1991 BMW 325

Routine

Owners filed 6 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags › frontal. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear1
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
101
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
010
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
000
Air Bags › Frontal1
101

3 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.

Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer › Switch/Wiring92V140000
Filed Sep 29, 19922,942 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. THE SCREW THAT SECURES THE WIPER SWITCH AT ONE LOCATION AND WHICH ALSO PROVIDES A GROUND FOR THE WIPER CIRCUIT, LOOSENS AS THE SWITCH IS OPERATED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AS THE SCREW CONTINUES TO LOOSEN THE GROUND FOR THE WIPER CIRCUIT IS INTERMITTENTLY OR COMPLETELY LOST.

Risk. THE INTERMITTENT OR COMPLETE LOSS OF THE WIPER CIRCUITGROUND CAUSES THE WIPERS TO OPERATE ERRATICALLY OR NOT AT ALL, RESULTING INREDUCED VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Remedy. RELOCATE THE WIPER SWITCH GROUND WIRE ATTACHMENT ON THE STEERING COLUMN.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Sep 2, 1999NJ

VEHICLE WAS IN USE WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT POPPED OUT OF BUCKLE AND WOULD NOT GO BACK IN, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Apr 12, 1999NC

POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 2, 1998FL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AT 25 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD CRACKING SOUND AND ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

Structure › Frame and MembersCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 4, 1996MD

FRONT WHEEL BROKE THROUGH THE FLOOR BOARD. CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. *AK

Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear
Filed Jan 2, 1996CA

BACK WINDOW LOOKS LIKE IT IS COMPLETELY SHATTERED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 28, 1995NY

DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT 50 MPH WHEN REAR ENDED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. 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
1991 — this page6310Routine
19906200Routine

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.