KnownCarProblems2016 BMW 328i Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 57 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW 328i, most often about the engine (47% of complaints, typically around 76,500 miles). It is 11th of 12 328i model years by number of complaints and has 1 recall.
Most common 2016 BMW 328i problems
Engine
27 complaints · 47%Half of these problems showed up before 76,500 miles.
On march 22, 2021, I was parking my 2016 BMW gran turismo 328x at a parking garage. Ii had completed the initial turn-in, when the car felt like the accelerator had been pushed to the floor. The car went from approximately 5 miles an hour to about 20 MPH in the length of a parking spot. The car hit the concrete…
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 328i. The contact stated that an abnormal, coolant odor would emit throughout her vehicle without warning while driving at various speeds. As the failure persisted, a heavy, white smoke began to emit from the tailpipe with the check engine warning light on the instrument panel. The dealer…
Electrical
21 complaints · 37%Half of these problems showed up before 115,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that upon driving and coming to a stop, there was an abnormal burning odor coming…
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 328i. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 24v608000 (engine and engine cooling, electrical system); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated while driving at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle…
Other or unspecified
14 complaints · 25%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…
I would like to note that it was the driveshaft that caused this. The connection between the driveshaft and the flange loosened completely. There are previous recalls for this with BMW. The vehicle was on a highway, going 65mph and all of a sudden there was vibration and noise from underneath the vehicle. All of a…
Brakes
8 complaints · 14%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…
Transmission
8 complaints · 14%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…
I would like to note that it was the driveshaft that caused this. The connection between the driveshaft and the flange loosened completely. There are previous recalls for this with BMW. The vehicle was on a highway, going 65mph and all of a sudden there was vibration and noise from underneath the vehicle. All of a…
Speed control
4 complaints · 7%This vehicle suddenly shut off in the middle of the intersection. The entire car shut off and would not start again. You could not put the car in neutral either to get it off the road. The car would not move. This vehicle was on a 6 lane road starting to go from the intersection. I know this has happened to another…
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…
Steering
3 complaints · 5%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…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2016 BMW 328i recalls
Electrical: connectors/plugs/receptacles
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the water pump and plug connector as necessary, and install a protective shield, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on march 28, 2025. Owners may contact bmw customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Full defect summary
Bmw of north america, llc. (bmw) is recalling certain 2012-2015 x1 sdrive28i, x1 xdrive28i, 2012-2016 z4 sdrive28i, 528i, 528i xdrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 x5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xdrive, 328xi gran turismo, 2013-2017 x3 sdrive28i, x3 xdrive28i, 2015-2018 x4 xdrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Desiccated air bag inflator rupture
Summary
From 2000 through 2017, takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("psan") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004l. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 blomquist report at www.NHTSA.gov/sites/NHTSA.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substa
Questions about the 2016 BMW 328i
- What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW 328i?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (27 complaints, typically around 76,500 miles); electrical (21 complaints, typically around 115,000 miles); other or unspecified (14 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2016 BMW 328i have?
- 1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from August 13, 2024 (electrical). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2016 a bad year for the BMW 328i?
- It is 11th of 12 328i model years by number of complaints, with 57 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.