2013 BMW 320I Problems and Recalls (9 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2013 BMW 320I is Engine (22% of 9 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
What problems show up on the 2013 BMW 320I?
2 of 9 filings named Engine (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Transmission / driveline (2 reports).
There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Brakes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.
What owners reported
- Crashes 1
- Fires 0
- Injuries 0
- Deaths 0
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine (ENGINE) | 2 | 22.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 2 | 22.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 1 | 11.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 1 | 11.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 1 | 11.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 1 | 11.1% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 1 | 11.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 2 | 22.2% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 14V627000 was reported 320 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 13V454000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V627000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V520000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE13030 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA21002 |
Safety Recalls (3)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Brakes.
-
Recall campaign 13V454000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the vehicles to prevent insufficient vacuum pump lubrication, free of charge. The safety recall began on January 31, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
-
Recall campaign 14V627000
Brakes
- Report date
- Component:
- Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
- Consequence:
- A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will install a locking ring in the camshaft to retain the camshaft seal disk in the proper location, free of charge. The recall began on December 2, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
-
Recall campaign 15V520000
Safety recall 15V520000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will upload revised software to correct the issue, free of charge. The recall began on October 7, 2015. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or by email at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2013 BMW 320I?
Owners named Engine most often — 2 of 9 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2013 BMW 320I?
NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Brakes. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2013 BMW 320I?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.