Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW 325I · model year
1988 BMW 325I
7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. 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 1988BMW325I carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 325I is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 1 filings, followed by power train (1) and structure:body:door (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 325I. 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.
7
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090128VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A GASKET FAILED IN THE VEHICLE. THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED AND CAUSED THE SYSTEM PRESSURE TO INCREASE, WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO BURST. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 93V015000 (VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:HEATER CORE), BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE GASKET. INSTEAD, THEY WILL INSTALL A REVISE RADIATOR CAP AND A BYPASS VALVE AT THE COST OF $1,000-$1,500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WILL NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 02-23-09 *BF UPDATED 02/29/09. *JB
Mileage: 135,000
20090128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A GASKET FAILED IN THE VEHICLE. THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED AND CAUSED THE SYSTEM PRESSURE TO INCREASE, WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO BURST. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 93V015000 (VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:HEATER CORE), BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE GASKET. INSTEAD, THEY WILL INSTALL A REVISE RADIATOR CAP AND A BYPASS VALVE AT THE COST OF $1,000-$1,500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WILL NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE WITH HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. UPDATED 02-23-09 *BF UPDATED 02/29/09. *JB
Mileage: 135,000
20060322SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT JUST CAME ON ONE DAY, THEN I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING LIKE A THUMP OR BOUNCE IN THE RIGHT PASSENGER TIRE/WHEEL. HAD TIRE CHECKED NOTHING WRONG , NO PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ? *JB
20060322SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT JUST CAME ON ONE DAY, THEN I STARTED FEELING AND HEARING LIKE A THUMP OR BOUNCE IN THE RIGHT PASSENGER TIRE/WHEEL. HAD TIRE CHECKED NOTHING WRONG , NO PROBLEM WITH BRAKES ? *JB
20041108CrashFireSTRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 1988 BMW 325IS IN THE RAIN, AND LOST CONTROL. SHE WAS HIT IN A SIDE IMPACT BY A LATE MODEL CHEVROLET CAMARO TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. THE HIT WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND MY WIFE'S PASSENGER WERE SEVERELY INJURED. I BELIEVE THAT THE BMW'S DOOR DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE, AS THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OBLITERATED. THE DOOR DID NOT CRUMPLE, BUT INSTEAD FOLDED INWARD AND UPWARD, FILLING UP THE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. PLEASE SEE PICTURES AT: HTTP://WWW.SNOWRABBIT.ORG/325IS_ACCIDENT. *AK
Mileage: 187,000
20010629POWER TRAIN
I HAVE TRIED TO SETTLE WITH THE DEALER, BUT HE HAS REFUSED. I HAVE PROOF OF THE ODOMETER FRAUD AND SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR, I HAVE SPENT $1300 IN REPAIRS PLUS $1700 IN ATTORNEY'S FEES. I'M AT A LOSS AS TO HOW TO FURTHER PROCEED.*AK
20000823SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Compare 1988BMW325I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BMW 325I have?▼
The 1988 BMW 325I has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BMW 325I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BMW 325I is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR.
Is the 1988 BMW 325I 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 325I; 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.