RoadVitals

1993 BMW 325ISA

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.
1
Latest Jun 23, 2003
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 4, 1998
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.
1

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 1993 BMW 325ISA, most frequently naming the electrical category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 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

  • Electrical1100.0%

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

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
98V178000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Aug 4, 1998
340,000 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
The risk: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Electrical
Filed Jun 23, 2003
Fire reported

TWO NIGHT AGO I NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUTOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY NEXT MORNING I WENT TO MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON BUT ALSO THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. I WENT THROUGH THE DAY WITH BOTH ON WHEN I REMEMBERED I CHANGED THE LICENSE PLATE BULB LIGHTS THE PREVIOUS DAY. THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM I OPENED MY TRUNK AND LOOKED AT THE LIGHTS AND NOTICED THE WIRES LEADING TO THE TRUNK. WHEN I LIFTED THE TRUNK LID ALL THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. I SHUT THE TRUNK AND PROCEED INSIDE MY HOUSE WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON RIGHT AS I STEPPED THROUGH THE DOOR. I WENT BACK TO THE CAR AND OPENED THE TRUNK WHICH IN WHEN I HEARD THE NOISE OF SPARKS COMMONS FROM THE WIRES LEADING FROM THE TRUNK LID INTO THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE WIRED AND PROCEEDED TO IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECT MY BATTERY WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY TRUNK. AFTER I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, I LOOKED AT THE REMAINS WHERE THE SPARKS HAD COME FROM, THE WIRES WERE ALL MELTED AND FRAYED. I RE-COATED ALL THE WIRES WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE. THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY INCIDENT REGARDING WIRES. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE WIRED. I FEW MONTHS EARLIER I NOTICED FRAYING OF WIRED IN THE SAME VICINITY. THE WIRE COATING IS TO THIN AND OVER TIME THE WIRES MOLD TOGETHER TO FORM ONE WHICH CAUSES THEM TO TOUCH ONE ANOTHER CREATING A VERY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD I NOT SEEN THOSE LIGHTS COME BACK ON, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THIS CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, AND REGARDLESS THE WIRES ARE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. I POSTED A MESSAGE ON A BMW FORUM WHEN THE EVENT INITIALLY HAPPENED AND MANY PEOPLE REPORTED HAVING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AND MANY WITH EVEN NEWER MODELS REPORT SEEING SIGNS OF FRAYING AND WIRES COMING THROUGH THE COATING. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023568
Incident
Jun 22, 2003
Mileage
162,500 mi

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 325ISA by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1995010—
1994110—
1993Viewing110—
1992010—
1987100—

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.