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U.S. public vehicle records

2016 Bmw 328I problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

56 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

28,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 56 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues1628.6%
Braking behavior1017.9%
Steering behavior47.1%
Transmission and shifting35.4%
Engine operation23.6%
Fuel system concerns11.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System
21
Engine
15
Engine And Engine Cooling
13
Unknown Or Other
13
Power Train
8
Service Brakes
8
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Steering
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System21
Engine15
Engine And Engine Cooling13
Unknown Or Other13
Power Train8
Service Brakes8
Vehicle Speed Control4
Steering3

Electrical System: 21; Engine: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Unknown Or Other: 13; Power Train: 8; Service Brakes: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Steering: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
7
25,000 to 49,999
8
50,000 to 74,999
0
75,000 to 99,999
2
100,000 to 149,999
2
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0007
25,000 to 49,9998
50,000 to 74,9990
75,000 to 99,9992
100,000 to 149,9992
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 36 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2016
3
2018
7
2019
3
2020
3
2021
2
2022
5
2023
10
2024
8
2025
13
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20163
20187
20193
20203
20212
20225
202310
20248
202513
20262

2016: 3; 2018: 7; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2021: 2; 2022: 5; 2023: 10; 2024: 8; 2025: 13; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11229514 · 2019-07-05 (July 5, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW 328I. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN WITH THE START/STOP FEATURE ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM DRIVE INTO PARK INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY SHIFT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO THE DRIVE GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF SARASOTA (LOCATED AT 5151 CLARK RD, SARASOTA, FL 34233, [phone removed]) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE FEATURE OF SHIFTING INDEPENDENTLY I…

Owner-reported narrative. 38,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229514 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11485534 · 2022-09-20 (September 20, 2022)

When I drive and come to a stop, the car shifts into nuetral. This has happened several times. I have to put the car in Park and restart it. We have checked the codes and have replaced the battery. The car only has 51k miles on it and is not driven more than 2-4 days a week.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11485534 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11100638 · 2018-06-08 (June 8, 2018)

I WAS DRIVING WITH AN ADULT PASSENGER ON JUNE 1, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 3 PM ON A PUBLIC STREET, TRAVELING STRAIGHT AT APPROX 40 MPH. CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND SUNNY. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR STOPPED FOR A BRIEF SECOND AND THEN LUNGED FORWARD WHILE THE BRAKE WAS STILL DEPRESSED. I PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE AND PUSHED HARD TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR CONTINUED FORWARD SEVERAL FEET AND SLOWED TO A STOP. THE ENGINE WAS REVVING WHILE I TRIED TO STOP AND MY PASSENGER STATED THAT THE RPMS INCREASED RAPIDLY. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON OR…

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11100638 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11104669 · 2018-06-29 (June 29, 2018)

I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO APPROACH AND STOP AT A RED LIGHT ON A STREET (NOT HIGHWAY) AND MY CAR WASN'T BRAKING. IT THEN STOPPED. AFTER IT BRAKED AND I WAS SITTING AT THE RED LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FULLY STOPPED AND STATIONARY FOR APPROXIMATELY 10-20 SECONDS MY CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND HIT THE BACK OF THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. THE IMPACT CAUSED A TINY SCRATCH ON THE DRIVERS BUMPER FROM MY LICENSE PLATE. HIS CAR WAS OLD AND HIS BUMPER ALREADY DAMAGED, SO HE WASN'T TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE SCRATCH. WE PULLED OFF TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT A…

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104669 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11162347 · 2018-12-18 (December 18, 2018)

THE VEHICLE FRONT END WILL SHAKE AND LURCH LEFT AND RIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. WHEN DRIVING AT OR BELOW 25MPH, AND A SMALL BUT SHARP BUMP IN THE ROAD IS DRIVEN OVER, THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WILL SHAKE AND THE SUSPENSION IN THE FRONT (IN PARTICULAR THE DRIVERS SIDE) WILL MAKE A LOUD CLUNKING/POPPING SOUND. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP 2 TIMES. THEY TELL ME THAT THE NOISE IS NORMAL AND COMMON ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE. WHEN GOING ONLINE AND TYPING INTO GOOGLE "2016 BMW 328I STEERING NOISE/SUSPENSION NOISE" THERE …

Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162347 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11363159 · 2020-10-07 (October 7, 2020)

VEHICLE HAS UNDER 30,000 MILES AND REQUIRES A NEW POWER STEERING MODULE WHICH INCLUDES THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY, NEW COMPUTER PROGRAMMING AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE FACTORY INSTALLED POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY MODULE IS TURNING OFF AND BACK ON; WHEN OFF THERE IS NO POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE MAKE IF VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS. WHEN THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK ON AND THE VEHICLE IS AT SPEED IT CREATES A VERY SENSITIVE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSES DRIVER TO OVER STEER THE VEHICLE. WHEN MAKING A SHARP TU…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11363159 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11291436 · 2019-12-27 (December 27, 2019)

ENGINE REVVED UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL, I WAS FORCED TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY ONCE THE ENGINE WAS RESTARTED: I WAS TURNING LEFT INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. MY FOOT WAS OFF THE GAS PEDAL AS I WAS BRAKING AND COMING TO A STOP. SUDDENLY (WITH FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE AND NOT THE GAS PEDAL) THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGH RPM WHICH LURCHED THE CAR FORWARD A BIT. SINCE I WAS ALREADY BRAKING, I WAS ABLE TO REACT QUICKLY AND PRESS DOWN EVEN HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11291436 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11455943 · 2022-03-09 (March 9, 2022)

I was at a red light while driving my car.When I stepped on the gas once the light turned green the car stalled and started jerking i immediately smelled smoked and seen smoke coming through the cabin..lt made a strange sound from the engine The service engine light came on and said reduced engine power/ drive train malfunction get service immediately.I was able to coast the car to a curb luckily in front of a car shop as soon as i can get out of the car a worker from the shop ran outside yelling your car is on fire! We lift the hood and he ha…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11455943 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11752072 · 2026-07-22 (July 22, 2026)

When the fuel gauge reads 1/4 of a tank or less the car stalls sporadically and comes to a jerking stop. This causes the cars behind us to either slam on their brakes or swerve to avoid hitting us. We reported this to our local BMW dealer and were told this is a known issue on many models, including ours. However, our car was not included in the existing recalls, so we could either pay for a diagnostic test and the fix OR keep the tank filled. Existing recalls involved the following: In-tank fuel tank sensor getting stuck In-tank fuel line …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11752072 at NHTSA ↗