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2001 BMW 320Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 10 owner complaints about the 2001 BMW 320, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 17V-047 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 24%Owner complaints101 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem7Engine and engine cooling

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 20, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 BMW 320 has problems

10 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling70
Electrical system11
Electronic stability control (ESC)10
Service brakes10
Visibility10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2001 BMW 320 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

24%repaired · 2018 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-047 · Jan 20, 2017 · 230,117 vehicles · 55,819 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other 320 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 320 median. How we score

'77'78'79'81'89'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What 320 owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 746951 · Jun 17, 2001
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…
Complaint 746762 · Jun 13, 2001
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…
Complaint 746726 · Jun 12, 2001

Own a 2001 320?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.