Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 325E · model year
1986 BMW 325E
2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986BMW325E carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 1986 325E is engine and engine cooling:cooling system with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting (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 325E. 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.
2
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061231EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE LIGHT BULBS FOR BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND REVERSE LIGHTS SPONTANEOUSLY STOP WORKING FOR UNEXPLAINED REASONS AND THEN START WORKING AGAIN. THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WILL FLASH ONLY WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE OFF, BUT AS SOON AS HEAD LIGHTS ARE ON, IT JUST STAYS LIT WITH NO FLASH. THE BULBS ARE ALL CORRECT AND NOT BURNED AND THIS HAPPENS VERY SPORADICALLY. *NM
Mileage: 150,000
20020801CrashENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Compare 1986BMW325E to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 BMW 325E have?▼
The 1986 BMW 325E has 2 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 BMW 325E?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 BMW 325E is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Is the 1986 BMW 325E 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.