RoadVitals

1989 BMW 325I

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.
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Latest Feb 6, 2007
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 BMW 325I, most frequently naming the fuel system, driver assistance and engine categories. 1 manufacturer communication is 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

  • Fuel system220.0%
  • Driver assistance220.0%
  • Engine220.0%
  • Brakes110.0%
  • Interior & seats110.0%
  • Seat belts110.0%
  • Visibility110.0%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Fuel system
Filed Feb 6, 2007

1989 BMW 325I - FUEL LINE DISINTEGRATION. THERE WAS A RECALL IN 1994 - WENT TO DEALER TO HAVE FIXED - DEALER DECLINE "NO OUTSTANDING RECALL", CALLED BMW 800 831 1117 ON 2/6/2007 - PROVIDED VIN AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OUTSTANDING RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN RECALL 94V066000 IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY THIS VEHICLE. IF BMW FIXED IT, THE FIX IS DEFECTIVE. A 1989 CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE FUEL LINES DEGRADING AN SPILLING GASOLINE ON THE ENGINE. SEEMS THE RECALL NEEDS ANOTHER RECALL OR THERE WILL BE A FIRE AND PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. *JB

NHTSA ID
10181821
Incident
Feb 6, 2007
Mileage
160,000 mi
EngineFuel systemVisibility
Filed Aug 24, 2005

PROBLEM WITH COOLING SYSTEM BEGAN WITHIN APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH OF PURCHASE DATE (. CAR BOUGHT USED, FROM MECHANIC/BMW AUTHORIZED REPAIR SERVICE (SAME MECHANIC IN FOLLOWING NARRATIVE). NOTICED 1): COOLANT LIGHT COMING ON; COOLANT LEVEL SLIGHTLY LOW; TOLD PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE COMPUTER CHIP, TOLD TO KEEP EYE ON COOLANT LEVEL; BROUGHT CAR IN AGAIN BECAUSE LIGHT COMING ON MORE OFTEN, COOLANT LEVEL LOW TO EMPTY IN OVERFLOW AFTER MEDIUM-LONG DISTANCE DRIVE (75 - 100 MILES); TOLD TO JUST KEEP PUTTING COOLANT IN OVERFLOW, NOTHING WAS WRONG; ASKED MECHANIC TO CHECK THE COOLANT SYSTEM EVERY TIME WE BROUGHT CAR IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE; SAME PROBLEM CONTINUES, BUT TRAVEL DISTANCE IS LESS (50-75 MILES), BROUGHT IN AGAIN, TOLD RADIATOR LEAKING; MECHANIC PUT STOP-LEAK IN IT; SAME PROBLEM, EVEN LESS TRAVEL DISTANCE (30 MILES); REPLACED RADIATOR; SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED,(AFTER DRIVING 25-35 MILES), TOLD TO KEEP EYE ON COOLANT LEVEL; TRAVEL DISTANCE 13 MILES, LIGHT GOES ON, ENGINE MAKES LOUD NOISE; TOOK CAR IN, TOLD COOLANT GOT INTO ENGINE AND HEAD OR ENGINE BLOCK PROBABLY CRACKED AS A RESULT OF OVER-HEATING, EVEN THOUGH TEMP GAUGE NEVER INDICATED ANY OVERHEATING; TOLD FOR FIRST TIME THAT TEMP GAUGE DOES NOT REGISTER AFTER COOLANT FALLS BELOW A CERTAIN LEVEL: TOLD THIS WAS A BMW PROBLEM BECAUSE OF WHERE THE SENSOR IS LOCATED; TOLD PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED WITH A "STOP-LEAK" TYPE OF PRODUCT FOR THE ENGINE; SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN:LIGHT ON, COOLANT LEVEL 0; FINALLY JUST TOLD 8-22-05 THE HEAD IS CRACKED. 2):FRONT WINDOW WOUOLD NOT DEFROST, EVEN WHEN WE WIPED IT OFF. 3): SMELL OF GASOLINE: TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE SHOP FOR THE COOLANT PROBLEM THIS LAST TIME FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. WE HAVE SPENT A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS PRIOR TO THIS LATEST DIAGNOSIS, NOW MECHANIC SAYS IT WILL COST US AT MINIMUM 1400 FOR A USED HEAD. DEFROST PROBLEM NOT SOLVED; GASOLINE SMELL STILL THERE.

NHTSA ID
10134019
Incident
Jan 10, 2004
Seat belts
Filed Jan 14, 2004

FRONT SEAT BELT LACHES ARE DIFFICULT TO LATCH. THEY ALSO COME UNLATCHED BY THEMSELVES PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TWO BMW'S AN 87 325E AND AN 89 325I THAT HAVE BOTH HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT IS VERY UNNERVING TO WONDER WHETHER THE LACH ON THE SEATBELT WILL HOLD YOU IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10053206
Incident
Jan 12, 2004
Mileage
127,500 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Oct 15, 2003

ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, TACHOMETER, MPG GAUGE BATTERIES ON SI BOARD FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, TACHOMETER, MPG GAUGE TO STOP WORKING. SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT FROM NOT KNOWING ENGINE TEMP. *LA

NHTSA ID
10042963
Incident
Oct 11, 1989
Mileage
242,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 25, 2003

THE VEHICLE OVER HEATED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10012488
Incident
Mar 25, 2003
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 13, 2002
Crash reported

WITH FOOT ON BRAKE CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT 60 MPH, CONSUMER CAME TO A STOP WHEN VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER CAR.*AK *MJ

NHTSA ID
8011789
Incident
Jun 7, 2002
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 13, 2002

WHILE SHIFTING GEAR TO DRIVE AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UP TO 60 MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
8011788
Brakes
Filed Mar 2, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
703945

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.

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 325I by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2012100
2011130
2010030
2009030
2008130
2007130
20065157359.7
2005715561.5
20041475562.1
20031998361.2
20021627365.5
20011517056.6
2000120
1999010
1995312048.8
1994173044.7
1993213040.2
1992404050.8
1991400
1990500
1989Viewing800
1988500
1987501
1986001
1985001

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.