FaultScore report
Owners have filed 51 complaints about the 1990 BMW 525I with NHTSA between 1997 and 2006. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
51
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 125,000 miles
1 crashes, 0 fires
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.
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.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
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.
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.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
SEAT HEATER BURNED OCCUPANT.
NHTSA complaint #515859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
POWER TRAIN
GLASS OVER ODOMETER CRACKED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
INSIDE DOOR PANEL SEPARATED FROM THE DOOR.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
POWER LOCKS STICK OCCASIONALLY.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT
FRONT WHEEL STRUTS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN GASKET FAILED CAUSING OIL LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
REAR BACK TAIL LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER LEAKS FREON EVERY YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
REAR BACK TAIL LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #539511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THERMOSTAT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #515007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR LEAKS.
NHTSA complaint #515007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT WOBBLES IN TRACK.
NHTSA complaint #515007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY.
NHTSA complaint #515007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.