Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 325I · model year
1991 BMW 325I
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991BMW325I carries 4 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, 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 1991 325I is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor with 1 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (1) and tires (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 1991 325I. 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
1
Crashes
0
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:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150523AIR BAGS
WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. LOUD EXPLOSION AND A PUFF OF WHITE SMOKY POWDER FILLED THE CAR CABIN. IF I WERE DRIVING, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT AS MY VISIBILITY WAS ZERO. WITHOUT INSPECTING, A BMW SERVICE REP SAID A SENSOR HAD TO HAVE SET THE BAG OFF. NEW AIR BAG WOULD COST $990 + THE SENSOR REPLACEMENT COST.
Mileage: 160,550
20050627TIRES
DT: THE TIRES ONLY HAVE 50 TO 60 MILES ON THEM, TWO BLOW OUTS. THE MANUFACTURER/DEALER SAID THIS WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD. WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 60 MPH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW. OUT. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM. THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED CONSUMER AGAIN. *AK
Mileage: 151,000
19990905CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD IMMEDIALTELY UPON ENGAGEMENT INTO FORWARD GEAR AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED BEFORE HITTING CONCRETE PLATFORM.
19990318SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIGOROUSLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
Compare 1991BMW325I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 BMW 325I have?▼
The 1991 BMW 325I has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 BMW 325I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 BMW 325I is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and TIRES.
Is the 1991 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 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.