Total Complaints
13 filings
BMW 325 · model year
1989 BMW 325
13 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989BMW325 carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1989 325 is vehicle speed control with 4 filings, followed by visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (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 1989 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.
13
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010110VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO RECALL 93V015000/HEATER CORE. DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT RECALL PROBLEM. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH A CRACKED HEATER CORE WHICH CAUSED HOT FLUIDS TO ENTER PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF DRIVER'S VISIBILITY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
20000720VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
RECALL 93V015000/ HEATER CORE RECALL. DEALER IS JOHN ROBERT BMW, 2537 FOREST LANE, DALLAS, TX 75234, 972-247-7233. DEALER STILL HAS NO PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK . BMW STATES RECALL WAS DONE ON JULY 21,2000, AT AUTO BOND IN FT WORTH TX.
19980209SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE/LEANING TO THE RIGHT SIDE. IT IS ALSO NOT VERY STURDY BUT WOBBLY. *AK
19970715CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE. DEALER STATED THE FLOOR MAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
19970611VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON THREE OCCASIONS WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. *AK
19970512VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH SUDDENLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF, THEN VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP AFTER HITTING A CURVE; HAD FOOT ON BRAKES AT THE TIME. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE SURGING PROBLEM. *AK
19970304SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
VERY SMALL PIECES OF THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE LATCH BREAK OFF AND FALL INTO LATCH, CAUSING IT TO JAM. *AK
19960314ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
CIRCUIT BOARD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE OF SERVICE INDICATOR LIGHT/TACHOMETER. *SD
19951227VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
THE WINDOWS ON THE CAR STICK AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T ROLL THEM DOWN. ALSO THE WINDOW FOGS UP AND DEFROST DOESN'T WORK SO YOU HAVE TO WIPE THEM CLEAR BY HAND.
19951227VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE WINDOWS ON THE CAR STICK AND SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T ROLL THEM DOWN. ALSO THE WINDOW FOGS UP AND DEFROST DOESN'T WORK SO YOU HAVE TO WIPE THEM CLEAR BY HAND.
19950206CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM SOMETIME GRABS AND OTHER TIMES SHOOT FORWARD. TT
19950206CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM SOMETIME GRABS AND OTHER TIMES SHOOT FORWARD. TT
19950120CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE ON VEHICLE STUCK OPEN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. TT
Compare 1989BMW325 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 BMW 325 have?▼
The 1989 BMW 325 has 13 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 BMW 325?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 BMW 325 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1989 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.