Total Complaints
11 filings
BMW 325 · model year
1986 BMW 325
11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986BMW325 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 325 is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 2 filings, followed by equipment:appliance:air conditioner (1) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1986 325. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170719ENGINE
MY 1986 325ES BMW OVER HEAT. CHANGE THE FLUIDS, PERFORM SEVERAL CHECKS AND IT IS STILL OVER HEATING. HAS THERE BEEN ANY RECALL ON THE HEATING OR COOLING SYSTEM.
Mileage: 300,000
20070622ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAR HAS OVERHEATED SINCE 2000. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY 86 BMW 325 BUT I JUST LOOKED UP RECALLS AND SAW WERE OVERHEATING WAS A PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR MODEL CAR. *TR
20060426LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
DEFECT IN ELECTRONIC LOCKING DEVICE. UNABLE TO OPEN PASSENGER DOORS (FRONT AND BACK), EITHER MANUALLY (FROM INSIDE) OR WITH KEY (FROM OUTSIDE). HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE PARTS REPAIRED OR REPLACED. *JB
20021016VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
CONSUMER STATES THAT DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN DO CONSUMERS RECALL FOR FREE. MR
20000823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSTANT HEATING PROBLEM, ON AND OFF AT TIMES, ENGINE GOT HOT AND ROD STARTED KNOCKING NHTSA ID # 93V01500,# 86V151000. . *AK
19970602EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
VEHICLE WAS JACKED UP AT LEFT FRONT JACK POINT ON PERFECTLY FLAT CONCRETE FLOOR, IT ROLLED REARWARD, JACK FOOTING SLIPPED AND VEHICLE FELL ON VICTIM.
19970123CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD. *AK
19970123CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DAUGHTER DRIVING, PASSENGERS/DRIVER HAD ON SEAT BELTS, CLEAR/SUNNY DAY, ANOTHER CAR TAILGATING FAST. STARTED SLOWING TO MAKE LANE CHANGE, CAR SKIDDED, BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAR ROLLED 6 TIMES, CAR UPSIDE DOWN, DRIVER THROWN TO PASSENGER'S SIDE ROOF. SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD. *AK
19950511VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
RECALL 93V015 HEATER:DEFROSTER:DEFOGGER; HOT FLUID ENTERED COMPARTMENT AND BURNT DRIVERS LOWER LEG. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
19950420EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH. *SKD
19950420VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
HEATER IS NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH.
Compare 1986BMW325 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 BMW 325 have?▼
The 1986 BMW 325 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 BMW 325?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 BMW 325 is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM.
Is the 1986 BMW 325 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.