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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

13 reports

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Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

AUXILIARY COOLING FAN PROBLEM CAUSED ENGINE OVERHEATING. OVERHEATING BROKE ENGINE THERMOSTAT & THERMOSTAT HOUSING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #746675

Mileage unknown · Jun 6, 2001

Engine And Engine CoolingFire

AFTER DRIVING 15 MILES AND PARKING VEHICLE IN GARAGE, SHE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL/BURNING SMELL. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE AND BACKED IT OUT OF GARAGE. WHEN VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF GARAGE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD, AND COULD SEE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN SHE LOOKED THROUGH GRILL. FIRE COMPANY AND INSU…

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NHTSA ODI #889848

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

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ELECTRIC COOLING SYSTEM FANS ON BMW 325 SERIES ARE FAILING WITH REGULARITY. REPLACEMENT FAN ALLEGED TO BE UPGRADED VERSION. RECENTLY ALL SUCH VEHICLES ENTERING U.S. ARE HAVING THIS SIZE FAN REPLACED WITH OLD STYLE, LARGER, HIGH VOLUME FANS. HAVE NO CONFIDENCE MY PRESENT REPLACEMENT/UPGRADED FAN WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT BMW ARE REPLACING SUCH SIZE FANS WITH MUCH LARGER ONES PRIOR TO DELIVERY AS THESE VEHICLES ENTER THE U.S. CHECK WWW.BIMMER.ORG IN THE E46 SERIES BULLETIN BOARD FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS COMMENTS ON "AUX FANS". IT 'APPEARS' BMW HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME REASONABLE LENGTH OF TIME AND CONTINUED TO INSTALL AND DELIVER DEFECTIVE FANS IN THESE AUTOMOBILES. THERE ARE PRESENTLY FANS FROM THIS ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE BATCH STILL ON THE MOTORWAYS. I KNOW OF ONE INSTANCE WHERE AN 'UPGRADED' FAN STOPPED WORKING LEAVING THE MOTORIST STRANDED, THOUGH LATER WAS SAID TO BE OPERABLE. THE SAFETY IMPLICATION SURROUNDS AUTOMOBILES BREAKING DOWN, PARTICULARLY IN SLOW/CONGESTED TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, LEAVING MOTORISTS AND VEHICLE AT RISK OF COLLISION ON CONGESTED MOTORWAYS. SUGGEST RECALL AND REMOVAL OF THESE SIZE FANS AND FITMENT OF THE LARGER HIGH VOLUME FANS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF THE DUTY CYCLE DEMANDED UNDER ALL ANTICIPATED CONDITIONS FOR THESE VEHICLES. THERE IS ONE INSTANCE WHERE FAILURE OF THE FAN 'MAY' HAVE FAILED THUS CAUSING ENGINE OVERHEAT AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT ACCESSORY MELTDOWN AND/OR FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A U.S. SPECIFICATION VEHICLE BEING OPERATED IN PARIS, FRANCE PRIOR TO SHIPMENT BY THE U.S. OWNER/OPERATOR TO AMERICA. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE MOTORING PUBLIC. THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ODI #745743

Official recalls

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.