Total Complaints
76 filings
BMW 325CI · model year
76 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004BMW325CI carries 76 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 1 injury, 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 2004 325CI is air bags with 41 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (7) and electrical system (4). 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. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2004 325CI. 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.
Total Complaints
76 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 41 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 7 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 4 |
| SEATS | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| VISIBILITY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE SEAL ON MASTER CYLINDER CAN FAI
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons,
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PS
The contact owns a 2004 BMW 325 CI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side rear turn signal light became inoperable while attempting to make a turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the rear turn signal light failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear tail lamp functions had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.
Mileage: 250,000
The TAKATA airbags were replaced April 8, 2021, by Reeds Import, Tampa FL. Please save a tree and stop sending recall notices. Thank you. Mark
AFTER RECALLED AIR BAGS REPLACED, ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER NEW AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND DIAGNOSED AS PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. JUST RANDOMLY THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN BMWS AND THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR OTHER MODELS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY.
Mileage: 75,000
AFTER RECALLED AIR BAGS REPLACED, ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER NEW AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND DIAGNOSED AS PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR MAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. JUST RANDOMLY THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM IN BMWS AND THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR OTHER MODELS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY.
Mileage: 75,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND A STOP, HE NOTICED THAT HIS RIGHT TURN SIGNAL HAD FLASHED ERRATICALLY UPON ACTIVATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT CALLED CHAPMAN BMW CHANDLER (7455 W ORCHID LN, CHANDLER, AZ 85226) WHERE HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER CALLED BACK AND INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER THEN REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.
Mileage: 90,000
2004 BMW 325CI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD *JS
I CALLED MY DEALER LAST YEAR TO SCHEDULE TO FIX MY RECALL ON MY CAR. UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT WENT TO MY APPOINTMENT. NOW ONE OF THE BAGS EXPLODED, AND I CALLED THE DELEGAR AGAIN TO DO MY RECALL, BUT TO MY SURPRISE THE HAVE MY CAR IN RECORDS AS REPAIR!! AND I TOLD THE THAT NEVER HAPPENED. THEY PROMISED TO CHECK AND CALL ME BACK AND HAS NOT HAPPENED EITHER. THIS IS THE BMW SAN ANTONIO TEXAS DELEGAR. I BELIEVE THIS IS FRAUD! I WANT TO HAVE THE RECALL DONE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GO AWAY WITH IT. I DON'T HAVE ANY DOCUMENTATION TO UPLOAD ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EXIST. NEVERTHELESS I DO HAVE A PICTURE THAT SHOWS THE AIRBAG THAT EXPLODED IS FROM 2003, AS THE REST OF THEM. I FEEL SO ANGRY AND DISAPPOINTED. MY NAME IS [XXX], OWNER OF THE 2004 BMW 325CI INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR
Mileage: 179,400
HEADLIGHT WIRING INSULATION ON STANDARD BMW HEADLIGHTS IS BRITTLE AND FALLING OFF EXPOSING BARE COPPER WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HEADLIGHTS I HAVE HAD TO WRAP THE WIRES IN ELECTRICAL TAPE AND SHRINK WRAPPING. THIS ISSUE HAS EXISTED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
Mileage: 130,000
HEADLIGHT WIRING INSULATION ON STANDARD BMW HEADLIGHTS IS BRITTLE AND FALLING OFF EXPOSING BARE COPPER WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE HEADLIGHTS I HAVE HAD TO WRAP THE WIRES IN ELECTRICAL TAPE AND SHRINK WRAPPING. THIS ISSUE HAS EXISTED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
Mileage: 130,000
TAKATA RECALL FIRST THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS RECALLED, AFTER WAITING OVER ONE YEAR, IT WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED. NOW THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG HAS BEEN RECALLED. WE RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR OVER TWO YEARS! NO CONTACT, NO REPLACEMENT. WE CONTINUE TO LIVE IN PERIL OF THE LETHAL DEPLOYMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG AND BMW JUST SAYS WAIT?
TAKATA RECALL
TAKATA RECALL. THE DEALER (BRAMAN BMW) ITS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE TIME TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TAKAYUKI RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.(POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCES IF DEPLOYED). LAST YEAR, I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL, THIS TIME FOR THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG.I RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY AND WAS PLACATED WITH THE PROMISE OF REPLACEMENT. IT HAS BEEN EIGHTEEN MONTHS NOW AND THE DEALER ASKS ME TO BE PATIENT. I RECENTLY FOUND THAT IT MAY TAKE UNTIL 2020!!! FOR ANY REPLACEMENT!!! I ASK, SIMPLY WOULD ANY PRUDENT PERSON DRIVE MY VEHICLE? LIVING WITH THE THREAT OF DEATH FOR FOUR MORE YEARS? WHAT AM I TO DO? I WANT A SAFE REPLACEMENT AT BMW'S EXPENSE UNTIL MY VEHICLE CAN BE REPAIRED. YES MY VEHICLE IS 12 YEARS OLD ( 60,000 MILES) AND YES I LIVE IN WHAT CONSIDERED A "HUMID" ENVIRONMENT! HELP!
Mileage: 60,000
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 01/26/2017*CT *TR
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW STATING AIRBAGS WERE IN FOR RECALLS 15V-318 AND 13V-172/14V-428. I TOOK MY CAR TO BMW WEST IN HOUSTON AND WAS TOLD TX DOES NOT HAVE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS YET. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR OVERNIGHT BECAUSE THEY HAD TO WAIT FOR THE PASSENGER BAGS FROM ANOTHER BMW CENTER. I WILL NOW BE DRIVING WITH A DEFECTIVE DRIVER'S AIRBAG UNTIL PARTS ARE RECEIVED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN JULY OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
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.