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1990 problems

FaultScore report

1990 BMW 525I problems

Owners have filed 51 complaints about the 1990 BMW 525I with NHTSA between 1997 and 2006. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the BMW 525I

—

Not graded

Too few complaints, too short a model run, or older than 1993 — the year the federal file can first describe fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

Safety recalls

Issued by NHTSA

How 1990 compares with every other BMW 525I

Click any bar to open that year's report.

4 51 21 30 9 10 37 2 1 31 41 40 123 52 111 98 1 1

89 90 91 92 93 94 95 98 99 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09

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

What breaks on a 1990 BMW 525I

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

Engine & Cooling 15 29.4%

Median failure at 140,201 miles

Lights 6 11.8%

Median failure at 125,000 miles

Transmission & Drivetrain 5 9.8%

Seats 4 7.8%

Brakes 3 5.9%

Electrical System 3 5.9%

Doors, Latches & Locks 2 3.9%

Fuel & Propulsion 2 3.9%

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 3.9%

Body & Structure 2 3.9%

Steering 2 3.9%

1 crashes, 0 fires

Airbags 2 3.9%

Equipment & Accessories 1 2.0%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 2.0%

Suspension 1 2.0%

Exactly what failed

NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.

Radiator Assembly 5 20.8%

Brake Lights 4 16.7%

Cooling System 4 16.7%

Engine 3 12.5%

Seat Heater/Cooler 2 8.3%

Differential Unit 2 8.3%

Emission Control 2 8.3%

Latch 2 8.3%

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.

Jul 1997 peak 15 Aug 2006

Recalls on the 1990 BMW 525I

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

United States — NHTSA

98V178000 4 Aug 1998

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

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.

97V131000 19 Aug 1997

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

96V111000 1 Jul 1996

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

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.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

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

Filed 8 Apr 2002 Phoenix, AZ Crash

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

I REALIZED MY CAR WAS WRECKED SEVERAL TIMES, IT'S A SALVAGED CAR, BUT SOLD AS NORMAL; THEREFORE OVERPRICED.

NHTSA complaint #760097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 13 Nov 1997 Yorba Linda, CA 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 30 MPH WITHOUT VEHICLE COLLISION OCCURRING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO BECOME INJURED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #818991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Jul 1997 BAY Head, NJ 1 injured

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

SEAT HEATER BURNED OCCUPANT.

NHTSA complaint #515859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

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

Filed 18 Aug 2006 at 140,201 miles Washington Township, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

(1) MY 1990 BMW 525I STARTED TO OVER HEAT ON AUGUST 01,2006. THE TEMP GAUGE GOES UP 50% MARK. THE COOLANT LEVEL WENT DOWN EVERY DAY AND I FILLED IT UP WITH DISTILLED WATER TO CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE, HOPING THAT IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF SOME TIME. (2) I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR ON REGULAR BASIS ANYMORE. WITHIN FEW DAYS, I SAW COOLANT OVERFLOWING AND SPRAY-OUT. FOLLOWING THIS, I NOTICED SLIGHT ROUGH IDLE AND VIBRATION. (3) REALIZING THAT DRIVING THE CAR WAS NO MORE SAFE, I CALLED WESTCHESTER BMW, WHITE PLAINS, NY. ON EMERGENCY BASIS, THE DEALER ACCEPTED THE CAR THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR DIAGNOSIS. ON AUGUST 14 2006, THE DEALER CONCLUDED IT IS COOLANT LEAKING IN THE ENGINE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE. NO PARTS WERE REPAIRED AND REPLACED BECAUSE THE ENGINE WORK SPECIFIED BY THE DEALER WAS EXPENSIVE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK HOME. CAN NOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE.

NHTSA complaint #10165963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 20 Jan 2004 at 125,000 miles NEW Haven, CT

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA complaint #10055439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 29 Apr 2003 Raleigh, NC

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLES AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 31 Jul 2002 Richmond, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING, COOLANT LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CONSUMER NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER FOUND THAT WATER WAS IN THE OIL DUE TO A CRACKED HEAD, CONSUMER LATER RECEIVED RECALL 98V178. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #565570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 8 Apr 2002 Phoenix, AZ Crash

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

I REALIZED MY CAR WAS WRECKED SEVERAL TIMES, IT'S A SALVAGED CAR, BUT SOLD AS NORMAL; THEREFORE OVERPRICED.

NHTSA complaint #760097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 4 Mar 2002 Honolulu, HI

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

BRAKE LIGHT FAILED NO DAMAGE, DEALER WON'T HONOR RECALL #96V111000.

NHTSA complaint #758755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Jun 1999 Quincy, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR CAP FAILED, CAUSING COMPLETE FAILURE TO RADIATOR. HOWEVER RADIATOR IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL NOTICE (98V-178).

NHTSA complaint #546010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 5 Oct 1998 Walterboro, SC

POWER TRAIN

GLASS OVER ODOMETER CRACKED.