Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 525IA · model year
2002 BMW 525IA
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 recall campaign 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 2002BMW525IA 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, 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 2002 525IA is air bags with 3 filings, followed by engine (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign 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 2002 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
Recalls (1)
01V35200026/11/2001
TIRES:SIDEWALL
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: DURING THE TIRE MOUNTING PROCESS ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH STANDARD (NON-SPORT) SUSPENSION AND EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTITOURINGCONTACT CH95 ECOPLUS TIRES, SIZE 225/65R16 95H, HAVING DOT CODES 4001, 4101, OR 4201, THE OUTER SIDEWALL SURFACE OF THE TIRES MAY
Recent Complaints
20170112CrashAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 (NA) BMW 525IA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FACIAL LACERATIONS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER ALSO SUSTAINED FACIAL LACERATION AND A FRACTURED JAW. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW LOT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 183,000.
Mileage: 183,000
20160630ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525IA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
Mileage: 125,000
20160630AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525IA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.
Mileage: 125,000
20160325AIR BAGS
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 525IA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 05/11/16.*JB
Compare 2002BMW525IA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 BMW 525IA have?▼
The 2002 BMW 525IA has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 BMW 525IA?▼
Yes, the 2002 BMW 525IA has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is TIRES:SIDEWALL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 BMW 525IA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 BMW 525IA is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE.
Is the 2002 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 2002 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.