- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive), and 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i, M235i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
- The risk
- An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 12, 2026. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Vehicle safety record
2014 BMW 320I Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 53 complaints about the 2014 BMW 320I with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (13) and the fuel system (10). Those complaints describe 5 crashes, 1 fire and 4 injuries. It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in December 2025 for the head. For comparison, the 2013 has 9 and the 2015 has 34.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical 320I year, for its age
#136 most complained-about 2014 vehicle
- Complaints
- 53
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes
- 5
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 4
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2014 BMW 320I problems
Share of all 53 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2014 BMW 320I recalls 7
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
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2015 6 Series Gran Coupe, 2014 5 Series Gran Turismo, 2014 5 Series Sedan, 2015 6 Series Convertible, 2015 6 Series Coupe, 2014 X5, 2013-2014 X3, 2014-2015 3 Series Sedan, 2014 4 Series Coupe, 2014 4 Series Convertible, 2014 3 Series Gran Turismo, and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe vehicles. Please see the recall report for the complete list of models. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
- The risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury or death.
- The fix
- The driver's front air bag will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
- The risk
- An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parking lights or the headlights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- The risk
- If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at [email protected].
- The problem
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 228i Coupe, M235i Coupe, 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, ActiveHybrid 3, 328xi Sports Wagon, 428i Coupe, 428xi Coupe, 435i Coupe, 435xi Coupe, 428i Convertible, 428xi Convertible, 435i Convertible, 328xi Gran Turismo, 335xi Gran Turismo, and 2015 428i Gran Coupe, 428xi Gran Coupe, and 435i Gran Coupe vehicles. Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing.
- The risk
- If the fuel pump fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owners were mailed interim notices on May 28, 2015. The recall began on July 6, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.
- The risk
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.
- The risk
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
What owners say
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53 complaints about the 2014 BMW 320I
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 3.
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 320I. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, the vehicle started shaking and vibrating with the check engine warning light illuminated, with the message "Drive Train Malfunction" displayed. The contact stated that later while attempting to drive there was a loud sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was parked due to the fear of a crash. The failure mileage was 77,000.
The engine drivetrain malfunctioned and there is a message. My safety and safety of others was put at risk when I was driving the car it was shaking kicking moving on its own not braking I couldn't control the car. I felt as if the car was about to hit someone on the road and the engine was going to blow up or transmission. I was afraid it was very scary! There is an engine misfire No When I bought it, it was a tire sign and shaking but the salesman said it was just the tires after two weeks the engine sign was...
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on and a drivetrain malfunction message came up and the car was shaking kicking moving on its own about to hit some people on the road and I couldn't control it and the engine or transmission was about to blow up it was making loud noises!
I was driving on a on a busy interstate after work and out of nowhere I get the Temperature warning and start losing power. This is Dangerous! I am submitting this complaint to report a safety-related defect involving the electric water pump on my 2014 BMW 320i. This issue is widely documented among BMW owners, and several 3-Series models from the same production years have been included in recalls or service bulletins for premature water pump failure. However, the 2014 BMW 320i (F30 chassis, N20/N26 engine) is...
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not included, despite experiencing the same failure pattern. In my case, the water pump failed without warning. During the coolant bleeding process, there was no circulation or pump activation, indicating a complete pump malfunction. This is consistent with the known failure mode of BMW's electric water pumps, which can stop working suddenly and cause rapid engine overheating. Because the pump is electronically controlled, there is often no gradual symptom - only an abrupt loss of coolant flow that can lead to engine damage within minutes. This defect poses a significant safety risk. A sudden water pump failure can cause the vehicle to overheat while driving, potentially resulting in engine shutdown, loss of power, or being stranded in unsafe conditions. I was driving on a 2 hour drive on the country road and all of the sudden I received an engine overheating warning and began experiencing a loss of power. Given that BMW has acknowledged similar failures in other 3-Series models of the same year, it is unclear why the 320i is excluded, despite sharing the same engine family and pump design. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this issue and consider expanding the scope of existing investigations or recalls to include the 2014 BMW 320i. Owners should not be responsible for costly repairs related to a known, widespread defect that affects vehicle safety and reliability.
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 320I. The contact stated that after pulling into a parking lot at approximately 10 MPH and shifting the vehicle into park(P), the message that the engine was overheating was displayed on the instrument panel. After waiting a while for the engine to cool down the contact restarted the vehicle and exited the parking lot. The contact stated that the vehicle began hesitating and sputtering as if the vehicle was going to stall. The contact pulled into another nearby parking lot to park and...
