Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. It has been recalled 3 times.
Do not drive
NHTSA attached an advisory to a recall on this vehicle. Advisories apply to specific production runs — check your VIN with the manufacturer or at nhtsa.gov/recalls before driving it.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
2
1
0
2
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
1
0
1
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module21V401000
Filed May 27, 20214,511 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc
Defect. 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.
Remedy. 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 › Passenger Side › Inflator Module20V018000Do not drive
Filed Jan 15, 2020292,948 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc
Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module19V853000
Filed Nov 26, 201974,185 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc
Defect. 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.
Remedy. 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.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 13, 2009112,000 milesFL
FOR NO REASON THE REVERSE WENT OUT ON MY 2001 BMW 323I. I TOOK IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH THAT IS OCCURRING IN THOUSANDS OF BMW'S FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THE STEPTRONIC TRANSMISSION THAT BMW PUT IN THE CARS IN DEFECTIVE. WHY WON'T BMW RECALL THIS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE $3700 THE REPAIR SHOP WANTS TO FIX A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash2 injured
Filed Jul 22, 2008100,000 milesCA
2001 BMW 323I DOES NOT GO INTO REVERSE WHEN PLACED INTO REVERSE GEAR. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING OR NOISE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT, SINCE IT WILL COST ME 40% OF THE CARS CURRENT VALUE TO REPAIR THE CAR. *TR
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Jun 28, 2001MA
WHILE DRIVING 55 TO 60 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD OF VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. VEHICLE AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS.*AK
NHTSA has issued a do-not-drive warning for a recall on this vehicle.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: May 27, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.