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: 1 of 1 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.
Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
1 reports
162,500 miles · Jun 23, 2003
Electrical SystemFire
TWO NIGHT AGO I NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUTOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY NEXT MORNING I WENT TO MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON BUT ALSO THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. I WENT THROUGH THE DAY WITH BOTH ON WHEN I REMEMBERED I CHANGED THE LIC…
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TWO NIGHT AGO I NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUTOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER TURNING OFF THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY NEXT MORNING I WENT TO MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON BUT ALSO THE REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. I WENT THROUGH THE DAY WITH BOTH ON WHEN I REMEMBERED I CHANGED THE LICENSE PLATE BULB LIGHTS THE PREVIOUS DAY. THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM I OPENED MY TRUNK AND LOOKED AT THE LIGHTS AND NOTICED THE WIRES LEADING TO THE TRUNK. WHEN I LIFTED THE TRUNK LID ALL THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. I SHUT THE TRUNK AND PROCEED INSIDE MY HOUSE WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON RIGHT AS I STEPPED THROUGH THE DOOR. I WENT BACK TO THE CAR AND OPENED THE TRUNK WHICH IN WHEN I HEARD THE NOISE OF SPARKS COMMONS FROM THE WIRES LEADING FROM THE TRUNK LID INTO THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE WIRED AND PROCEEDED TO IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECT MY BATTERY WHICH IS LOCATED IN MY TRUNK. AFTER I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, I LOOKED AT THE REMAINS WHERE THE SPARKS HAD COME FROM, THE WIRES WERE ALL MELTED AND FRAYED. I RE-COATED ALL THE WIRES WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE. THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY INCIDENT REGARDING WIRES. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE WIRED. I FEW MONTHS EARLIER I NOTICED FRAYING OF WIRED IN THE SAME VICINITY. THE WIRE COATING IS TO THIN AND OVER TIME THE WIRES MOLD TOGETHER TO FORM ONE WHICH CAUSES THEM TO TOUCH ONE ANOTHER CREATING A VERY POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD I NOT SEEN THOSE LIGHTS COME BACK ON, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. THIS CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, AND REGARDLESS THE WIRES ARE ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. I POSTED A MESSAGE ON A BMW FORUM WHEN THE EVENT INITIALLY HAPPENED AND MANY PEOPLE REPORTED HAVING SIMILAR SYMPTOMS AND MANY WITH EVEN NEWER MODELS REPORT SEEING SIGNS OF FRAYING AND WIRES COMING THROUGH THE COATING. *NLM
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.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
1993 BMW 325ISA Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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