Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 325 · model year
1998 BMW 325
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMW325 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1998 325 is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 1 filings, followed by unknown or other (1) and fuel system, gasoline (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 1998 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130801ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 325. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PLACING HER KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE BRAKE WARNING LAMP WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,000. UPDATED 10/29/13*LJ
Mileage: 14,000
20090211FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED STALLING ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. ON FEBRUARY 11, 2008, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL IN THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODING THE FUEL PUMP AND CAUSED IT TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT WILL TRADE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 242,000.
Mileage: 242,000
20030502UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE DEALER SWITCHED THE PRICE OF THE CAR AFTER I GAVE HIM CASH MONEY. THE DEALER MISREPRESENTED THE CONDITION OF THE CAR AFTER I PAID CASH FOR THE CAR. THE DEALER WROTE AS IS ON THE RECEIPT, THE DEALER KEPT THE TITLE. THE DEALER STOLE THE CAR I DROVE THERE AND WANTS $30 PER DAY STORAGE FOR MY OWN CAR HE MOVED. I NEVER SIGNED ANYTHING. SCC *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*742562
Mileage: 181
20021017VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
CONSUMER STATES THAT WATER IS LEAKING ON THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE ONTO THE CARPET. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN OVER HEATING. CONSUMER FEELS ITS THE HEATER CORE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Compare 1998BMW325 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW 325 have?▼
The 1998 BMW 325 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW 325?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW 325 is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1998 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.