IllustrationWHILE DRIVER WAS SITTING IN VEHICLE, SOMETHING UNEXPECTEDLY ACTIVATED THE ALARM SYSTEM, DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE, HORN ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. *JB
1997 BMW 328I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 BMW 328I are lower than the model-year median of 98.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 328I years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 5 of 25 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
25 reportsTHERMOSTAT MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND RADIATOR TO BLOW. *AK THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND TRIM UNDER THE REAR OF THE DRIVER SEAT WAS LOOSE. *ET
PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HOUSING PORTION DOES NOT HOLD LATCH PLATE IN BUCKLE HOUSING MECHANISM. LATCH PLATE POPS OUT OF BUCKLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED BUCKLE. *AK CONSUMER HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE FAILED HOUSING. *SLC
ODI #740028. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ACTM2Y7166 TIRESIZE: 205/60R15)
IT HAPPENED AT 3:50 PM, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, JANURAY 26, 2001, FREEWAY 91 HEADING EAST, PASSED FREEYWAY 710, AT THE EXIT OF ATLANTIC. I WAS LUCKY TO PULL OVER AND MY COLLEAGUE WAS FOLLOWED ME AT THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. SHE WITNESSED EVERY THING. THE METRO (MTA) TOW TRUCK PASSED BY 15 MINUTES LATER AND CHANGED THE SPARE TIRE FOR…
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IT HAPPENED AT 3:50 PM, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, JANURAY 26, 2001, FREEWAY 91 HEADING EAST, PASSED FREEYWAY 710, AT THE EXIT OF ATLANTIC. I WAS LUCKY TO PULL OVER AND MY COLLEAGUE WAS FOLLOWED ME AT THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. SHE WITNESSED EVERY THING. THE METRO (MTA) TOW TRUCK PASSED BY 15 MINUTES LATER AND CHANGED THE SPARE TIRE FOR ME. A PIECE OF TIRE WAS FLYING AWAY AND CAUSED THE MUFFLER AND THE LEFT SIDE REAR BUMPER SEVERE DAMAGE. I HAVE TAKEN A ROLL OF PICTURES AFTERWARDS. I WILL SEND YOU A DETAILED TIRE'S SPEC. TOMORROW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY TURNING OFF IGNITION. BRAKES WOULD ONLY SLOW IT DOWN, BUT NOT STOP IT. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, AND WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, WILL NOT REPAIR IT. MANUFACTURER AGR…
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WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO PARK VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. CAN ONLY BE STOPPED BY TURNING OFF IGNITION. BRAKES WOULD ONLY SLOW IT DOWN, BUT NOT STOP IT. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES, AND WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, WILL NOT REPAIR IT. MANUFACTURER AGREED WITH DEALERSHIP, AND POLICY WAS TO RETURN VEHICLE IF NOT REPAIRABLE.*AK
AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
TIRE FAILED ON FREEWAY ON HOT DAY. PERMETER AND 2/3 OF SIDEWALL SEPARATED FROM BEADS. NO EVIDENCE OF PUNCTURE IN TIRE FRAGMENTS. TIRES HAVE UTQGS OF 400, TRACT. A, TEMP. A, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF OF ANY TIRE OF THIS MAKE HAVING EVER BEEN TESTED AT NHTSA FACILITIES. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
THERMOSTAT STUCK.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.