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1993 BMW 525IA

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
1Owner complaints

Model-year median: 1

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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19901
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1995
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
1

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: 0 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.

  • Power Train. 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 11, 2000
Power Train

"TRANS PROGRAM" WILL LIGHT UP ON DASHBOARD AND WHEN IT DOES, TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT BEFORE BUT NOW CONSTANT WHEN FIRST STARTING IN AM. IF I LET CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, "TRANS PROGRAM" WILL DISSAPPEAR AND CAR WILL SHIFT NORMALLY (AUTOMATIC TRANS). AFRAID TRANSMISSION MIGHT SLIP WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION C…

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"TRANS PROGRAM" WILL LIGHT UP ON DASHBOARD AND WHEN IT DOES, TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT BEFORE BUT NOW CONSTANT WHEN FIRST STARTING IN AM. IF I LET CAR SIT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, "TRANS PROGRAM" WILL DISSAPPEAR AND CAR WILL SHIFT NORMALLY (AUTOMATIC TRANS). AFRAID TRANSMISSION MIGHT SLIP WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION CAUSING ACCIDENT. BROUGHT TO DEALER, COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHATS WRONG BUT WANTS TO REPLACE TRANS. BMW HAS SEVERAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS RE. THIS (ACCORDING TO INTERNET) BUT BMW WILL NOT SHARE NOR ANSWER MY LETTER. WENT TO INDEPENDENT TRANS. MECHANIC WHO SAYS TRANSMISSION ITSELF IS FINE. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #734019

Official recalls

1

98V178000 · 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.

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.