RoadVitals

2001 BMW 525

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

NHTSA has issued a “do not drive” advisory affecting this model year.

Campaign 17V047000. Confirm whether your specific vehicle is covered using its VIN before acting on this.

Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov
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.
3
Latest Jan 17, 2012
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 Jan 20, 2017
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.
2

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 BMW 525, most frequently naming the airbags, body & structure and brakes categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 6 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Airbags120.0%
  • Body & structure120.0%
  • Brakes120.0%
  • Driver assistance120.0%
  • Engine120.0%

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
17V047000NHTSA advisory: do not drive

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Jan 20, 2017
230,117 units potentially affected
The defect: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
The risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

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

Body & structureBrakes
Filed Jan 17, 2012

POWER BRAKE SERVO FAILURE DUE TO WATER ACCUMULATION. DRIVING THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP WHEN THERE WAS SUDDENLY NO POWER BRAKES. DEALER INDICATED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A BAD VACUUM LINE. WHEN REPLACING THE VACUUM HOSE, I FOUND THE BRAKES BOOSTER (SERVO) SUBMERGED IN 6 INCHES OF WATER. AFTER DRAINING THE WATER AND DISCONNECTING THE VACUUM HOSE A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER DRAINED FROM INSIDE THE POWER BOOSTER/SERVO. CAR RAN FINE AFTER REPAIR. 1 WEEK LATER, ON 1/16/12 DURING SUB-FREEZING TEMPS, THERE WS NO BRAKE PEDAL FUNCTION AT ALL. EXTENSIVE WEB SEARCH FOUND SEVERAL THREADS DEVOTED TO THE PROBLEM. HERE IS ONE OF THOSE LINKS: HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=418457 TWO POTENTIAL CAUSES: 1 - THE BRAKE BOOSTER/SERVO IS IN A WELL. THIS WELL DOES HAVE A SMALL DRAINAGE HOLE THAT CAN CLOG DUE TO LEAVES OR OTHER DEBRIS. THIS WELL IS UNDER A CABIN AIR FILTER BOX. THE AIR FILTER IS A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM, COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE BOX AND MAINTENANCE UNDER THE BOX IS NOT PART OF STANDARD MAINTENANCE. IN CLIMATES WHERE LEAVES FALL, THEY CAN COLLECT UNDER THIS BOX AND BLOCK DRAINAGE. SHOULD THE WELL FILL WITH WATER THE UNIT WILL BECOME SUBMERGED AND ULTIMATELY TAKE ON WATER. WATER SEEPING INTO THE BOOSTER/SERVO CAN CAUSE FAILURE OF THE UNIT CAUSING BRAKE FUNCTION TO BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED. IF ALL THE WATER IS NOT DRAINED, IN BELOW FREEZING CONDITIONS THE WATER IN THE BOOSTER/SERVO WILL FREEZE, EFFECTIVELY FREEZING THE BRAKE PEDAL, MAKING BRAKING IMPOSSIBLE! THIS WATER CAN ALSO GET SUCKED INTO THE VACUUM LINE AND BE SUCKED INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THEN INTO THE ENGINE POTENTIALLY CAUSING MASSIVE ENGINE FAILURE. 2 - FAILURE OF THE CCV VALVE, CAUSED BY CONDENSATE, CAN ALSO CAUSE WATER TO ULTIMATELY BACK-UP INTO THE VACUUM SYSTEM AND INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER/SERVO, CAUSING THE SAME EFFECTS MENTIONED ABOVE. BOOSTER REPLACEMENT NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10444001
Incident
Dec 30, 2011
Mileage
144,414 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Apr 16, 2007
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 525. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE. THE VEHICLE THEN SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL ,VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND CRASHED INTO A CHANNELIZER BARREL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALTHOUGH, HE STRUCK THE BARREL HEAD ON THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000.*AK

NHTSA ID
10188061
Incident
Apr 15, 2007
Mileage
50,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 1, 2001
Fire reported

ENGINE COMPARTMENT STARTED SMOKING. CONSUMER PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF. SERVICE MANAGER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. ELECTRICAL COMPONETS IN FAN WERE BURNED OUT. CONSUMER STATED THIS PROBLEM STARTED AFTER RECALL WAS PERFORMED. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER TO ATTACHED RECALL INFORMATION.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID
898621
Incident
Sep 1, 2001

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.

B160623

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE

B653423

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicle’s equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror does not briefly flash every 2 seconds, indicating the alarm is armed.

B122917

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

SERVICE ACTION: PROGRAM DME: The incorrect dataset could be programmed into DME 5.2.1 control module.

SIB-63-02-01

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM

SIB-16-02-09

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

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 525 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2002010—
2001Viewing310—
1998200—
1997100—
1996000—
1995150046.2
1994800—
1993311—
1992141156.3
1991152366.6
1990720—
1989330—
1988000—
1985100—

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.