by 1 recall, the latest in January 2017 for the inflator module. For comparison, the 2000 has 0 and the 2002 has 0.

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NHTSA data checked 20 hours ago

8/100Safety Index

FFar more problems than a typical 320 year, for its age

#188 most complained-about 2001 vehicle

Complaints: 10
Recalls: 1
Crashes: 0
Fires: 1
Injuries: 0
Deaths: 0

Most common 2001 BMW 320 problems

Share of all 10 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.

2001 BMW 320 recalls 1

Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do

Air bags: inflator module

17V047000Jan 20, 2017230,117 vehicles affected

Do not drive

The problem: 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 have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners say

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10 complaints about the 2001 BMW 320

Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.

Driver assistanceBrakes

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

Engine & cooling

Cooling fan failure caused rapid overheating and coolant loss, disabling vehicle. *Ak

Engine & cooling

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

Engine & cooling

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

Engine & cooling

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

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...

Read the full complaint

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 board sites are littered with these complaints. Bmwnas reckless negligence in offering such information caused the dealerships to allow potentially dangerous vehicles back on the road. Problem 2: bmwsf installed a replacement part on my car that they knew was defective. Explanation 2: in response to my letter to bmwna regarding this matter, a bmwna customer relations rep notifies me that I am to bring my vehicle to the dealership again to have a newly designed and upgraded aux fan unit installed in my vehicle. The rep is unable to confirm why the defective part was installed in my vehicle in the initial attempt to solve the overheating problem. On 6/9/01, I confirm with a bmwsf service advisor that 1) the new (2nd) replacement part is manufactured by bosch and that it is the upgraded part which replaces the defective siemens fan and 2) that the initial (1st) replacement part installed in my car on 5/15/01 is the same part number of the siemens fan unit that initially failed.

Electrical systemFire

Vehicle overheated and then engine compartment caught fire. Car was a total loss

Engine & cooling

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

Engine & cooling

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.

Visibility & wipers

IMAGE DISTORTION THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *AK

BMW 320: every year compared

1977 1978 1979 1981 1989 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 102001 2002

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Fires	Top problem	Grade
2002	0	1	0	-	C
2001	10	1	1	Engine & cooling	F
2000	0	1	0	-	C
1999	2	0	0	Body, doors & structure	B
1998	6	0	0	Electrical system	D
1997	1	0	0	Transmission & drivetrain	A

All 320 years

2001 BMW 320 vs rivals

Vehicle	Complaints	Recalls	Crashes	Grade
2001 BMW 320	10	1	0	F
2001 BMW 325I	150	7	7	F	Compare
2001 BMW 325CI	49	6	1	F	Compare
2001 BMW 3 Series	36	1	1	B	Compare
2001 BMW 325	31	2	2	F	Compare
2001 BMW 325XI	14	2	0	F	Compare
2001 BMW 325IX	7	0	0	-	Compare
2001 BMW 318	6	0	0	C	Compare
2001 BMW 318I	4	0	1	A	Compare

More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.

Questions about the 2001 BMW 320

Does the 2001 BMW 320 have any recalls?

Yes - NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2001 BMW 320: inflator module (January 2017). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.

What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 320?

By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (7), visibility & wipers (1), brakes (1).

How many complaints has the 2001 BMW 320 had?

10 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on December 2, 2000 and the latest on August 21, 2012. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.

Is the 2001 BMW 320 a reliable vehicle?

Its Safety Index is 8 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical BMW 320 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.

Which BMW 320 years have the most complaints?

2001 (10), 1998 (6), 1989 (2). See every BMW 320 year compared.

What should I do if my 2001 BMW 320 has a problem?

If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked 20 hours ago. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

2001 BMW 320 Problems, complaints & recalls

Most common 2001 BMW 320 problems

2001 BMW 320 recalls 1

What owners say

10 complaints about the 2001 BMW 320

BMW 320: every year compared

2001 BMW 320 vs rivals

Own a 2001 BMW 320? Share your experience.

Questions about the 2001 BMW 320