IllustrationDEALER RECOMMENDS THAT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES BE REPLACED BECAUSE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS HAVE WORN, LEAVING BRAKE LIGHTS UNRELIABLE. HOW CAN A NON-MOVING ELECTRICAL PART WEAR OUT? *JB
1995 BMW 325I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 325I years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 5 of 31 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
3 reportsI ALSO GET THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE SHORT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING, AND THE METAL CLIP GETS ERODED FROM A HEAT BUILD UP DUE TO THE SHORT. THIS CAUSES A SMALL HOLE IN THE METAL CLIP OF THE BULB, AND THEREFORE, EACH TIME YOU REPLACE THE BULBS, YOU GET A NEW HOLE. I HAVE HAD THIS PRO…
Read full complaint
I ALSO GET THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE SHORT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING, AND THE METAL CLIP GETS ERODED FROM A HEAT BUILD UP DUE TO THE SHORT. THIS CAUSES A SMALL HOLE IN THE METAL CLIP OF THE BULB, AND THEREFORE, EACH TIME YOU REPLACE THE BULBS, YOU GET A NEW HOLE. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS, AND I JUST KEEP REPLACING THE BULBS AND THE PARTS, SINCE MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. ( I HAVE A '95 325 I THAT I BOUGHT IN '97.) I ALSO HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE LOCK MECHANISM - SOMETIMES THE DRIVERS SIDE LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE FRONT SEATS. IT IS JUST EXPECTED THAT BMWS HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. PERHAPS NEXT TIME I WILL GET A HONDA.*JB
CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GETTING THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT FAILURE WARNING. REPLACED THE SWITCH AT DEALER TWICE. REPLACED ALL BULBS SEVERAL TIMES REPLACED FUSE TWICE. CONSTANT PROBLEM AND REPAIR SHOPS ALL SAY BMW HAS CHRONIC ELECTRICAL GLITCHES. I TELL THEM THIS IS NOT A GLITCH, ONE TIME THE BULBS WON'T LIGHT …
Read full complaint
CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GETTING THE BRAKE LIGHT CIRCUIT FAILURE WARNING. REPLACED THE SWITCH AT DEALER TWICE. REPLACED ALL BULBS SEVERAL TIMES REPLACED FUSE TWICE. CONSTANT PROBLEM AND REPAIR SHOPS ALL SAY BMW HAS CHRONIC ELECTRICAL GLITCHES. I TELL THEM THIS IS NOT A GLITCH, ONE TIME THE BULBS WON'T LIGHT WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES AND I'LL GET REAR-ENDED. DT
Official recalls
298V178000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System
Aug 4, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
97V131000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 19, 1997
THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.