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2001 BMW 325

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 9 of 31 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports5 fire reports2 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

3 reports
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180,000 miles · Oct 8, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE CAR SUDDENLY VEERED LEFT AND THE ABS ENGAGED AND SLOWED THE CAR SUDDENLY TO ABOUT 40 MPH. MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT WAS THAT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE, BUT THEN RECOGNIZED THE ABS WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO JUDDER. THE DSC AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AN…

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WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE CAR SUDDENLY VEERED LEFT AND THE ABS ENGAGED AND SLOWED THE CAR SUDDENLY TO ABOUT 40 MPH. MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT WAS THAT I HAD BLOWN A TIRE, BUT THEN RECOGNIZED THE ABS WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO JUDDER. THE DSC AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON. THE MIL LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT DIAGNOSED A FAULTY ROTATIONAL RATE SENSOR (YAW). THE SYSTEM RECOGNIZED THAT IT RECEIVED ERRONEOUS DATA, BUT I BELIEVE FAILED IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. I PURCHASED THIS CAR FOR MY SOON TO BE 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND CRINGE TO THINK HOW SHE WOULD'VE REACTED TO THIS SITUATION. THIS FAILURE PUT THE CAR IN THE PRECISE SITUATION WHERE YOU WOULD WANT THE DSC TO BE WORKING.

NHTSA ODI #10780726

240,003 miles · Aug 16, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFire

HAD JUST PARKED THE CAR AND A FEW MINUTES LATER IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD IS BURNED. SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAUGHT THE HOLE THING.

NHTSA ODI #10748951

165,000 miles · Aug 6, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

DAUGHTER DRIVING CAR, DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL(DSC) LIGHT CAME ON AND INDIVIDUAL BRAKES STARTED APPLYING THEMSELVES UNCOMMANDED. DROVE TO A LOCAL IMPORT SHOP THAT VERIFIED A BAD YAW SENSOR. PART IS $1300.00 PLUS $300.00 LABOR. PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM BMW WHO HAS SUPERSEDED THE PART NUMBER 3 TIMES. I WENT TO A SALVAGE YARD T…

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DAUGHTER DRIVING CAR, DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL(DSC) LIGHT CAME ON AND INDIVIDUAL BRAKES STARTED APPLYING THEMSELVES UNCOMMANDED. DROVE TO A LOCAL IMPORT SHOP THAT VERIFIED A BAD YAW SENSOR. PART IS $1300.00 PLUS $300.00 LABOR. PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM BMW WHO HAS SUPERSEDED THE PART NUMBER 3 TIMES. I WENT TO A SALVAGE YARD THAT HAD 13 CARS THAT HAD THE SAME PART NUMBER EFFECTIVITY AND ALL OF THE CARS HAD THE YAW SENSORS REMOVED. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AND VERY DANGEROUS UNLESS YOU DISABLE THE DSC SYSTEM WHICH ALSO DISABLES THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. BELOW IS JUST ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF ANOTHER OWNER THAT EXPERIENCED THIS PART FAILURE. STARTED THE CAR THIS MORNING AND DROVE IT FOR APPROX 15 MILES, NO WARNING LIGHT AND EVERYTHING APPEARED OK. DOING THE NATIONAL SPEED LIMIT WHEN HOLY COW, THE DSC KICKS IN AND THE CAR PULLS VIOLENTLY TO ONE SIDE THEN THE OTHER TALK ABOUT HEART MISSING A BEAT, NEARLY IN THE CENTRAL RESERVATION ON THE A52. I WILL BE GETTING THE FAULT CODES READ IN THE WEEK AND WILL DEFINITELY BE SWITCHING OFF THE DSC IN FUTURE UNTIL FIXED.

NHTSA ODI #10746882

Official recalls

2

19V698000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Oct 2, 2019

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 325i and 325xi Sedan, and 323Ci, 325Ci, and 330Ci Convertible vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles that may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. The frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion of previous recalls, numbers 17V-047 and 19V-015.

17V047000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jan 20, 2017

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.