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1996 BMW 328I

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 BMW 328I are lower than the model-year median of 98.

About this comparison →
31Owner complaints

Model-year median: 98

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
31
199625
199726
199898
1999
Compare all 328I years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
6Electrical System
4Power Train
4Air Bags
3Exterior Lighting
3
All reported categories
Structure
3Unknown Or Other
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Visibility
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Fuel System, Other
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 2 of 31 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Latches/locks/linkages

POWER LOCK ACTUATORS ON VEHICLE FAIL REPEATEDLY. BETWEEN 2000 AND 2003, THREE POWER LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED ON VEHICLE (BOTH REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR). SOMETIMES THE ACTUATORS GET STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION, SOMETIMES UNLOCKED. WALKED AWAY FROM VEHICLE WITH AN UNLOCKED DOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE DISCOVERING P…

Read full complaint

POWER LOCK ACTUATORS ON VEHICLE FAIL REPEATEDLY. BETWEEN 2000 AND 2003, THREE POWER LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED ON VEHICLE (BOTH REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR). SOMETIMES THE ACTUATORS GET STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION, SOMETIMES UNLOCKED. WALKED AWAY FROM VEHICLE WITH AN UNLOCKED DOOR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE DISCOVERING PROBLEM. IN ONE CASE (FRONT PASS. DOOR), DOOR LOCK WAS EVEN DIFFICULT (BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE) TO OPERATE MANUALLY: THIS WAS STUCK IN THE LOCKED POSITION, MAKING ENTRY INTO THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT.

NHTSA ODI #10066535

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.