FaultScore report
Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 1994 BMW 525I with NHTSA between 1998 and 2008. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 9 of 9 worst.
FaultScore 5/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the BMW 525I.
How this is worked out10
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
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.
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.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT IN MY 1994 BMW 525I. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTEDLY HAPPENING TO MANY OF US. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE REVERSE GEAR FIRST, THEN THE FIRST TWO FORWARD GEARS.
NHTSA complaint #10250678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME DOOR LOCK/LATCH PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 94V219000. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN.
NHTSA complaint #8010932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CONSUMER HAS SAME PROBLEM WITH COOLANT SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL 98V178000. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN.
NHTSA complaint #8010941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE CRACKED.
NHTSA complaint #849935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
RADIATOR BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE CRACKED.
NHTSA complaint #849935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY 3/31/98 DUE TO OIL LEAK. FAILED AGAIN ON 4/28/99 AT 55900 MILES. WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE AND COOLANT DROP OG 35 MM IN 2438 MILES. AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR NOISY AND VIBRATES STEERING WHEEL AND DOES NOT COOL AT IDLE. COMPLAINT UNDER WARRANTY ON 3/31/98 NOT FIXED. REPLACED IDLER PULLEY ONLY. GETTING WORSE ON 4/30/99 AT 56400 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #712406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY 3/31/98 DUE TO OIL LEAK. FAILED AGAIN ON 4/28/99 AT 55900 MILES. WHITE EXHAUST SMOKE AND COOLANT DROP OG 35 MM IN 2438 MILES. AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR NOISY AND VIBRATES STEERING WHEEL AND DOES NOT COOL AT IDLE. COMPLAINT UNDER WARRANTY ON 3/31/98 NOT FIXED. REPLACED IDLER PULLEY ONLY. GETTING WORSE ON 4/30/99 AT 56400 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #712406 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
SECURITY SYSTEM ENGAGED WHILE OCCUPANTS INSIDE, OCCUPANTS TRAPPED INSIDE.
NHTSA complaint #514400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE LAST WEEK VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEM, THE THROTTLE WILL REMAIN OPEN, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. RECALL # 97V131000.
NHTSA complaint #824205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
COMPUTER COMMAND CONTROL MODULE FAILED, LOCKING CONSUMER IN VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #514400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.