What years of the BMW 320i should I avoid?

NHTSA data points to 2014 and 2016 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 86, the two highest among all 320i model years covered.

Which BMW 320i years are the best?

The 2013 and 2017 model years are rated Good, with complaint indexes of 29 and 43, well below the 2014 and 2016 Avoid years.

Why is the 2014 BMW 320i rated Avoid?

The 2014 320i has the highest complaint index (100), 52 complaints including 5 crashes and 1 fire, and 7 recall campaigns, mostly involving airbags.

Does the BMW 320i have recall issues?

Across the years covered, NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns total for the 320i, with the 2014 model year alone accounting for 7 of them, mostly airbag-related.

What are the most common problems reported on the BMW 320i?

Across all years, Engine complaints make up 32% of the total 152 complaints, followed by Electrical System at 24% and Fuel System at 18%.

BMW 320i Best and Worst Years (2005–2018)

Avoid the 2014 and 2016 BMW 320i, which have the highest complaint indexes (100 and 86) and the most crashes and fires. The 2013 and 2017 model years are rated Good, with lower complaint indexes of 29 and 43.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2014 Avoid 2016

Model years: 8; 2005–2018
NHTSA complaints: 152
Recall campaigns: 8
Crashes reported: 18
Fires reported: 4
Top problem area: Engine

320i Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

BMW 320i problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	No verdict	14	0	0	0	1 !	—	—	—
2012	No verdict	0	3	0	0	3	Airbags	—	—
2013	Good	29	9	1	0	3	Airbags	27	—
2014	Avoid	100	52	5	1	7	Electrical System	27	5★
2015	Caution	57	33	0	1	3	Engine	27	5★
2016	Avoid	86	25	4	2	0	Engine	27	—
2017	Good	43	9	2	0	0	Engine	27	—
2018	Caution	71	21	6	0	0	Electrical System	27	—

320i years to avoid: what went wrong

2014 BMW 320i Index 100 · 52 complaints · 7 recalls

The 2014 320i has the highest complaint index (100) of any year and ranks worst overall. Owners reported 52 complaints, including 5 crashes, 1 fire, and 4 injuries. Electrical System problems make up 29% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 52,000, followed by Engine issues at 27% (median 92,936 miles) and Fuel System at 19% (median 76,000 miles). NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this year, including three separate airbag recalls covering head air bag and driver's front air bag replacement. Sample complaints describe a brake failure during low-speed parking, headlight and brake-light electrical malfunctions, an airbag deployment injury, and an engine-bay fire that spread to the fuel tank area.

2014 electrical system problems →

2016 BMW 320i Index 86 · 25 complaints · 0 recalls

The 2016 320i has a complaint index of 86, the second-highest of any year, with 25 complaints, 4 crashes, 2 fires, and 4 injuries. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this year. Engine problems account for 44% of complaints with a median failure mileage of 119,000, followed by Brakes at 28% (median 16,621.5 miles) and Structure & Body at 24% (median 32,000 miles). Sample complaints describe a brake lockup that led to a low-speed collision, an under-hood engine fire discovered after parking, and a sunroof that cracked and bowed upward while driving.

Most common BMW 320i problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Engine48 (32%)
Electrical System36 (24%)
Fuel System28 (18%)
Other25 (16%)
Airbags21 (14%)
Brakes19 (13%)
Structure & Body17 (11%)
Transmission & Powertrain17 (11%)
Steering6 (4%)
Seat Belts4 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What years of the BMW 320i should I avoid?: NHTSA data points to 2014 and 2016 as the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 86, the two highest among all 320i model years covered.
Which BMW 320i years are the best?: The 2013 and 2017 model years are rated Good, with complaint indexes of 29 and 43, well below the 2014 and 2016 Avoid years.
Why is the 2014 BMW 320i rated Avoid?: The 2014 320i has the highest complaint index (100), 52 complaints including 5 crashes and 1 fire, and 7 recall campaigns, mostly involving airbags.
Does the BMW 320i have recall issues?: Across the years covered, NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns total for the 320i, with the 2014 model year alone accounting for 7 of them, mostly airbag-related.
What are the most common problems reported on the BMW 320i?: Across all years, Engine complaints make up 32% of the total 152 complaints, followed by Electrical System at 24% and Fuel System at 18%.