Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 325 · model year
1988 BMW 325
9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BMW325 carries 9 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, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1988 325 is equipment:mechanical:accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift with 3 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift (2) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1988 325. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
9
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
3
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 |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001107VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
PRIOR TO RECALL 93V-015 THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS AND CONSTANT PROBLEMS AND REPAIRS REGARDING THE COOLANT SYSTEM, CONSUMER ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *YH
19990908EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
WHEN CONSUMER'S HUSBAND WAS CHANGING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE, THE JACK COLLAPSED AND BROKE HIS LEFT FOREARM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19960402SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT COMES LOOSE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960226CrashEQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
THE JACK CAME WITH CAR COLLAPSED ON THE PERSON WORKING ON THE CAR BREAKING HIS ARM AND DENTING THE DOOR *AK
19960226CrashEQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
THE JACK CAME WITH CAR COLLAPSED ON THE PERSON WORKING ON THE CAR BREAKING HIS ARM AND DENTING THE DOOR *AK
19960125POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AW
19960124POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
THE TRANSFER CASE ON THE VEHICLE FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP ABRUPTLY WHILE DRIVING.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19960124POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
THE TRANSFER CASE ON THE VEHICLE FROZE UP AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP ABRUPTLY WHILE DRIVING.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950330FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC DUE TO DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP. TT
Compare 1988BMW325 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BMW 325 have?▼
The 1988 BMW 325 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BMW 325?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BMW 325 is EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP.
Is the 1988 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1988 BMW 325; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.