Total Complaints
1 filings
BMW 525IA · model year
2001 BMW 525IA
1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. 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 2001BMW525IA carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, 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 2001 525IA is vehicle speed control with 1 filings. Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2001 525IA. 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.
1
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recalls (3)
03V42100024/10/2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A MICROPROCESSOR IN THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE, WHICH ACTIVATES THE FRONT AIR BAGS, THE SIDE AIR BAGS, THE FRONT SEAT SAFETY BELT PRETENSIONERS, AND THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL, MAY HAVE A MALFUNCTION THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UNINTENDED ACTIVATION OF ONE OR MORE OF THESE
01V20600021/06/2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.
02V13800016/05/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.
Recent Complaints
20040411CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY BMW-525 IA YEAR 2001.( VIN#WBADT 43481-GF-59688) ON D/4/7/04 AROUND 7.45 PM MY WIFE PULLED INTO THE PARKING LOT, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AT HIGH SPEED & PASSED OVER THE GRASS, SHRUBS AND HIT THE CEMENT WALL. MY WIFE & ME WERE IN THE CAR. WE BOTH WERE INJURED,THE CAR IS DAMAGED, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW ABOUT THIS ALSO AND WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO SEE ANY SUCH COMPLAINTS MADE BY ANY BMW CAR OWNERS. *JB
Mileage: 41,000
Compare 2001BMW525IA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 BMW 525IA have?▼
The 2001 BMW 525IA has 1 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 BMW 525IA?▼
Yes, the 2001 BMW 525IA has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 525IA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 BMW 525IA is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 2001 BMW 525IA 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 2001 BMW 525IA; 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.