2002 BMW 525IA Sport Wagon 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 2002 BMW 525IA Sport Wagon, 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
- Engine150.0%
- Powertrain (other)150.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
REVERSE DRUM FOR TRANSMISSION WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AT 89,000 MILES. MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, BUT BMW HAS FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT IN THE PART WHICH BREAKS DUE TO THE METAL PIECE BEING TOO THIN. NO RECALLS EITHER. BMW SHOULD BE FORCED RECALL THIS PART, AS IT COSTS $6,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AND $3,500 TO HAVE IT REBUILT BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
REVERSE DRUM FOR TRANSMISSION WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AT 89,000 MILES. MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, BUT BMW HAS FAILED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT IN THE PART WHICH BREAKS DUE TO THE METAL PIECE BEING TOO THIN. NO RECALLS EITHER. BMW SHOULD BE FORCED RECALL THIS PART, AS IT COSTS $6,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AND $3,500 TO HAVE IT REBUILT BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART. *TR
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 .