Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › cooling system. 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
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
2
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit
1
0
0
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 › Driveline › Differential Unit
Filed Jul 31, 200336,230 milesCA
REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE AT 33K MILES WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND NEAR ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES. BMWNA STATES NO LIABILITY FOR INCIDENT AND IGNORES THE FACTORY WARRANTY ON A 2000 MODULE YEAR 3 SERIES. I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY FOR ALL DAMAGES AND NEW PARTS. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL DIFFERENTIAL SHOWING THE SHATTERED PINION GEAR. I WAS LUCKY SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT KILL SOMEONE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE BMW REFUSES TO ACCEPT A PROBLEM. *PH
Tires
Filed Jul 30, 2001NJ
WHILE DRIVING, TIRE BLEWUP AND THE WHOLE OUTER WALL OF THE TIRE FELL APART AT ITS ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE. THE CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND LUCKILY WE PREVENTED A MAJOR CRASH DUE TO IT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: LMUJP5B7 TIRESIZE: 245/40ZR17)
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jul 24, 2001NH
AMBIENT TEMP WAS 75 DEGREES. TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO. STEAM WAS STREAMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND LOW COOLANT LINE ILLUMINATED. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jul 9, 2001TX
VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE SEATING IN TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT, WITH THE A/C ON. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN RUNNING FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. THE CAR WAS EXACTLY ONE MONTH OLD WHEN THIS OCCURED.*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.