1992 BMW 325I
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 1992 BMW 325I. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 1992 BMW 325I. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
The air bag contact ring locking tab located in the steering wheel assembly can break without warning.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If this happens, the contact ring wiring could eventually break. The air bag readiness indicator lamp (srs or airbag) in the instrument cluster will illuminate, and the air bag would not deploy in the event of a frontal impact vehicle collision.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the existing brake light switch with a newly designed switch.
Owner complaints
40 complaints2 involved a crash1 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Tires
I was driving at 70mph on I71 with cruise control enabled when I felt vibrations for approx. 20 seconds and then my right rear tire blew out. I had driven approximately 30 miles up to this point and I verified that tire to be 36 psi as recently as that morning. The tire has no puncture damage and…
I was driving at 70mph on I71 with cruise control enabled when I felt vibrations for approx. 20 seconds and then my right rear tire blew out. I had driven approximately 30 miles up to this point and I verified that tire to be 36 psi as recently as that morning. The tire has no puncture damage and the bead IS still fully set on both sides. The tire separated between the sidewall and tire face. tire rack refused to resolve the situation in a way that I would not incur further out-of-pocket costs, and the tire manufacturer acted confused and failed to comprehend the information I was giving them. I ended up filing a visa chargeback against tire rack. I have this same tire on two cars and we've seen these tires fail on our other vehicle but I thought it was simply bad luck. This time I'm absolutely certain that this tire failed due to a manufacturing defect. the tire IS still currently set on the wheel and has been untouched, and IS available for inspection. the tire in question IS a general altimax hp, it's not available in the nhtsa system. *tr
- Latches/locks/linkages
Tl*the contact owns a 1992 BMW 325I. whenever the contact locks the doors from the outside of the vehicle, he IS unable to unlock them from inside the passenger compartment. once he locks the doors, the door handles and locks fail inside the passenger compartment. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 200,000.
- Latches/locks/linkages
I locked my 1992 BMW 325I with the key from the outside with my friend inside (i did not realize he had not gotten out of the vehicle yet). I had dropped the key when I heard him pound on the window (loosing the key in some brush). When this situation had transpired I found out that he could not…
I locked my 1992 BMW 325I with the key from the outside with my friend inside (i did not realize he had not gotten out of the vehicle yet). I had dropped the key when I heard him pound on the window (loosing the key in some brush). When this situation had transpired I found out that he could not open any of the doors from inside of the vehicle in any manner. If this were a small child and lets say a forgetful grandparent the child would not be able to get out of the car in any manner. (Or with the weird mother drowning kids and uncles locking kids in his basement that we hear about on the news) this car could be used as a potential prison. If this were any person(s) who are not very muscular the car could potentially be a death trap if someone had not known they were inside of the car. In addition, knowing they are inside the car and calling a locksmith, the locksmith IS not able to get inside of the car without doing super excessive damage to the locks or breaking a window. In which case breaking a window in such a small sedan could and in my case resulted from my friend ending up with chucks of glass in his skin and I broke my hand getting through the window because we were in the desert with nothing around to be able to break the window. If it IS required to have a trunk release inside of a trunk to let occupants out. Why can you be locked inside of your own car? *tr
- Tires
This june of 2005 while my 92bmw325i was parked at the mall, the back passenger tire I noticed blew up. When I brought it to pit stop to have the tire vulcanized, they said they can't do anything w/it but be replaced. I replaced it at sam's club w/ap205/60r15h tour. I asked if the other 3 tires…
This june of 2005 while my 92bmw325i was parked at the mall, the back passenger tire I noticed blew up. When I brought it to pit stop to have the tire vulcanized, they said they can't do anything w/it but be replaced. I replaced it at sam's club w/ap205/60r15h tour. I asked if the other 3 tires need to be replaced & they said "no". Last sunday jul 24 while my son was driving on interstate 26, the front driver side tire blew up & caused a lot of damage to the vehicle & fortunately spared any injury to my son. I bought these 4 p205/60r15 or 15-205/60-15gt cooper cobra tires from strobel tire co. We're still waiting for our insurance co. To have the vehicle repaired. I read about a lawsuit about cooper tire so I called the lawfirm handling such but the person I talked w/said that w/no injury, it would be very expensive to pursue a case so she directed to call 18883274236, hence this complaint.
- Structure › Body › Door
While entering into the vehicle the door failed to opened. the left and right side door was unable to open properly. the driver was able to contact the dealer for appointment. please provide additional information. *jb
- Structure › Frame and members
1) mounts for rear subframe to body not strong enough. They flex and crack leading to a chain reaction then the rear end rips off. 2)I was driving down a busy two way road. Then all of a sudden my cars rear end IS moving to the left and I lost control for a little. Luckily didnt crash into another…
1) mounts for rear subframe to body not strong enough. They flex and crack leading to a chain reaction then the rear end rips off. 2)I was driving down a busy two way road. Then all of a sudden my cars rear end IS moving to the left and I lost control for a little. Luckily didnt crash into another car. Then I regained control and drove back to my house which was 1 street away. 3) I had to have it tow trucked to a garage where they had to replace the whole sheet metal part where the whole rear end mounts to. Documented and cost me over $2000.00 this IS not an iscolated incident check out this forum: http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e36/forum.php BMW knows of the problem and they make reinforcement plates which we must buy and pay for the installation.*ak
- Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
I own a 1992 BMW 325I, ive encountered a problem, the rear sub frame IS breaking apart from the body of the car. This seems to be a expensive problem that occurs to many bmws. This IS not normal wear and tear on a car, this IS a defect that BMW should acknowledge. *Ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Took car through car wash. car came out dead. turns out that this IS a common problem where water gets into the main ecm computer and shorts it out. this IS terrible. BMW should issue a recall for this. $1100 for going through a simple car wash. owners should be cautioned. mr
- Structure › Frame and members
Having problems with vehicle's frame. mr
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Engine and engine cooling · Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner · Equipment › Electrical › Radio/tape deck/cd etc. · Fuel system, gasoline · Power train · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components · Steering › Column locking › Anti-theft device · Suspension · Visibility › Power window devices and controls
The water pump locked up, the fan blade broke and the belts burned, dealer replaced the water pump, fan and belts, the oil pan gasket was replaced due to an oil leak. *slc
- Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash · Fuel system, gasoline
While vehicle was parked, a fire started inside of vehicle. local fire department arrived, extinguished the fire, and informed consumer that fire may have started under the dash.*akafter forensic study, it was determined that the fire was cuased by fuel seepage as a result of fuel lines hardening and leaking. there IS a recall related to the incident for bmw's 525I and other makes. *jg
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Radiator assembly
While traveling vehicle lost power. Had vehicle towed to BMW, technician stated plastic cover to radiator had cracked, and had lost coolen. cost to consumer was over thansand dollers. Please provide further information.*ak
- Structure › Frame and members
Noise in the rear of car (subframe) kind of like its own squeak... Not like a door squeak, nothing else makes this noise, sounds really bad (subframe problem?)
