How many recalls does the 2001 BMW 525 have?

The 2001 BMW 525 has 1 NHTSA safety recall campaign on record.

How do I check if my 2001 BMW 525 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 2001 BMW 525?

Of 5 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is air bags.

2001 BMW 525 Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 2001 BMW 525 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 230,117 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

AIR BAGS 17V047000 2017-01-20 230,117 affected

Defect

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a…

Consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy

Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

STRUCTURE

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Total complaints5

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Power brake servo failure due to water accumulation. Driving the car and attempted to stop when there was suddenly no power brakes. Dealer indicated that it was caused by a bad vacuum line. When replacing the vacuum hose, I found the brakes booster (servo) submerged in 6 inches of water. After…”

STRUCTURE · reported 2011-12-30

“Power brake servo failure due to water accumulation. Driving the car and attempted to stop when there was suddenly no power brakes. Dealer indicated that it was caused by a bad vacuum line. When replacing the vacuum hose, I found the brakes booster (servo) submerged in 6 inches of water. After…”

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC · reported 2011-12-30

“Tl*the contact owns a 2001 bmw 525. While driving, the contact heard a noise. The vehicle then suddenly lost control ,veered to the right, and crashed into a channelizer barrel at highway speeds. Although, he struck the barrel head on the air bag failed to deploy. The current and failure mileages…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2007-04-15

“Tl*the contact owns a 2001 bmw 525. While driving, the contact heard a noise. The vehicle then suddenly lost control ,veered to the right, and crashed into a channelizer barrel at highway speeds. Although, he struck the barrel head on the air bag failed to deploy. The current and failure mileages…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2007-04-15

“Engine compartment started smoking. Consumer pulled into a parking lot and shut vehicle off. Service manager had vehicle towed to dealership. Electrical componets in fan were burned out. Consumer stated this problem started after recall was performed. Dealer advised consumer to attached recall…”

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN · reported 2001-09-01

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2001 BMW 525 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.