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turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic and the contact was informed that the water pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been officially diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.
The electrical water pump that was just recalled on over 720,000 bmws is the same water pump on the 320is. My vehicle as of now has had issues with the pump completely going out causing high temperature issues with the motor while driving.
I own a 2014 BMW 320IX and first time today, August 20th the Engine Overheat message came on my dashboard and then started to go idle and appear that it was about to die. Upon letting the car sit for a few hours to cool off, within a quarter of a mile of driving the car again the light came up and started to idle and felt like it was going to die again. Twice today, I was left stranded in parking lot and to call a tow truck to have it towed to an independent auto mechanic that fixes BMW. This evening I noticed...
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a recall for 2012 - 2014 BMW 328 and 328IX. This is also an issue with the 2014 BMW 320IX models too. I need this recall to also include the 320IX model. How can this be updated and approved as soon as possible to include this car model and year? Prior to today, there was no indication of an engine or have I ever seen the over heat message come on today. I need to know if I need to take it to a BMW dealership or can it be fixed through the independent car mechanic? Thank you, [[redacted]] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2014 BMW 320I. The contact stated while pulling on the seat belt to fasten the seat belt, the seat belt would not extend. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 40,000.
Timing chain malfunction and power train malfunction
Timing chain issue that is common with the BMW n20 engines. The chain is starting to loosen and have some slack. Afraid it could brake and jump teeth as it does it so many online horror stories wrecking the car's engine after it breaks and gets sucked into it. I believe a recall should hopefully happen. A sorts of class action lawsuits and settlements but no recall yet.
This is a serious problem with the handling of this car in standing water situations. This car immediately begins to hydroplane when it encounters standing water, every time. We had been lucky so far of the numerous instances we had encountered with this vehicle hydroplaning and rotating. Always slowing down when encountering rain to avoid these situations. Tonight 08-13-2022, we were driving on the highway where the posted speed limit was 70mph. We were encountering on and off heavy rain. Crossing a bridge at...
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approximately 15 mph under the speed limit in moderate rain when the car completely lost it's grip on the road and went out of control, like on ice and was unrecoverable. We were hit by a vehicle passing us who was not experiencing the same hydroplaning problem. This has been an ongoing problem with this vehicle and I notified my service advisor at BMW about the problem, but he said it was common and he had even been in an accident with his BMW due to hydroplaning. He said there was nothing they could do about it. The tires were in good condition, recently purchased, and there is not reason this vehicle should not have handled the situation like all of the other vehicles on the road were.(We were the slowest vehicle).
i purchased this car in 2014 and since then i keep bringing my car for repairs the dealer keep finding so many problems, every time i take it for service. this car has stalled on me few times, and i almost have an accident with my two grandbabies with me, supposedly the dealer fixed it but few months later it broke again with the same issues, they said it was still under the warranty and i didnt pay for that, but they charge of other problems. i told them from the beginning that this car was almost new when i...
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bought it and ,its was not possible that since then, its been having too many problems, and they were the only one that has been taking care of the car. now iit has scaled, to even more and major issues. such as breaks, tires, alternator drive belt, break pads, fuel injection, , engine oil filter housing gaskets, parkin brake cable clip, brake fluid, differential fluid exchange, battery replace and much more,. and that is why i really need your help. i am very scare of the safety of my love ones, my self and others. the car it has been inspected by the same dealer, where i been taking it since i bought it, for maintenance and mechanical and other issues. my vehicle always have the message (symbol) of either engine, tire. it appears since 2014, it goes away after i have taking it to the dealer.
Every time it's cold and rains or snows my light comes on for charging malfunction after I turn off the car and turn it back on its fine.
Vehicle displays warning for passenger airbag restraint when started and while driving. Dealer performed a diagnosis and said it is due to a faulty air bag control module.
On the night of october 18 2020 around 3:30am I was woken by my next door neighbors notifying me that me 2014 bmw was currently on fire in a uncontrollable blaze. From the engine bay of the car down to my fuel tank and pumps were shooting out flames covering the car itself by the time I was able to run from my room to my car I can see that the damage was done. I proceeded to call the fire department and put out the fire myself while I waited for them to arrive, I did not drive the car for a total of 8+ hours and it...
