The 1992 BMW 325i has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,005,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING98V1780001998-08-04340,000 affected
Defect
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…
Consequence
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…
Consequence
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.
AIR BAGS96V1100001996-07-0175,000 affected
Defect
THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
Consequence
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.
Consequence
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.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
3
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2
1fires
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2
2injuries
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
2
TIRES
2
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
2
Total complaints55
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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 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…”
“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…”
“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…”
“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”
“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…”
“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”
“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”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1992 BMW 325i as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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