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2017 BMW 320I Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Sep 1, 2025
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
7
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 BMW 320I, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Engine436.4%
  • Airbags218.2%
  • Brakes19.1%
  • Electrical19.1%
  • Fuel system19.1%
  • Other / unspecified19.1%
  • Steering19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2017 BMW 320i. The contact stated that while his son was driving 35 MPH after an oil change was performed on the vehicle, the message "Engine Temperature High. Drive Moderately to Cool Engine. Consult Service Center" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the same independent mechanic, where an unknown diagnosis was made. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump electrical connector and wiring were corroded, fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where it was diagnosed that the water pump and the electrical connector needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. No further information was available. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ID 11662649 · filed May 22, 2025

On yesterday i went to the Bmw dealership for service. once i got there i reported that i been smelling a burning smell coming from underneath the hood. well the technician can back and reported i have 3 leaks. i was told i needed to replaced EG58 Gasket oil Filter housing, EN17 cylinder head cover Gasket. i need to know if my 2017 Bmw 320i have a Recall on this matter. i believe in 2022 from what i read today.

NHTSA ID 11627623 · filed Nov 26, 2024

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

On May 4th, at approximately 6:45 AM, I was driving in heavy rain at a speed under 65 miles per hour when my car hydroplaned and I lost control. This resulted in a significant accident. Despite the severity of the crash, the steering wheel airbag did not deploy, which resulted in a whiplash neck injury for me. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating a problem before the incident. However, after the crash, all the lights on the dashboard turned on. The malfunctioning airbag posed a serious risk to my safety. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer, manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or independent service centers since the incident

NHTSA ID 11591894 · filed Jun 1, 2024

The brakes wouldn’t work and car kept going even though I tried to brake several times and with all my strength The car stopped when crashed another car and I was able to shut down the car but the brakes did not work. The crash was very severe and airbags didn’t deploy. A faulty airbag message was shown on my car screen.

NHTSA ID 11475820 · filed Jul 25, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The brakes wouldn’t work and car kept going even though I tried to brake several times and with all my strength The car stopped when crashed another car and I was able to shut down the car but the brakes did not work. The crash was very severe and airbags didn’t deploy. A faulty airbag message was shown on my car screen.

NHTSA ID 11475820 · filed Jul 25, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Electric Power Steering shuts off while driving.

NHTSA ID 11684304 · filed Sep 1, 2025

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Cracked fuel tank. Smells of gasoline when the tank is full but the odor goes away once the fuel level gets below 3/4-1/2 a tank. Here is a walk around video of when my car was in for this issue [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11560376 · filed Dec 15, 2023

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The brakes wouldn’t work and car kept going even though I tried to brake several times and with all my strength The car stopped when crashed another car and I was able to shut down the car but the brakes did not work. The crash was very severe and airbags didn’t deploy. A faulty airbag message was shown on my car screen.

NHTSA ID 11475820 · filed Jul 25, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Electric Power Steering shuts off while driving.

NHTSA ID 11684304 · filed Sep 1, 2025

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .