Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 BMW 325I, most frequently naming the airbags, brakes and tires & wheels categories. 3 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.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1999 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 1999 | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 2005 | 1 | 3 |
| May 2015 | 1 | 4 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
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.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. LOUD EXPLOSION AND A PUFF OF WHITE SMOKY POWDER FILLED THE CAR CABIN. IF I WERE DRIVING, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT AS MY VISIBILITY WAS ZERO. WITHOUT INSPECTING, A BMW SERVICE REP SAID A SENSOR HAD TO HAVE SET THE BAG OFF. NEW AIR BAG WOULD COST $990 + THE SENSOR REPLACEMENT COST.
DT: THE TIRES ONLY HAVE 50 TO 60 MILES ON THEM, TWO BLOW OUTS. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER SAID THIS WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW. OUT. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM. THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED CONSUMER AGAIN. *AK
VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD IMMEDIALTELY UPON ENGAGEMENT INTO FORWARD GEAR AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED BEFORE HITTING CONCRETE PLATFORM.
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIGOROUSLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
AIR BAGS
RECALL 96V110 - BMW OF NORTH AMERICA HAS INITIATED A RECALL CAMPAIGN WHICH INVOLVES THE AIRBAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB. *TW
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
RECALL 96V111 - THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVES THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *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.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 515 | 7 | 3 | 59.7 |
| 2005 | 71 | 5 | 5 | 61.5 |
| 2004 | 147 | 5 | 5 | 62.1 |
| 2003 | 199 | 8 | 3 | 61.2 |
| 2002 | 162 | 7 | 3 | 65.5 |
| 2001 | 151 | 7 | 0 | 56.6 |
| 2000 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 48.8 |
| 1994 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 44.7 |
| 1993 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 40.2 |
| 1992 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 50.8 |
| 1991Viewing | 4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 5 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | 0 | 1 | — |
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.