1991 BMW 525I: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 13 owner complaints on record; most reports concern engine and engine cooling; the 1993 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Aug 1998
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I parked my car in the garage as usual. When I went out to leave home the steering was locked. Nothing out of the ordinary was done after parking it or when attempting to start it. The lights for the radio came on, the windshield wiper works, the lights on the console light up, but the steering wheel is locked and the key will not turn more than a few centimeters. *tr”Owner report · Steering · Oct 2012
“While sitting in my 1991 bmw 525i the seat suddenly fell backward,and sideways. After removing the seat, and almost completely dissassembling it so I could try to realign the thing long enogh to make it home,I was able to through brute force put it back in place. Later after several subsequent failures I was able to pinpoint the problem.the cables that go between the electric drive motors and the seat adjustment gearboxes were sheathed in a failure-prone plastic! The plastic through time wears and stretches untill the drive cable slips out of gearbox allowing catastrophic failure. I just checked to see if this item had been recalled with no luck. *ak”Owner report · Seats · Jul 2004
“Tail lights do not stay on due to defective sockets. The plastic sockets have melted from the heat of the tail light bulbs and no longer hold the bulbs in properly. They blink on and off and sometimes stay off all together. Dealer advised me to buy new ones @ $320 each to solve the problem. Since this is a safety defect, bmw should replace them. Dt”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2002
Show 5 more owner reports
“Upper radiator "plastic male" outlet connecting to upper rubber hose exploded causing extrime engine overheating and engine failure with no warning even after dealer installed new radiator cap recall in august 1999. Almost caused a highway accident. Car has excellent maintenance record at dealership. Reported problem to bmw of north america. Representative told me that was not the responsibility of bmw of north america.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Sep 1999
“Traveling 65mph going around a curb when suddenly, the driver's side air bag deployed for no reason. It obstructed the driver's view. Had not hit anything & no other vehicle had hit bmw. Steering wheel had to be taped to be driven. *ak”Owner report · Air Bags · Jul 1998
“Fluid leaks since '11/95. Have had a total of 3 coils replaced; r/r lower timing cover, replaced gaskets/new drive belts - r/r oil pan and replaced gasket to the tune of $1,125.00 at 39,243 miles. Waranty is 4 yrs./50k miles. Asked for an adjustment due to low mileage and highly unusual problems. Received form letter saying "sorry, car is out of warranty." this $45k+ auto”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 1997
“The speedometer operates irratically during cold weather. It functions ok when warm. This is caused by bad materials used on the speedometer pcb board. A number of bmw owners have experienced this problem and fixes are suggested on the internet at the following links. Http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/speedo/speedo.htm and at http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/e30/interior/e30_speedo_sender_problem.html. Unreliable or lack of indication of driving speed can be a serious safety issue. This appears to be a problem that many bmw owners have suffered as indicated by the number of people who have reported it on the web. The dealer wants over $600 to fix the problem. *mjs”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 1996
“Engine cooling system design contains a flaw, when removing radiator cap consumer sustained burn injuries due to cap not having a two-stage release, o-rings at the base of the cap ensure that the pressure is maintained within the radiator until the cap is fully unscrewed.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling
When filing, owners marked a crash in 0 of these complaints and injuries in 2 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 campaigns
THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOCKING TAB WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
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.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
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.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 1991 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 525I by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 1991 BMW 525I reliable?
NHTSA has 13 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 1991 BMW 525I. The most complained-about area is engine and engine cooling.
Does the 1991 BMW 525I have open recalls?
4 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.