Most common 1999 BMW 328i problems
Share of the 98 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 328i complaints by model year
Best 328i years: 2006, 2001, 2016. Years to avoid: 2011, 2007, 2013, 2009, 2014. Compare all years →
1999 BMW 328i recalls (7)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
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 › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999 323i and 328i vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata at one specific inflator production facility. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver air bag inflators and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2000 323i and 328i and 2000 323Ci and 328Ci vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These inflators do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant.
Remedy: BMW will mail interim notices informing owners of the safety risk on January 17, 2020. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available.
Air bags › Side/window
On certain 4-door passenger vehicles, the side air bag system could deploy in certain non-crash impacts, such as when contacting large potholes or curbs at substantial speeds.
Remedy: Dealers will recalibrate the central air bag control module to reduce the possibility of such a non-crash deployment. Owner notification began October 25, 2002.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Pedals and linkages
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. It is possible that the retaining clip that secures the brake booster pushrod to the brake pedal arm was not properly installed during production. It is possible for the clip to detach from the pin on the brake pedal arm allowing the pushrod to disconnect from the arm.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the clip for tight installation and replace the clip if it is loose.
Show 1 more recall
Air bags › Side/window
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles are built with a side air bag system consisting of door-mounted thorax air bags (rear door air bags are optional), a head protection system (hps) for front occupants, a central electronic sensor and diagnostic system, left and right satellite impact sensors, and associated…
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the central computer control module that regulates the performance of all of the vehicle's occupant protection systems.
What 1999 BMW 328i owners say
Air bags all 37 →
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owned a 1999 BMW 328i. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, went through a red light and stroke a truck. The front end of the vehicle got severely damaged. None of the frontal air bags deployed the police was present, but no report was issued. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The contact also stated receiving a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 19V852000 (air bags) on January 21 2020 after the accident took place. . The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000. VIN tool confirmed parts not available.
On June 11, 2020 my car was delivered to classic BMW in plano, texas for 1999 BMW safety recall 19v-851 for the Takata non-azide driver inflator. They were only supposed to change the igniter, but when I received the car the next day I noticed they replaced the entire airbag assembly. A couple of days later I tried the horn and it did not work and made an appointment to bring the car back for repair. I got the car back on June 25.2020 and was told that a connector was not completely attached. However, the paperwork they gave me stated - "first visit a dual stage airbag was received from parts. Vehicle has a one stage igniter. The harness was different causing horn to be inop." the car was returned with the original airbag (or one that looks just like it) and the horn now works. …
Transmission & drivetrain
" BMW [redacted] [no-reverse] transmission"-hello, I'm a 17 male student who works a part time job, ever since I was a kid I have dreamed on having a BMW for my first car,and do I saved my money since I was 5 years old. I bought my car in May and was extremely happy! But just the other day I was stuck at school because my car won't reverse? Also last week there was a road block by the police and so I had to reverse to go back but of course my luck,the reverse issue started to happen in that situation, had to get a towing truck to help me out.. Extremely disappointed and so I called a couple of mechanics and BMW and the cost on fixing this issue cost as much.as the car!! And I am only 17 with not so much money due to spending it on "the ultimate driving machine".. …
My 1999 nmw 328i wont go into reverse on occasions. The first time this happened I was in a dark parking area alone. The car gave me no warning. I had driven the car all the day and nothing happened. I got into the car later to go home and it wouldn't go into reverse. I was able to push the car so that I could go into drive which works fine. I took my car to the BMW place at 10,000 miles to get transmission serviced and they said that there was no need because it was a lifetime transmission fluid. The BMW place in tallahassee florida capital euro checked the car. They kept the car for almost a month and the problem wouldn't happen for them so they couldn't tell me what the problem is. I took the car home and it was fine for about a week and started again. …
Body & structure
The welds securing the passenger side fuel strap bracket to the body failed while driving around 45mph on a smooth road. I noticed a metal scraping noise and pulled over. The bracket was still attached to the strap and was dragging on the ground until I took it off. The failure happened during completely safe conditions, with no warning signs of failure. Inspection of the bracket and area of the frame suggests that the tack welds were defective. If the failure had happened at highway speeds or on a rough surface, it could well have caused a blowout of the rear tire and possibly dropping the gas tank. This defect is extremely dangerous. A quick search turns up dozens of accounts of the exact failure for this model.
The subframe ripped out from under the vehicle while driving. Vehicle was then driven to the dealership. The rear tires separated from the body of the vehicle, and only were attached by the shocks and rear axle. Dealership indicated that the factory didn't reinforce the unibody to the subframe, which caused this failure to occur.
1999 BMW 328i engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 BMW 328i a good car?
Based on 98 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 328i rates average: 21% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 328i at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 BMW 328i?
The air bags — 37 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (12) and body & structure (11).
How many recalls does the 1999 BMW 328i have?
There are 7 recalls for the 1999 BMW 328i, the most recent from May 27, 2021 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 328i?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2006, 2001 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 2007, 2013, 2009 and 2014. See the full BMW 328i years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 BMW 328i problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 108,000 miles; 19% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.