Owners filed 8 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the structure › frame and members. It has been recalled 4 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Structure › Frame and Members
3
0
0
0
Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber
1
0
0
0
Structure › Body › Door
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline
1
0
0
0
4 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System98V178000
Filed Aug 4, 1998340,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
Risk. IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
Vehicle Speed Control97V131000
Filed Aug 19, 1997410,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
Air Bags › Frontal96V110000
Filed Jul 1, 199675,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CONTACT RING WIRING COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE AIR BAG READINESS INDICATOR LAMP (SRS OR AIRBAG) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL ILLUMINATE, AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT VEHICLE COLLISION.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOCKING TAB WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
Filed Jul 1, 1996180,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed May 21, 2006199,000 milesCA
1992 BMW 325IS. REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT FAILURE. LOOSE REAR END. CLUNKING NOISES. TORN UNDER BELLY WHERE REAR SUBFRAME BOLTS TO UNIBODY OF CAR. *JB
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Oct 23, 2003158,000 milesCA
I RECENTLY HAD THE REAR END OF MY CAR DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE SUPREME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO SEVERAL MECHANIC AND HAVE HAD EVERY INDIVIDUAL MECHANIC SAY HE HAS SEEN IT HAPPENED TO MY SAME EXACT CAR. AND ALSO SAID I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T CRASH. AFTER HAVING THE CAR LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC HE SAID THAT BMW HAD MANUFACTURED THE SUBFRAME MOUNTS INSUFFICIENT AND IT HAS RESULTED IN THOUSANDS OF CASES OF REAR ENDS FALLING OFF OF THE CARS AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WITH WEAR AND TEAR. LUCKILY MY CAR BROKE RIGHT IN FRONT OF A TRANSMISSION SHOP SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER BEFORE I HAD ANY MAJOR TROUBLE. BUT IT IS A REALLY DANGEROUS THING THAT I THINK SHOULD FULLY BE INVESTIGATED AND BMW SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *LA
Structure
Filed Dec 28, 2000MA
LEFT REAR STRUT AND MOUNT CRACKED AND TORE AWAY FROM SUB-FRAME OF VEHICLE. NLM
Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber
Filed Dec 4, 2000MA
STRUT THAT HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL IS PULLING FROM FRAME, CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *AK
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Mar 2, 2000FL
LEFT GAS TANK FUEL SENDING UNIT HAS GONE BAD/IS CRACKED UNDERNEITH THE REAR SEAT, CAUSING FUMES/ODOR TO ENTER INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 29, 2000FL
GAS FUMES FILLED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK
Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Nov 29, 1999MD
REAR CROSS MEMBER FRAME BROKE OFF FROM THE MOUNTING OF THE VEHCILE, CAUSING A CLOCKING SOUND, AND IT FELT LIKE THE REAR END WAS GIVING WAY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Structure › Body › Door
Filed Oct 7, 1999CA
VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUED FAILURES OF THE POWER LOCK SYSTEM, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL. MJS
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: Aug 4, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.