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was sitting and parked in front of my drive way. My car showed no signs of catching on fire on its own, it just randomly caught ablaze, after I put out the fire and talked with the fire department from first glance we knew this wasn't arson but a possible electric and or malfunction with the car itself. I contacted my insurance company the next day and told them what happened, they then proceeded to pick up the car the next day via tow truck and took it to a professional to look at what caused it, it was determined that the fire started near the engine bay and as stated before a malfunction with the vehicle (spontaneous combustion), it was then labeled a total loss and my investment was gone.
Dealer maintained 90,000 miles check engine light came on , pulled over vehicle shut down and would not start. Had vehicle towed to dealership and was told the engine seized. Was advised this is not covered by warranty. Trying to work with bmw on this currently
I sat down in my passenger seat getting ready to ride. I then received a message from my car stating 'passenger restraint system' and to go to service center. There is no service center close to me, especially on a sunday.
Was driving, came to a stop and engine stalled. Engine would not restart and vehicle could not be moved, had to call tow truck. Diagnosed as seized engine due to timing chain failure. Car only has 77k miles.
I was involved in an accident on 9/9/20, where my car crashed in to side wall of interstate. Driverside had impact with wall. Curtain airbags deployed successfully. Driver seat airbag came out with blast. They ignited fire and my shirt(dry-fit polo ) burned. I was injured with burn marks on my abdomen. Each burn mark corresponds to whole in aid bag.
All rubber seals around the windshield and windows have melted and water is pouring in all over while driving making it very unsafe while driving. All rubber in the car and outside of the car is melting. It is pouring down on all of the electronics in the car as well and filling up the inner light consul. This is not a convertible. It is the faulty rubber all over the car that is causing enormous problems with safety, please address this as I am very concerned and cannot drive the car anymore but am still paying for it. Thank you
Power tran light went on, brakes lost pressure, engine is blown. Looked up this same year/model bmw and my car fits the recall profile to a tee but my vin wasn't included on the recall list. Car was in motion on the highway when everything came to a head apparently. Car shut down and I pulled off the road without incident fortunately. Currently at 96,800 miles.
Car while drive to work all of the sudden started shaking and felt like a miss till lost all power and when I full stopped it died and I was on the shoulder of the highway I check my codes and had injection shutdown and multiple misfires detected and that was around 2 or 3 weeks ago I started researching and found that I should check to see if my timing chain or its guides had any play which it did and a amount as a mechanic in college training was not healthy when it moved side to side about a quarter inch and has fine metal shavings in oil and shiny mark on timing chain
Got on to the free way ramp sped up and an explosion went off. Air was coming through from sun roof. Pulled the sun roof cover and closed it right away because the glass was all shattered. Some small glass came down to driver and passenger seat. Very scary. Thought someone was shooting at me.
Tl* the contact owns a 2014 bmw 320i. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was taken to bmw of alexandria located at 499 s. Pickett st, alexandria, va 22304, (703) 684-8500, to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the turbo charger line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,370.
Parking lights and headlights malfunction then turn back on. This happens during the day and during the night. I have changed the light bulbs 3 times and still the problem persist. The problem is dangerous and seems to be a malfunction with the equipment installed by bmw. Vehicle does this while stationary and while driving. This is very dangerous as it does turn off during the night while driving and can cause an accident. *Tr
Cd player wouldn't work and screen stays on bmw logo. Head unit needed to be replaced. *Tr
BMW 320I: every year compared
All 320I years2014 BMW 320I vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 BMW 320I | 53 | 7 | F | |
| 2014 BMW 328D | 153 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 328D Xdrive | 153 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 328I Xdrive | 152 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 328I Xdrive GT | 152 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 328I | 152 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 320I Xdrive | 53 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 335I Xdrive | 20 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2014 BMW 335I | 20 | 5 | F | 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 2014 BMW 320I
Does the 2014 BMW 320I have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2014 BMW 320I: head (December 2025); inflator module (July 2024); side / window (April 2024); exterior lighting (August 2015) and more. 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 2014 BMW 320I?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (13), fuel system (10), electrical system (9).
How many complaints has the 2014 BMW 320I had?
53 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on March 6, 2014 and the latest on September 30, 2026. Of these, 5 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 4 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2014 BMW 320I a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 1 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical BMW 320I 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 320I years have the most complaints?
2014 (53), 2015 (34), 2013 (9). See every BMW 320I year compared.
What should I do if my 2014 BMW 320I 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 . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data