1994 BMW 525i

Routine

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system › wiring › interior/under dash. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System1
000
Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash1
000

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.

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch96V111000
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.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch94V219000
Filed Nov 8, 19942,180 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. THE DOUBLE-LOCK FEATURE CAN ENGAGE WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

Risk. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT EITHER FROM THE DOORS OR FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVE-AWAY PROTECTION WOULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERAL CONTROL MODULE WITH ONE CONTAINING THE REVISED SOFTWARE TO PERMIT WINDOW OPENING WITH THE DOUBLE-LOCK ENGAGED AND KEY IN THE IGNITION.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Dec 3, 2008TX

MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN MY 1994 BMW 525I. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTEDLY HAPPENING TO MANY OF US. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE REVERSE GEAR FIRST, THEN THE FIRST TWO FORWARD GEARS. *TR

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Jun 3, 2002CT

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME DOOR LOCK/LATCH PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 94V219000. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jun 3, 2002CT

CONSUMER HAS SAME PROBLEM WITH COOLANT SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL 98V178000. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly
Filed Oct 5, 1999MD

RADIATOR BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE CRACKED. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Sep 28, 1999CA

HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY 3/31/98 DUE TO OIL LEAK. FAILED AGAIN ON 4/28/99 AT 55900 MILES. WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE AND COOLANT DROP OG 35 MM IN 2438 MILES. AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR NOISY AND VIBRATES STEERING WHEEL AND DOES NOT COOL AT IDLE. COMPLAINT UNDER WARRANTY ON 3/31/98 NOT FIXED. REPLACED IDLER PULLEY ONLY. GETTING WORSE ON 4/30/99 AT 56400 MILES.

Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages
Filed Jun 11, 1998CA

AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE LAST WEEK VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM, THE THROTTLE WILL REMAIN OPEN, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. RECALL # 97V131000. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under Dash
Filed Jul 28, 1997NC

COMPUTER COMMAND CONTROL MODULE FAILED, LOCKING CONSUMER IN VEHICLE.

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2004
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20110100Routine
20100100Routine
20091110Routine
20081100Routine
200772220Routine
200677340Routine
200535040Routine
2004840170Routine
200332210Do not drive
200228420Do not drive
200122460Do not drive
20000100Do not drive
19991000Routine
19982000Routine
199524310Routine
1994 — this page7400Routine
19935310Routine
199218420Routine
199113400Routine
199011300Routine

Compare every 525i 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: Aug 4, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.