2001 BMW 320 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 320 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 320. That is the most of any 320 model year in the database (8 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (7 complaints, 70%). Complaints mention 1 fire. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 10owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 BMW 320 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 70% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 10% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 10% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 BMW 320 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
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.
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.
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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Cooling fan failure caused rapid overheating and coolant loss, disabling vehicle. *ak
No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak
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…
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…
Other BMW 320 years
See all BMW 320 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 320?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 BMW 320?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 BMW 320 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 320 model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.