BMW 525i
Owners filed 434 complaints across 20 model years of the BMW 525i. The 2004 drew the most (84).
Model years20
Complaints434
Recalls41
Fires41
Deaths0
Which BMW 525i years should you avoid?
Going by 434 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the BMW 525i years to avoid are 2004.
- 20043.3× the usual share of fires, crashes and deaths for a car of its age (17 fires, 0 crashes).
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every BMW 525i model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2010 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2007 | 72 | 2 | 2 | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006 | 77 | 3 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2005 | 35 | 0 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2004Avoid | 84 | 0 | 17 | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2003 | 32 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2002 | 29 | 4 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2001 | 22 | 4 | 6 | 2 | Electrical System | Do not drive | |
| 2000 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Do not drive | |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Structure › Body › Door | Routine | |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc | Routine | |
| 1995 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 1994 | 7 | 4 | — | — | Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash | Routine | |
| 1993 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System | Routine | |
| 1992 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System | Routine | |
| 1991 | 13 | 4 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System | Routine | |
| 1990 | 11 | 3 | — | 1 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.