2000 BMW 325Ci

Do not drive

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

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags2
000
Power Train1
000
Fuel/Propulsion System1
000
Engine1
000
Electrical System1
010

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module21V401000
Filed May 27, 20214,511 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 BMW 3 Series (323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci and 330Ci), 1999-2001 323i, 328i, 330i, 330xi, and 2000 323i, 328i stationwagon vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles are equipped with driver-side air bag inflators that were previously inspected, but not replaced under recall numbers 19V-851, 19V852, or 19V-853. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Risk. The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a newly designed inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Air Bags › Frontal › Passenger Side › Inflator Module20V018000Do not drive
Filed Jan 15, 2020292,948 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module19V853000
Filed Nov 26, 201974,185 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i and 330i and 2000-2001 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver air bag as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.

Remedy. BMW notified owners, and Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 27, 2025CA

Dash started smoking as soon as I turned rhe lights on, I exited the freeway and pulled into a neighborhood, parked on a corner turn the engine off and disconnected the battery, the smoke continued, within second the fire started, I poured 4 bottles of water with no luck, before I could ask the homes residents to hand me the garden hose, the fire spread, the sprayed and it just kept coming back, fire dept, cut the dash with an are and sprayed it, finally it was out

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Jul 17, 2023CA

Fuel tank bracket on the Passenger side sheared off causing the strap supporting the tank to fall off and hit the ground resulting in sparking from the free end. Safety risk to occupants due to fuel tank hanging close to ground and sparking in close proximity. I inspected and determined car is unsafe to drive. No replacement parts available for repair as brackets are spot weld at manufacturer. Several bmw car owners have experienced the same issue on the same side and some have performed risky self fabricated solutions. This is a fire concern and a flawed BMW design that needs proper correction before fatalities occur.

Air Bags
Filed May 16, 2023CA

I took my vehicle to a BMW authorized service dealer for the repair of the "AirBag Recall" notice I received in the mail. The dealer did the recall repair and about a week later the light came back on and has remained on. After that happened my electric started acting up and also I was not able to get my convertible roof to go up or down ever again. I politely contacted the dealership, (and not wanting to bad mouth them) it apparently fell on deaf ears followed by what I felt was an accusation and insult on my ignorance of being an older woman and that it was impossible,that maybe I did something to it. I didn't want to issue a complaint because they ARE a reputable operation plus I'm retired, on limited income and didn't know how to get this resolved. I welcome any help you may want to offer or any direction in regards to this. Thank you in advance for taking time to read this, as I may be way of base by submitting this here. Ps. The convertible top worked perfect as well as my electrical prior to bringing in my vehicle for the recall, to be clear, it was that same afternoon/early eve. when I left the dealership that my electrical and dash lights went crazy and I couldn't use my convertible roof anymore. The airbag light came on about a week later and has stayed on ever since, for about 5 or 6 years now and still hasn't gone off

Power Train
Filed Jan 20, 2021112,000 milesMO

WENT TOGO TO WORK AND TRIED TO BACK CAR OUR OF DRIVEWAY AND NO REVERSE. NOTHING. SEE THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 3 SERIES. 112XXX ON MY BMW

Engine
Filed Mar 31, 2020CA

NO TIENE FUERSA PARA GAS ,MUY DESPASIO Y TIENE PROBLEM AS CON EL ENGI LIGHT ON

Air Bags
Filed Dec 16, 2019GA

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V853000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. DEALER FIELDS BMW SOUTH ORLANDO (9750 S ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL, ORLANDO, FL 32837) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

6 of 6 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200636300Do not drive
200531330Do not drive
200468320Do not drive
200327610Do not drive
200230310Do not drive
200149660Do not drive
2000 — this page6310Do not drive

Compare every 325Ci year →

Reading this record

NHTSA has issued a do-not-drive warning for a recall on this vehicle.

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: May 27, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.