FaultScore
See all results →
All makes Worst years, ranked Problems by part Analysis Problems by model year Recalls in Canada Recall lookup Compare two cars How we grade

FaultScore report

1986 BMW 325 problems

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 1986 BMW 325 with NHTSA between 1995 and 2017. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the BMW 325
—

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

11

Complaints

2

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

3

Injuries reported

How 1986 compares with every other BMW 325

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1986 BMW 325

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 3 27.3%
Engine & Cooling 3 27.3%

Median failure at 300,000 miles

Equipment & Accessories 2 18.2%
Doors, Latches & Locks 1 9.1%
Seat Belts 1 9.1%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Brakes 1 9.1%

1 crashes, 0 fires

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Apr 1995 peak 2 Jul 2017

NHTSA investigations into the 1986 BMW 325

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA92017 Opened 2 Jun 1992 Closed 30 Mar 1993 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

HEATER CORE FAILURE

DP92004 Opened 3 Mar 1992 Closed 2 Jun 1992 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

DEFECTIVE HEATER CORES

DEFECTIVE HEATER CORES

EA90002 Opened 12 Oct 1989 Closed 30 Oct 1990 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

MSTR CYL FAILS TO RELEASE

PE89142 Opened 14 Jul 1989 Closed 12 Oct 1989 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BRAKES DRAG & FAIL

SUMMARY:THE BRAKES REPORTEDLY BEGAN TO DRAG AND LOCK WITHOUTWARNING DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING ON 4 VEHICLES.THE CAUSE IS NOTKNOWN AT THIS TIME.===

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Modesto, CA Crash 2 injured

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD.

NHTSA complaint #808055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Modesto, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD.

NHTSA complaint #808055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Forest, CA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

RECALL 93V015 HEATER:DEFROSTER:DEFOGGER; HOT FLUID ENTERED COMPARTMENT AND BURNT DRIVERS LOWER LEG. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA complaint #965140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 300,000 miles Lincoln, NE

ENGINE

MY 1986 325ES BMW OVER HEAT. CHANGE THE FLUIDS, PERFORM SEVERAL CHECKS AND IT IS STILL OVER HEATING. HAS THERE BEEN ANY RECALL ON THE HEATING OR COOLING SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #11006294 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Dallas, TX

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CAR HAS OVERHEATED SINCE 2000. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY 86 BMW 325 BUT I JUST LOOKED UP RECALLS AND SAW WERE OVERHEATING WAS A PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR MODEL CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10193975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Rafael, CA

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

DEFECT IN ELECTRONIC LOCKING DEVICE. UNABLE TO OPEN PASSENGER DOORS (FRONT AND BACK), EITHER MANUALLY (FROM INSIDE) OR WITH KEY (FROM OUTSIDE). HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10156139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tabor City, NC

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN DO CONSUMERS RECALL FOR FREE. MR

NHTSA complaint #8020942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SAN Rafael, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSTANT HEATING PROBLEM, ON AND OFF AT TIMES, ENGINE GOT HOT AND ROD STARTED KNOCKING NHTSA ID # 93V01500,# 86V151000. .

NHTSA complaint #725281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greensburg, LA

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

VEHICLE WAS JACKED UP AT LEFT FRONT JACK POINT ON PERFECTLY FLAT CONCRETE FLOOR, IT ROLLED REARWARD, JACK FOOTING SLIPPED AND VEHICLE FELL ON VICTIM.

NHTSA complaint #523106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Modesto, CA Crash 2 injured

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS

DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD.

NHTSA complaint #808055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Modesto, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD.

NHTSA complaint #808055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake Forest, CA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE

RECALL 93V015 HEATER:DEFROSTER:DEFOGGER; HOT FLUID ENTERED COMPARTMENT AND BURNT DRIVERS LOWER LEG. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA complaint #965140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reston, VA

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

HEATER IS NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH.

NHTSA complaint #482280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reston, VA

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #482280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.