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
The radiator cap failed prior to recall notice 98v-178, the consumer believes this IS due to improper radiator design. nlm
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
I was losing coolant and I could not find a leak over more than a year. I reported the problem (at united BMW, duluth, ga) the found no problem. On the highway I noted the windshieln very clowdy and the smell of ethylene glycol coming from the heating ducts. Suddenly this big cloud of white mist in…
I was losing coolant and I could not find a leak over more than a year. I reported the problem (at united BMW, duluth, ga) the found no problem. On the highway I noted the windshieln very clowdy and the smell of ethylene glycol coming from the heating ducts. Suddenly this big cloud of white mist in front of the right side of the vehicle. I pulled over and opened the hood only to be sprayed with the remnants of this fluid as it got on the fan. I jumped back and avoided any injury. The hose leading from the top of the radiator to the engine block had fallen off! That should be simple to fix! On closer inspection, the radiator attachments had completely fractured off! The fractured portion was stuck in the hose! And the remnant on the radiator IS too short to securely anchor the hose to the radiator after removing the broken part from inside the hose. However, I use it this way and keep a supply of water in the cab for short trips.the fractured radiator was chronically leaking and over the past several winters there would be a mist on my windshield that was difficult to get rid of. Wiping with tissue would leave a steak most of the time! I note that BMW has recently recalled the radiator cap on this vehicle. From this experience I submit to you that high pressures did not cause the hose to rupture but a defective radiator that IS subject to fracture at the point of hose connection resulting in chronic leaks particular at highway speeds and working preasures leading to mist and from the coolant within the vehicle and poor visibility. Turning the windchield defogger on does not clear this problem but adds to it! BMW need to recall these defective radiators because of the danger of third degree burns and death as well as unsafe driving from the constant fogging of the windshield. Yours truly, [xxx]. *Ak parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6).
- Unknown or other
Indicator light for electronic shift control has failed when wheather gets wet. *ak
- Air bags › Frontal
While at a stop another vehicle driving at high speed hit consumer's vehicle at a frontal impact in which driver's air bag did not deploy, and did not protect occupant in this crash. no previous problems with airbag. please provide further information. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Car overheated while driving at about 40 mph. exact miles traveled while overheated unknown, but less than 10. subsequent repairs indicated failed water pump (plastic impeller cracked) which caused overheating and damaged head gasket. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Vehicle experienced failure of the coolant system prior to recall notification (93v-015). *mjs
- Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Frequent driver side window failure, short life muffler, costly service remind light reset w/ dearler only. *ak
- Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Driver's side seatbelt IS loose and does not retract back to it's original position. nlm
- Electrical system › Ignition › Module
Dme unit got wet from a normal car wash; BMW bulletin item but not recall; dealership drilled a hole in the box per bmws instructions and said that would prevent it from happening again. it happened again about 3 years later; the bulletin "fix" was insufficient. major safety issue as the failed…
Dme unit got wet from a normal car wash; BMW bulletin item but not recall; dealership drilled a hole in the box per bmws instructions and said that would prevent it from happening again. it happened again about 3 years later; the bulletin "fix" was insufficient. major safety issue as the failed computer floods the engine with gasoline causes gas to overflow out the dipstick all over the place; my research has shown that this has happened to many many people and IS a common problem that BMW should have recalled and made a real "fix." it costs over $1000 to repair when this happens. this IS not a problem caused by wear and tear, this IS a design flaw that BMW should step up to. electronic computer parts should be in a water tight location where regular water flow cannot compromise the components. this IS a defect and a safety issue.*ak
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
Heater core IS leaking anti-freeze into passenger's compartment. Mechanic says the heater core and the plastic assembly around it has to be replaced. *Ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Vehicle experienced problem with water leaking into the engine control unit, causing vehicle to stalls while driving, dealer notifed and repaired that unit. After two monthsand two weeks, unit needed to be replaced again at consumer's cost. Dealer refused to correct problem. Can nhtsa provide additional information or help in this matter. *ak
- Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system
Windows fogged up due to deffoger/defroster operating improperly as a result of an electrical short. *Ak
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10249437The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 50897Recall 96v111 - this recall campaign involves the brake light switch.
- 50896Recall 96v110 - BMW of north america has initiated a recall campaign which involves the airbag contact ring locking tab.
Every BMW 325I model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.