1990 BMW 525I — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
51
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1990 BMW 525I
The 1990 BMW 525I has received a total of 51 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemradiator Assembly (5 complaints), Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System (4 complaints), and Exterior Lightingbrake Lights (4 complaints).
Recalls for the 1990 BMW 525I
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 1990 BMW 525I, potentially affecting up to 930,000 vehicles.
Recall 98V178000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
| 340,000 vehicles 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 POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD...
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.
View full details →Recall 97V131000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 410,000 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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.
View full details →Recall 96V111000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
| 180,000 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1990 BMW 525I
51 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1990 BMW 525I. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
(1) MY 1990 BMW 525I STARTED TO OVER HEAT ON AUGUST 01,2006. THE TEMP GAUGE GOES UP 50% MARK. THE COOLANT LEVEL WENT DOWN EVERY DAY AND I FILLED IT UP WITH DISTILLED WATER TO CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE, HOPING THAT IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF SOME TIME. (2) I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR ON REGULAR BASIS ANYMORE. WITHIN FEW DAYS, I SAW COOLANT OVERFLOWING AND SPRAY-OUT. FOLLOWING THIS, I NOTICED SLIGHT ROUGH IDLE AND VIBRATION. (3) REALIZING THAT DRIVING THE CAR WAS NO MORE SAFE, I CALLED WESTCHESTER BMW, WHITE PLAINS, NY. ON EMERGENCY BASIS, THE DEALER ACCEPTED THE CAR THE FOLLOWING WEEK FOR DIAGNOSIS. ON AUGUST 14 2006, THE DEALER CONCLUDED IT IS COOLANT LEAKING IN THE ENGINE AND OUTSIDE THE ENGINE. NO PARTS WERE REPAIRED AND REPLACED BECAUSE THE ENGINE WORK SPECIFIED BY THE DEALER WAS EXPENSIVE. I TOOK THE CAR BACK HOME. CAN NOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE. *JB
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLES AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING, COOLANT LEVEL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CONSUMER NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER FOUND THAT WATER WAS IN THE OIL DUE TO A CRACKED HEAD, CONSUMER LATER RECEIVED RECALL 98V178. *SLC
I REALIZED MY CAR WAS WRECKED SEVERAL TIMES, IT'S A SALVAGED CAR, BUT SOLD AS NORMAL; THEREFORE OVERPRICED. *AK
View all Engine And Engine Coolingcooling Systemradiator Assembly complaints →
Safety Rating for the 1990 BMW 525I
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1990 BMW 525I in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1990 BMW 525I
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1990 BMW 525I
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW 525I
- 1989 BMW 525I — 4 complaints
- 1990 BMW 525I (current)
- 1991 BMW 525I — 21 complaints
- 1992 BMW 525I — 30 complaints
- 1993 BMW 525I — 9 complaints
- 1994 BMW 525I — 10 complaints
- 1995 BMW 525I — 37 complaints