Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 31 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 BMW 328I. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 31 · page 1 of 2
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW 328I. HE STATED THAT THE HORN DID NOT WORK AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRES WERE CUT IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND UNDER THE HOOD. HE STATED THAT HE PURCHASED THE CLOCKSPRING, BUT IT WAS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,120 AND THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96720.
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.
I HAVE A 328I BMW, AND THE INFORMATION IN THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT YOU NEVER NEED TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID YET ON THE DAY IN QUESTION MY TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO STALL AND JERK. I THAN CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO I INFORMED OF THIS TROUBLE, HE THEN INFORMED ME TO BRING THE CAR TO HIM TO CHECK. I NEED TO ALSO TELL THAT THIS AUTOMOBILE DOES NOT HAVE A DIP STICK SO THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL IF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS GOING BAD PRIOR TO WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME. WHEN I CALL BMW THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY ONLY WARRANTY THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND NOT THE TRANSMISSION, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE TRANSMISSION ONLY OPERATES CORRECTLY WHEN THE FLUID IS RIGHT. IN CONCLUSION I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SUCH CASES REPORTED AND IF SO WHAT IS MY COURSE OF ACTION IF ANY. THANK YOU. *JB
FOR THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE PLATE LIGHTS. *JB
THE BRAKES FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND HAS STAYED ON. AFTER CONTACTING DEALER, DEALER NOTED THAT AIR BAGS MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK *SCC
INTERIOR LOCK LOCATED ON ALL FOUR DOORS. WILL LOCK PPASSENGER IN INSIDE OF DOORS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE SELF DIAGNOISTICS PROVIDES ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WARNING. DIAGNOISTIC CODE INDICATES "LOW EMISSIONS EFFICIENCY". DEALER READ CODE AND REPORTED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 80,000 MILES SO IT WAS NOT COVERED. REPLACEMENT COSTS ESTIMATED AT $1330. THIS FAILURE OCCURED LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT A RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON 1986 318I MODELS FOR FAILED CATALYTIC CONVERTER PARTS. THE BMW PARTS SOURCE MAY BE THE SAME FOR THE MODEL 328I WHICH WOULD BE WHY I EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE. THIS MILEAGE IS VERY LOW FOR A CAT TO FAIL AND IS UNEXCEPTABLE FOR A QUALITY MANUFACTURED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT CLUTCH HAD GONE BAD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE FAILS TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT CLUTCH WAS DEFFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SOMETIMES WHEN I PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND TURN THE KEY TO START THE CAR, THE KEY TURNS FREELY (ALL THE WAY AROUND WITHOUT STARTING TE CAR). WHEN I REPORTED THE PROBLEM IN 1998 TO TE BMW DEALER IN COLUMBUS, GA, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL REACTION. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS "CHECKING" THE SECURITY SYSTEM. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPEN TWO-THREE TIMES A MONTH. YESTERDAY (MAY 12, 2001), I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND STOPPED TO TURN IT OFF. THE IGNITION STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION BUT I COULD PULL MY KEY OUT AND THE ENGINE WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION SO I HAD TO STALL THE CAR IN ORDER TO GET THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING. AFTER I WAS ABLE TO GET THE ENGINE TO CUT OFF, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL ON. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO GET THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO TURN OFF. I BELIEVE THAT THE FREELY TURNING IGNITION AND THE STUCK IGNITION ARE RELATED.*AK
IS THERE A SAFETY ISSUE OR RECOMMENDATION FOR RECALL, OR MANY COMPLAINTS? I HAVE A 1996 328I CONV. WITH 56,000 MILES. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AS OF 8 MONTHS AGO. PURCHASED FROM A LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER WHERE IT WAS TAKEN ON TRADE. WE HAD A FEW OIL LEAKS REPAIRED WITH THE LATEST BEING THE OIL FILTER HOUSING ITSELF. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE HOUSING IS NOW BEING MANUFACTURED DIFFERENTLY. ORIGINALLY THE PLUGS IN THE HOUSING WERE PRESSED IN. APPARENTLY MANY LEAKED AND NOW THE HOUSING PLUGS ARE THE SCREW IN TYPE. I HAD A LEAK AT THE PLUG AREA AND NOW THE ENTIRE HOUSING HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED FOR REPLACEMENT.
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN DRIVE IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS WITH THE ENGINE RECING AT 40 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR AND HIT A TREE, PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURY. NLM
CONVERTIBLE TOP IS DEFECTIVE AND CONSUMER IS WAITING FOR DEALER TO REPLY, IT'S BEEN OVER ONE MONTH AND THE CONSUMER HAS HEARD NOTHING. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUED TO COME ON, EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROLBEM 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
PLASTIC PIVOT FOR CLUTCH RELEASE LEVER FAILED, CAUSING DISTORTION OF DIAPHRAGM SPRING, CAUSING FAILURE OF CLUTCH TO ENGAGE. I BELIEVE THIS PLASTIC PART THAT FAILED IS NEW IN THE 328I SERIES.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP, HOT OIL SPLATTERED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE FROM DASH AREA WHICH NEARLY BURNED THE PASSENGER. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SENDING UNIT FAILED.
MY ENGINE JUST CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO EXPLANATION. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAYS THAT SINCE MY BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED WHILE BEING REPAIRED, ALL FAULT MEMORY WAS LOST. MY DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS WITHOUT ANY REPRODUCIBLE FAILURE. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA ADMITS THAT HTIS KIND OF FAILURE HAPPENS TO 3 AND 5 SERIES CARS, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL AND HAS NOT REPLIED TO MY COMPLAINTS.
CRANK SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE.
I WAS ACCELLERATING FROM A STOP TO HIGHWAY SPEED. WHEN I PUSHED DOWN HARD ON THE ACCELLERATOR TO MOVE FROM 10 MPH UP TO 55 MPH, QUICKLY, TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY DROPPED TO AN IDLE SPEED AND THE GAS PEDAL NO LONGER RESPONDED. THE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A BROKEN THROTTLE CABLE AT THE POINT WHERE IT ENTERS THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A RECALL CAMPAIGN IS MENTIONED IN THE DEALER'S REPAIR ORDER, BUT I RECEIVED NO NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATES WHEN ONE EXPECTS IT TO ACCELLERATE. LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES MAY RESULT. COLLISIONS ARE LIKELY.
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO COMPUTER CONTROLS. ALL CHECK LIGHTS COME ON, ENGINE STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH AND CYLINDERS MISFIRE.
AIR PUMP FAILED.
SUNROOF MOTOR FAILED.
TURN SIGNAL FAILED.
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.
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