1991 BMW 525I: recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1991 BMW 525I. The newest campaign is 98V178000. NHTSA received the report on 4 Aug 1998. The NHTSA record gives the component Engine and Engine Cooling / Cooling System. NHTSA has 13 complaints on file for this model year.
The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.
This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.
Remedy of the newest campaign, 98V178000, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a new design radiator cap to control pressure and provide greater coolant overflow in the event of overheating.
Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .
Since the last update
No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks
Recall campaigns
4 campaigns, newest first. 1,005,000 units in total.
- 98V178000Engine and Engine Cooling / Cooling System
- 97V131000Vehicle Speed Control
- 96V111000Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
- 96V110000Air Bags / Frontal
98V178000Received . 340,000 units.
Engine and Engine Cooling / Cooling System
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will install a new design radiator cap to control pressure and provide greater coolant overflow in the event of overheating.
Report filed by BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
97V131000Received . 410,000 units.
Vehicle Speed Control
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
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.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
96V111000Received . 180,000 units.
Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the existing brake light switch with a newly designed switch.
Report filed by BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
96V110000Received . 75,000 units.
Air Bags / Frontal
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
The air bag contact ring locking tab located in the steering wheel assembly can break without warning.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the locking tab with one of a different design.
Report filed by BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.
Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.
Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.
Complaints by component
13 complaints, 21 component mentions.
A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.
| Component | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Structure | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 1 |
| Seats | 1 |
The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 11.
- Complaints that report a crash
- 0
- Complaints that report a fire
- 0
- Injuries in the complaints
- 2
- Deaths in the complaints
- 0
- Date of the newest complaint
- 20 Oct 2012
These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.
Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.
Investigations
The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.
Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.
Other model years
The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.
Official channels
- NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
- NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
- NHTSA page of the 1991 BMW 525IThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.
Cite this page
Recall Register. 1991 BMW 525I: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/bmw/525i/1991/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .
Sources
- Source
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- Recall file through
- 30 Sep 2026
- Complaint file through
- 30 Sep 2026
- First complaint in the file
- 1 Jan 1995
- Manufacturer in the recall file
- BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE
The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.
Questions
- How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1991 BMW 525I?
- 1,005,000 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
- How many recall campaigns does the BMW 525I have for all model years?
- NHTSA lists 16 recall campaigns for the BMW 525I, model years 1989 to 2011. 4 of them name the 1991 model year.
- Which component do the complaints about the 1991 BMW 525I name most often?
- Engine and Engine Cooling: 6 of 21 component mentions.
- Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1991 BMW 525I open?
- The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.