RoadVitals

1994 BMW 325 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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
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
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 5, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 25 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 BMW 325. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 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
Engine
Filed Oct 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
713133
Incident
Oct 1, 1999
Engine
Filed Aug 6, 1999

RECALL #98V-178.000/BMW/COOLANT SYSTEM: RADIATOR CAP MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THREE HOSES TO BLOW. ALSO, HEATER CONTROL VALVE FAILED AND CAUSED STEAM TO ENTER INTO VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK OR LESS LATER , A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED. NOTIFIED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT COOLANT SYSTEM, RADIATOR CAP MALFUCTIONING WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE PROBLEM. SEEKING HELP IN THIS MATTER FROM NHTSA. *AK

NHTSA ID
844587
Incident
May 30, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 18, 1999

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE FROM THE BASE. NO CLIPS. *AK

NHTSA ID
708761
Incident
Jul 10, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 28, 1999

THE SPEEDOMETER OF THE CAR SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE END, PASSING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER, 160 MPH, BUT THE CAR WAS GOING AT ONLY 40 MPH. WHILE THIS HAPPENED, THE ODOMETER OF THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING LIKE IT WAS GOING AT 160+MPH, THAT IS IN ONLY ONE MILE, THE ODOMETER READ LIKE IT HAD TRAVELLED 4-5 MILES. WHILE THIS WAS HAPENNING, THE CAR COULD NOT GO MORE THAN ABOUT 55-60 MPH. AS SOON AS THE RPM TOUCHED 3000, THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF, AND WHEN IT GOT BELOW 3000RPM, IT WOULD GO BACK ON AGAIN. I STOPPED THE CAR, AND STARTED AGAIN, AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. A FEW DAYS LATER, I WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS GOING AT 50 MPH AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND DID NOT GO BACK ON AGAIN. WHILE THE CAR WAS GOING DOWNHILL AND SPEEDING UP, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY. I EXPLAINED THAT TO OPEN ROAD BMW AT 731 US HWY 1 SOUTH, EDISON NJ, 08817, TEL 732-985-8450, BUT THEY SAID BECUSE I COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM RIGHT THERE, THERE WAS NO WAY THEY COULD KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE PROBLEM BECAME WORSE MORE THAN A YEAR OR SO LATER, BUT STILL I COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM IN FRONT OF THE DEALER. FINALLY, I TOOK A VIDEOTAPE OF THE PROBLEM, AND PRESENTED IT TO THE DEALER. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ME, BUT THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. I KEPT EXPLAINING TO THEM THAT THE ACTUAL MILEAGE OF THE CAR WAS MUCH LESS THAN WHAT IT SHOWED, BUT THEY WOULD NOT CHANGE THEIR MINDS. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
707985
Incident
Jul 1, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 13, 1998

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
534005
Incident
Mar 29, 1997
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 16, 1997
Crash reported

ACCELERATOR LOCKED UP WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER GARAGE, CAUSING A CRASH INTO THE HOUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
523306
Incident
Aug 30, 1997
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Sep 22, 1997
Crash reported

VEHICLE TOOK OFF BY ITSELF AND THE AIRBAG'S DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT.VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. OWNER STATES THAT THERE IS A SAFETY NOTICE CAMPAIGN. *AK

NHTSA ID
816542
Incident
Aug 30, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jul 21, 1997

SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT 30 TO 40 MPH WHEN STEERING AND BRAKES WENT BAD. DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
814726
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Dec 4, 1996

WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED ENGINE SURGING, AS THOUGH IN NEUTRAL GEAR, ALSO EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION HESITATION WHILE ACCELERATING. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
805914
Incident
Jul 15, 1996
Suspension
Filed Aug 16, 1996

REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE, CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
507613
Incident
Jun 2, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Nov 17, 1995

TRUNK HYDRAULIC LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED 3 TIMES. *TT

NHTSA ID
601119
Incident
May 1, 1994
Visibility
Filed Oct 31, 1995

WINDSHIELD ARM STRUCK WINDSHIELD CRACKING IT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
974216
Incident
Oct 21, 1995
Engine
Filed Sep 5, 1995

VEHICLE VIBRATION. *TW

NHTSA ID
483785
Incident
Mar 1, 1994
Airbags
Filed Jun 29, 1995
Crash reported1 injury reported

HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION, DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, TOTALLED VEHICLE. TT

NHTSA ID
967990
Incident
Jun 13, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 19, 1995

NHTSA RECALL #94V151000 INTERIOR SYSTEMS SHOULDER BELT; WARNING ILLUMINATES CONSTANTLY. NORTHGATE BMW MADE (4) ATTEMPTS. TT

NHTSA ID
967183
Airbags
Filed Feb 23, 1995
Crash reported1 injury reported

AT 35MPH 12:00 POSITION DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. TT

NHTSA ID
960453
Incident
Dec 26, 1994
Body & structure
Filed Jan 5, 1995

PROBLEM W/ROOF. *SD

NHTSA ID
477644
Incident
Jan 5, 1994

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .