1994 BMW 525I
4 recalls, 10 complaints - 6 TSBs
98V178000 Aug 4, 1998
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
Defect Description
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 T... Read more
Consequence
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.
97V131000 Aug 19, 1997
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Defect Description
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 SEP... Read more
Consequence
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.
96V111000 Jul 1, 1996
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Defect Description
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Consequence
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.
94V219000 Nov 8, 1994
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
Defect Description
THE DOUBLE-LOCK FEATURE CAN ENGAGE WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE.
Consequence
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.
Complaint Statistics
10 total complaints
Top Reported Components
| Component | Complaints |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Dec 3, 2008
Incident date: Dec 1, 1979
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
Jun 3, 2002
Incident date: May 20, 2002
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
Jun 3, 2002
Incident date: May 27, 2002
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
Oct 5, 1999
Incident date: Jul 22, 1999
RADIATOR BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE CRACKED. *AK
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
Oct 5, 1999
Incident date: Jul 22, 1999
RADIATOR BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE CRACKED. *AK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
Sep 28, 1999
Incident date: Apr 16, 1999
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... Read more
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
Sep 28, 1999
Incident date: Apr 16, 1999
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... Read more
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
Oct 20, 1998
Incident date: Oct 30, 1996
SECURITY SYSTEM ENGAGED WHILE OCCUPANTS INSIDE, OCCUPANTS TRAPPED INSIDE.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
Jun 11, 1998
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
Apr 29, 1998
Incident date: Oct 1, 1996
COMPUTER COMMAND CONTROL MODULE FAILED, LOCKING CONSUMER IN VEHICLE.
EPA Fuel Economy, 1994 BMW 525I
| Trim / Engine | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined MPG | Fuel Type | Annual Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd (Rear-Wheel Drive) | 16.0 | 23.0 | 19.0 | Premium | $4,000 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl, Manual 5-spd (Rear-Wheel Drive) | 17.0 | 26.0 | 20.0 | Premium | $3,800 |
CO2 Emissions: -1.0 g/mile (Compact Cars)
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Actual fuel economy may vary based on driving conditions.
Technical Service Bulletins, 1994 BMW 525I
6 manufacturer communications from 5 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.
Most Affected Components
| Component | Bulletins |
|---|---|
| 355100 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS | 1 |
| 161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| 125000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| 980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| 110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| 133000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
B510819
Jan 16, 2024
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B510819
Jan 16, 2024
133000 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
72/07/96
Dec 1, 1996
355100 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
CHILD AIRBAG LETTER, WARNING LABEL AND SAFETY REFERENCE CARD. *TW
41/03/96
Nov 1, 1996
161000 STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WIND NOISE DIAGNOSTICS. *TW
MSG1117
Oct 7, 1996
980000 UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ANNOUNCEMENT THAT OWNERS OF VEHICLES INVOLVED IN RECALLS 96V110 AND 96V111 WILL BE COMBINED INTO ONE MAILING. *TW
MSG1016
Oct 1, 1996
125000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
RECALL 96V111 - THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVES THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TW
NHTSA Safety Investigations, BMW 525I
Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.
PE07045
Opened: Sep 4, 2007 , Closed: Jan 4, 2008
BMW AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATION
IN CERTAIN MY 2005 THROUGH MY 2006 BMW VEHICLES, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) FOR THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIRBAG MAY MALFUNCTION AND RENDER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG INOPERATIVE.IN JUNE 2006, BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (SI B 72 02 06) REGARDING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE AIRBAG WARNIN... Read more
BMW 525I - All Years Overview
Complete safety history for the BMW 525I across all model years (1989, 2011).
43
Total Recalls
663
Total Complaints
1
Investigations
15
Reported Crashes
63
Reported Fires
0
Reported Deaths
BMW 525I - Year by Year
Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | View |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | View |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | View |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | View |
| 2007 | 2 | 98 | View |
| 2006 | 3 | 111 | View |
| 2005 | 0 | 52 | View |
| 2004 | 0 | 123 | View |
| 2003 | 2 | 40 | View |
| 2002 | 4 | 41 | View |
| 2001 | 4 | 31 | View |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | View |
| 1999 | 0 | 1 | View |
| 1998 | 0 | 2 | View |
| 1995 | 3 | 37 | View |
| 1994 (current) | 4 | 10 | |
| 1993 | 3 | 9 | View |
| 1992 | 4 | 30 | View |
| 1991 | 4 | 21 | View |
| 1990 | 3 | 51 | View |
| 1989 | 2 | 4 | View |