1997 BMW 328I Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 1997 BMW 328I, and owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1997 BMW 328I. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 BMW 328I have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 97,145 miles. Complaints peaked in 2001 with 6 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“After seeing yet another rear end collision, i would like to make a suggestion i have had in mind for a long time. I believe we can reduce the incidence of such accidents, by flashing the stop signals”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 26, 2017 · Electrical system
“The locking device on a 1997 BMW 328i intermittently makes it impossible for occupants to exit the vehicle if it is locked while occupied. This is a safety risk, which creates a high danger and severi”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 4, 2014 · Electrical system
Compare BMW 328I model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 328I model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 BMW 328I | 0 | 31 |
| 1997 BMW 328I | 0 | 25 |
| 1998 BMW 328I | 0 | 26 |
| 1999 BMW 328I | 7 | 98 |
| 2000 BMW 328I | 7 | 112 |
| 2001 BMW 328I | 3 | 4 |
| 2002 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 BMW 328I | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 BMW 328I | 3 | 0 |
| 2007 BMW 328I | 6 | 398 |
| 2008 BMW 328I | 5 | 239 |
| 2009 BMW 328I | 6 | 193 |
| 2010 BMW 328I | 6 | 155 |
| 2011 BMW 328I | 7 | 577 |
| 2012 BMW 328I | 6 | 130 |
| 2013 BMW 328I | 5 | 257 |
| 2014 BMW 328I | 8 | 151 |
| 2015 BMW 328I | 4 | 125 |
| 2016 BMW 328I | 1 | 57 |
Checking a specific 1997 BMW 328I
How do I know if my 1997 BMW 328I has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
- 335I810 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.