RoadVitals

1994 BMW 325

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
25
Latest Jun 6, 2011
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 10, 1994
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 25 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 BMW 325, most frequently naming the airbags, engine and driver assistance categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 10 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags413.8%
  • Engine413.8%
  • Driver assistance413.8%
  • Body & structure310.3%
  • Transmission310.3%
  • Brakes310.3%
  • Interior & seats310.3%
  • Visibility13.4%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
94V151000

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

Aug 10, 1994
57,000 units potentially affected
The defect: IN A FMVSS NO. 208 30 MILES-PER-HOUR COMPLIANCE TEST, AN UNBELTED TEST DRIVER DUMMY'S CHEST MAXIMUM RESULTANT ACCELERATION WAS 70.8 G'S, WHICH EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE VALUE OF 60 G'S. ALSO, THE UNBELTED PASSENGER DUMMY'S LEFT FEMUR MAXIMUM LOAD WAS 2361 LBS, WHICH EXCEEDS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE VALUE OF 2250 LBS. THE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
The risk: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE OCCUPANT WILL BE SUBJECTED TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
The remedy: ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODELS ONLY, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SUPPORT CROSSMEMBER WITH A CROSSMEMBER USED ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODEL. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION REAR BUSHING SUPPORTS WILL BE REPLACED WITH BUSHING HAVING DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS. THE STEERING COLUMN FRONT SUPPORT BEARING AT THE FIREWALL WILL BE REPLACED WITH A MODIFIED PART USING A TEFLON INNER SURFACE AND TEFLON SPRAY WILL BE APPLIED TO THE COLUMN HOUSING IN THE AREA OF THE BEARING. A BRACE WILL BE ADDED BETWEEN THE KNEE BOLSTER SUPPORT AND THE STEERING COLUMN.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 25
Transmission
Filed Jun 6, 2011

CAR LOST POWER DUE TO PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION. CAR HAS 120,000 MILES AND NEW TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REQUIRED AT 55,000 IN 2000. BMW 3 SERIES TRANSMISSIONS SEEM TO BE DEFECTIVE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF TRANSMISSIONS SUDDENLY FAILING IN 3 SERIES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10405370
Incident
May 28, 2011
Mileage
120,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jan 26, 2005

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE FAILED AT 80,000 MILES. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS ENGINE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT HOLD OIL . *TC THE ENGINE HAD BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT A NEW WATER PUMP WAS NEEDED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10101132
Incident
Apr 8, 2004
Mileage
80,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jul 30, 2002

TIRE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 % TREAD REMAINING ON TIRE, THE TREAD PEALED OFF THE CASING AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO UNDER FENDER AND TO RIM OF CAR WHEN TIRE BLEW AND RAN ON RIM OFF ROAD-NO PERSONAL INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ID
764949
Brakes
Filed Jun 28, 2001

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPAIRED ONCE UNDER RECALL. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS A LIGHT COMING ON THAT SAID CHECK BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT. CONSUMER STATED THIS LIGHT CONSTANTLY CAME ON. *AK CONSUMER FEELS THE BRAKE SWITCH IS ALSO FAULTY, HOWEVER DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE IT. *SLC

NHTSA ID
891596
Incident
Jun 1, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jun 6, 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT FAILED. AIRBAG WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
889913
Incident
May 28, 2001
Brakes
Filed Oct 30, 2000

ON CERTAIN STRETCHES OF CALIFORNIA FREEWAYS HAVING A LONG DOWNGRADE WITH CAR TRAVELLING AT 55 MPH, BRAKES FADE, EMIT A SMELL, AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SLOW OR STOP CAR UNLESS 2 FEET ARE USED ON THE PEDAL. THIS HAPPENED TWICE AT TWO LOCATIONS (I5 GRAPEVINE @ BAKERSFIELD HEADING NORTH, AND I580 NEAR LIVERMORE HEADING EAST).*AK

NHTSA ID
735420
Incident
Jun 20, 1994
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Oct 30, 2000

ALL FOUR DOORS AND DRIVER SEAT RATTLE CONSTANTLY. AFTER NUMEROUS VISITS TO THE DEALER, THE BMW AREA REP FINALLY ORDERED THAT TAPE BE PLACED AROUND THE DOORS. THIS TOOK 4 YEARS TO ACHIEVE AND CURED THE DOOR RATTLES FOR ONE DAY, UPON WHICH THEY RETURNED. BY THE TIME THE AREA REP RETURNED, THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD TO MOVE AWAY FOR A JOB CHANGE. THE NEXT STEP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO REPLACE RUBBER DOOR SEALS. THE DEALER ALSO DAMAGED THE DRIVER SEAT, CAUSING IT TO RATTLE AND SQUEAK, THE FIRST VISIT TO REPAIR THE DOOR PROBLEM. NEITHER THE DOOR OR SEAT RATTLES HAVE BEEN FIXED TO THIS DAY.*AK

NHTSA ID
735419
Incident
Mar 27, 1994
SteeringTransmission
Filed Oct 30, 2000

UNABLE TO UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER WITH KEY UNLESS STEERING WHEEL IS VIOLENTLY PULLED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES SINCE CAR WAS NEW BUT DID NOT/COULD NOT CORRECT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
735418
Incident
May 1, 1994

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

72/07/96

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CHILD AIRBAG LETTER, WARNING LABEL AND SAFETY REFERENCE CARD. *TW

41/03/96

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

WIND NOISE DIAGNOSTICS. *TW

MSG1016

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

RECALL 96V111 - THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVES THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TW

650295(4168)

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL SET SPEED DROPS SLIGHTLY. *TW

640594(4123)

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

RATCHETING/CLICKING NOISE FROM A/C COMPRESSOR AFTER TURN-OFF. *TW

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 325 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2012011—
2011011—
2010011—
2009011—
2008111—
2007011—
2006811—
2003900—
2002262352.6
2001312054.6
2000020—
1999200—
1998400—
1997100—
1996400—
1995230042.2
1994Viewing251044.5
1993831—
1992233258.9
1991632—
1990621—
1989112159.8
1988721—
1987152365.9
1986934—
1985125—
1984311—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.