1997 BMW 328I
No recall campaign and 25 complaints are on NHTSA's register for the 1997 BMW 328I.
The component named most often is electrical system: 241.4 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 81.5 per 1,000 across all 1997 model-year vehicles and against 182.5 per 1,000 for the BMW 328I line as a whole.
That is fewer than the average of 67.7 complaints per model year across the 21 BMW 328I model years on this register; 3 complaints reported a crash and 0 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2001 (6); the most recent in the file is dated 26 Apr 2017.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
No NHTSA recall campaign names the 1997 BMW 328I. The page exists because 25 complaints do.
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 1997 BMW 328I (black) against all 1997 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 1997 | 328I line | All 1997 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 241.4 | 182.5 | 81.5 |
| Structure | 137.9 | 43 | 40 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 103.4 | 34.4 | 129.3 |
| Tires | 103.4 | 13.4 | 54.1 |
| Air Bags | 103.4 | 218.3 | 60.4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 69 | 21.5 | 43.7 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 1997 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 7 | 241.4 | 182.5 | 81.5 |
| Structure | 4 | 137.9 | 43 | 40 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 103.4 | 34.4 | 129.3 |
| Tires | 3 | 103.4 | 13.4 | 54.1 |
| Air Bags | 3 | 103.4 | 218.3 | 60.4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 69 | 21.5 | 43.7 |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 69 | 26.8 | 25.2 |
| Power Train | 1 | 34.5 | 51.1 | 87.7 |
| Wheels | 1 | 34.5 | 11.5 | 10.4 |
| Seats | 1 | 34.5 | 17.7 | 13.2 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 34.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Steering | 1 | 34.5 | 40.1 | 70 |
25 unique complaints, 29 component mentions; 1 injuries and 1 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
No NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation action in the current file names this model year.
Other BMW 328I model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 0 | 31 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | 25 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | 25 | — |
| 1999 | 7 | 82 | 207,270 |
| 2000 | 7 | 105 | 1,018,247 |
| 2001 | 3 | 4 | 371,644 |
| 2002 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 292,948 |
| 2003 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 292,948 |
| 2004 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 292,948 |
| 2005 NHTSA | 1 | 0 | 292,948 |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 | 1,156,959 |
| 2007 | 6 | 338 | 2,490,876 |
| 2008 | 5 | 175 | 2,414,311 |
| 2009 | 6 | 128 | 2,430,952 |
| 2010 | 6 | 72 | 2,570,448 |
| 2011 | 7 | 224 | 2,570,638 |
| 2012 | 6 | 47 | 1,267,696 |
| 2013 | 5 | 90 | 873,667 |
| 2014 | 8 | 47 | 839,513 |
| 2015 | 4 | 17 | 735,429 |
| 2016 NHTSA | 1 | 11 | 720,796 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All BMW 328I model years · BMW: 250 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 1997 BMW 328I have?
0 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year. Across all model years the BMW 328I line has 27 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 1997 BMW 328I?
No NHTSA investigation in the current file names this model year.
What component do owners of the 1997 BMW 328I complain about most?
Electrical System: 7 of 29 component mentions (241.4 per 1,000). Next is structure with 4. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.