1991 BMW 525

Routine

Owners filed 15 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Vehicle Speed Control3
303
Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust2
010
Air Bags › Frontal2
001
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Steering1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash1
000
Electrical System › Wiring1
010

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.

Vehicle Speed Control91V029000
Filed Feb 15, 19915,644 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. INSUFFICIENT AXIAL CLEARANCE EXISTS FOR THROTTLE VALVE, SHAFT, AND HOUSING DUE TO THE DIFFERENT THERMAL EXPANSION RATES OF THE SEPARATE PARTS WHEN VEHICLE REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR LESS.

Risk. THE LIMITED AXIAL CLEARANCE CAN CAUSE THE MOVEMENT OF THETHROTTLE VALVE TO BE IMPEDED, THE VALVE IS UNABLE TO CLOSE. THIS IMPEDANCE WOULDKEEP THE VEHICLE FROM DECELERATING AT THE USUAL RATE AFTER THE GAS PEDAL ISRELEASED; THIS COULD CAUSE UNEXPECTED MAINTENANCE OF SPEED AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy. INSPECT AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE BY REPLACING THROTTLE HOUSING IF INSUFFICIENT AXIAL CLEARANCE IS FOUND.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Feb 19, 2003CA

THE BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD, SOON AFTER CONSUMER NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL WIRE SMELL AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS, AND WITHIN SECONDS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Apr 11, 2001SC

TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP. TOOK TO MECHANIC, AND THEY REPLACED WATER PUMP. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER IS NOW HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THERMOSTAT. *AK

Visibility › Windshield
Filed May 15, 2000NJ

ON SUNNY DAY CONSUMER SPILLED COLD WATER ON THE WINDSHIELD AND THE GLASS CRACKED. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Jul 29, 1999SC

WHILE DRIVING EVERYTHING ON THE DASH WENT OUT. AFTER AN HOUR EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON. THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust
Filed Jul 14, 1998IL

SEAT WIRING FAILED RESULTING IN MELTING OF THE PLASTIC CASING.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 24, 1998NJ

RECALL 96V-1100000; MS. RUSSO WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS RECALL. MS. RUSSO HAD THE PROBLEM TO BE FIXED BEFORE HEARING ABOUT THIS RECALL, AND LATER SHE WAS INFORMED THROUGH SOMEONE THAT THERE IS A RECALL. SO, MS. RUSSO CHECKED OUT THE RECALL AT BELL IMPORTS AND THEY TOOK CARE OF THE RECALL . *AK

Air Bags › Frontal1 injured
Filed Aug 5, 1997KY

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND THE SRS LIGHT WAS ON. DEALER WAS AWARE, BUT HAD TO RESCHDULE TO ANOTHER APPOINTMENT DURING THAT TIME. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Power AdjustFire
Filed May 12, 1997VA

POWER ADJUSTABLE SEATS SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, TURNED OFF VEHICLE TO PUT OUT FIRE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 12, 1996IN

REPLACED LEAKING ENGINE GASKET. *AK

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed May 29, 1996IN

THE THROTTLE STICKS AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE IN REVERSE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Steering
Filed Jan 23, 1996NY

DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND STEERING WENT OUT OF CONTROL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash1 injured
Filed Jan 5, 1996IN

THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT/INJURIES PRIOR TO RECALL (91V-029). *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift
Filed Jul 7, 1995MD

DEFECTIVE GEAR SHIFT HANDLE CAUSED TRANSMISSION TO JUMP FROM PARK TO REVERSE GEAR. *AW

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash2 injured
Filed Jun 29, 1995NY

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE GEAR, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *SKD

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed May 3, 1995LA

OTHER: DRIVER'S AIR BAG PROBLEMS. *SKD

15 of 15 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1995
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20020100Do not drive
20013110Do not drive
19982000Routine
19971000Routine
199515010Routine
19948000Routine
19933100Routine
199214130Routine
1991 — this page15220Routine
19907200Routine

Compare every 525 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.