1990 BMW 325

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags › frontal. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System1
000
Air Bags › Frontal1
101

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings94V066000
Filed Apr 11, 1994116,300 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. FEED FUEL HOSES CAN HARDEN AND "SET" OVER TIME, ALLOWING A SEEPAGE OF FUEL AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING. THE CLAMP USED TO HOLD THE HOSE TO THE FITTING IS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HARDENING OF THE FEED FUEL HOSE.

Risk. FUEL SEEPAGE BETWEEN THE FEED FUEL HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING CAN RESULT IN FREE FUEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy. A REDESIGNED FEED FUEL HOSE AND HOSE CLAMP WILL BE INSTALLED TO ALLEVIATE THE FUEL SEEPAGE.

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core93V015000
Filed Feb 1, 1993375,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. THE MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND A RESULTING INCREASE IN SYSTEM PRESSURE.

Risk. VEHICLES OPERATED UNDER THIS INCREASED COOLING SYSTEMPRESSURE CONDITION CAN SUFFER DAMAGE OR FAILURE OF PARTS OF THE COOLING SYSTEMSUCH AS (1) LEAKAGE FROM A COOLANT HOSE, (2) LEAKAGE OF THE RADIATOR OREXPANSION TANK, (3) DISCONNECTION OF A HOSE FROM A PIPE OR A FITTING, AND (4)CRACKS IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAKAGE. IN SOME CASES,BOILING COOLANT CAN CONTACT THE LOWER RIGHT LEG OF THE DRIVER RESULTING INBURNS. ALSO, ESCAPING COOLANT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE VAPORFOGGING OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE WINDOWS, REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A THERMOSTATIC BYPASS VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CONTROL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IN THE HEATER CORE. ALSO, A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP WILL BE INSTALLED, TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 17, 2006AZ

REGARDING MY 1990 BMW 325 CONVERTIBLE. THE COVERING UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL ABOVE THE PEDALS WILL FALL ON MY FEET WHEN I AM DRIVING, MY FEET GET CAUGHT AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND PUSH THE COVERING OFF MY FEET AND SHOVE IT BACK OVER THE PEDALS. THERE IS A PLACE FOR IT TO LOCK INTO EXCEPT TO SIT ABOVE THE PEDALS. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN MY FEET GET CAUGHT, I AM CONSTANTLY MOVING MY FEET TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL. I WAS GETTING MY OIL CHANGED AND THE PERSON WORKING THERE SAID HE ALSO HAD THAT PROBLEM WITH HIS BMW 325 CONVERTIBLE. *JB

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights
Filed Apr 1, 1997NJ

BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE; IN ADDITION, CANNOT OPEN THE UNLOCKED DOOR FROM INSIDE/ DRIVER'S SEAT WOBBLES AND SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED, BURNING DRIVER. *AK

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Sep 6, 1996CA

CONSUMER HAD RECALL #93V015000, FIXED A YEAR AGO, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR ENGINE COOLING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR OVERHEATED . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 26, 1995CA

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Sep 1, 1995TX

ENGINE HCOOLING SYSTEM LEAKED AND THE ENGINE BURNED UP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jun 2, 1995MD

DRIVERS AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END COLLISON; REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE; THREE CAR COLLISION; ONE SENSOR CRUSHED UPON IMPACT. TT

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20120100Routine
20110100Routine
20100100Routine
20090100Routine
20081100Routine
20070100Routine
20068100Routine
20039000Routine
200226210Do not drive
200131250Do not drive
20000200Do not drive
19992000Routine
19984000Routine
19971000Routine
19964000Routine
199523000Routine
199425100Routine
19938310Routine
199223300Routine
19916310Routine
1990 — this page6200Routine

Compare every 325 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 11, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.