1985 BMW 325E Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1985 BMW 325E, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical133.3%
- Tires & wheels133.3%
- Visibility133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRAVELING IN FAST HEAVY TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THUS SPEED WAS UNKNOWN UNTIL THE POLICE PULLED ME OVER FOR EXCEEDING THE SPEED LIMIT BY 25 MPH. AFTER 5 SPEEDING TICKETS AND SUSPENSION OF MY LICENSE I PARKED THE CAR AND MY DAD REPLACED THE PARTS FROM A USED CAR PARTS RECYCLE LOT. HE THEN DROVE IT WITH OCCASIONAL FAILURES THAT HE REPAIRED WITH USED AND NEW CAR PARTS. HE FOUND THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD RUN OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH AND DAMAGED THE FRONT FENDERS AND FRONT SUSPENSION. THE PARTS WERE FROM VARIOUS BMW'S AND WERE NOT MATCHED BY VIN, SO THE VEHICLE DID NOT HANDLE WELL. MY DAD REPLACED ALL THE IMPROPERLY MATCHED PARTS WITH NEW PARTS FROM THE BMW DEALER PARTS DEPARTMENT. THIS 325E IS A PLEASURE TO DRIVE NOW. WITH THE INSTRUMENTS ALLOWING YOU TO KNOW THE SPEED IT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE 50 MPG AND DRIVE IT CONFIDENTLY AT SPEEDS EXCEEDING THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THE ROAD. IT NOW CORNERS LIKE A RACE CAR, AND EASILY REACHES SPEEDS ABOVE 100MPH. THIS CAR WOULD BE BEST DRIVEN ON THE AUTOBAHN AT SPEEDS CLOSER TO 160 MPH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
PURCHASED 4 BRIGESTONE TIRES #1956041 BR EAGER BW 85H ON DECEMBER 7, 2003. HAD 1 FAIL THE NEXT DAY WHICH I REPLACED WITH MY SPARE. THAT SAME DAY DECEMBER 8TH ANOTHER OF THE NEW TIRES BLEW OUT CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VECHICLE AND GO INTO ANOTHER LANE WHERE I WAS STRUCK BY A VECHICLE HEAD ON DRIVING MY VECHICLE INTO A 3RD CAR. ALL 4 OF THE NEW TIRES SHOW SIGNS OF DEFECTIVE DESIGN OR FAILURE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
RECALL 93V015000;WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. STEAM AND SMOKE APPEARED, AND HOT FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT ONTO DRIVER'S SIDE LEGS. DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .