Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 525I · model year
1998 BMW 525I
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMW525I carries 2 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 525I is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc with 1 filings, followed by equipment (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 525I. 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
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990908EQUIPMENT
ASH TRAY.
19990818SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WE ARE REPORTING A SIGNIFICANT BRAKE WEAR ON MINIMAL MILEAGE WITH VERY MODEST USAGE. WE WE ASKED BY THE DEALERSHIP NOT TO REPORT THIS TO THE NATIONAL OFFICE. WE HAVE , AS YET, NOT REPRTED THIS TO THE NATIOANL BMW OFFICE UNTIL WE FILED THIS REPORT AND RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM YOU REGARDING ANYOTHER SIGNIFICANT REPORTS OF BMW BREAK FAILURE OR EXTREME WEAR. WE HAVE HAD TWO PREVIOUSLY LEASED BMW'S THAT WERE DIRVEN THEIR FULL 36MON/36,000 MILES WITH NO BREAK PROBLEMS INCLUDING NO REPLACEMENT OF PADS OR ROTORS.
Compare 1998BMW525I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW 525I have?▼
The 1998 BMW 525I has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW 525I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW 525I is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EQUIPMENT.
Is the 1998 BMW 525I 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.