1999 BMW 328I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 328I years
- Fewer complaints than other years 11th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 BMW 328I. That ranks 11th out of 21 328I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (37 complaints, 38%), typically at around 120,500 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 98owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 BMW 328I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 37 | 38% | 120,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 12% | 133,180 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 11% | 70,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 10% | 107,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 8% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 7% | 84,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 5% | 62,407 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 3% | 71,204 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 203,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 175,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 BMW 328I recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 BMW 3 Series (323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci and 330Ci), 1999-2001 323i, 328i, 330i, 330xi, and 2000 323i, 328i stationwagon vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles are equipped with driver-side air bag inflators that were previously inspected, but not replaced under recall numbers 19V-851, 19V852, or 19V-853. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a newly designed inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999 323i and 328i vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata at one specific inflator production facility. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driver air bag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: BMW recommends that owners do not continue to drive their vehicles.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2000 323i and 328i and 2000 323Ci and 328Ci vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW will mail interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on January 17, 2020. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Dealers will inspect the driver air bag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. BMW mailed interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on January 17, 2020. The recall began July 27, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i and 330i and 2000-2001 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver air bag as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW notified owners, and Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: On certain 4-door passenger vehicles, the side air bag system could deploy in certain non-crash impacts, such as when contacting large potholes or curbs at substantial speeds.
Risk: This could cause the side air bag and head protection system to deploy without an actual side crash or impact severe enough to cause significant visible damage to the vehicle. Unexpected deployment of the side air bag could cause serious injury if the occupant's head is resting near the side air bag.
Fix: Dealers will recalibrate the central air bag control module to reduce the possibility of such a non-crash deployment. Owner notification began october 25, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. It is possible that the retaining clip that secures the brake booster pushrod to the brake pedal arm was not properly installed during production. It is possible for the clip to detach from the pin on the brake pedal arm allowing the pushrod to disconnect from the arm.
Risk: If this occurs, braking is not possible.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the clip for tight installation and replace the clip if it is loose.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles are built with a side air bag system consisting of door-mounted thorax air bags (rear door air bags are optional), a head protection system (hps) for front occupants, a central electronic sensor and diagnostic system, left and right satellite impact sensors, and associated wiring. This system is unduly sensitive to certain non-crash impacts, such as contacting large potholes or curbs at substantial speed.
Risk: This could cause the side air bag and hps to deploy without an actual side crash. In addition, the battery safety terminal (bst) would also activate, disconnecting the starter cable from the battery. In this case, vehicle electrical system would continue to operate and the engine would continue to run, but after stopping, could not be restarted.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the central computer control module that regulates the performance of all of the vehicle's occupant protection systems.
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.
Central locking module failed , car will not lock unlock
1999 bmw 328i. Vehicle is registered and is a daily driver in massachusetts. While driving the vehicle on 05/01/2021 in the boston area on a smooth road at night, the driver side door & side curtain airbags deployed. No accident, no potholes, nothing out of the ordinary, just driving and then an…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 1999 bmw 328i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 19v852000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to chapman bmw chandler (7455 w orchid ln, chandler, az 85226) where it was…
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V852000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. BMW OF ROCHESTER (4250 W HENRIETTA RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14623, [redacted]) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED…
On june 11, 2020 my car was delivered to classic bmw in plano, texas for 1999 bmw safety recall 19v-851 for the takata non-azide driver inflator. They were only supposed to change the igniter, but when i received the car the next day i noticed they replaced the entire airbag assembly. A couple of…
Other BMW 328I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 328I | 57 | 1 |
| 2015 328I | 125 | 4 |
| 2014 328I | 152 | 8 |
| 2013 328I | 257 | 5 |
| 2012 328I | 130 | 6 |
| 2011 328I | 577 | 7 |
| 2010 328I | 155 | 6 |
| 2009 328I | 193 | 6 |
| 2008 328I | 239 | 5 |
| 2007 328I | 399 | 6 |
| 2006 328I | 0 | 3 |
| 2005 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2002 328I | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 328I | 4 | 3 |
| 2000 328I | 112 | 7 |
| 1999 | 98 | 7 |
| 1998 328I | 26 | 0 |
| 1997 328I | 25 | 0 |
| 1996 328I | 31 | 0 |
See all BMW 328I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW 328I?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, structure problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 37 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 BMW 328I?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 BMW 328I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 328I model years, the 1999 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.