1994 BMW 325 problems & reliability
25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1994 BMW 325. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 4 | 16% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 16% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 16% |
| Power Train | 3 | 12% |
| Structure | 3 | 12% |
| Seats | 2 | 8% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 14 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Car lost power due to problem with transmission. Car has 120,000 miles and new transmission was also required at 55,000 in 2000. Bmw 3 series transmissions seem to be defective. There are numerous complaints of transmissions suddenly failing in 3 series. *tr”
Power Train · filed Jun 6, 2011
“The vehicle's engine failed at 80,000 miles. *nm the consumer was told that his engine was not repairable because it would not hold oil . *tc the engine had been well maintained. The consumer was also informed that a new water pump was needed. *sc *jb”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Nov 30, 2004
“Tire at approximately 60 % tread remaining on tire, the tread pealed off the casing and caused damage to under fender and to rim of car when tire blew and ran on rim off road-no personal injuries. *ak”
Tires · filed Aug 1, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
10 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1994 BMW 325.
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
B510819 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2024
Child airbag letter, warning label and safety reference card. *tw
72/07/96 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1996
Wind noise diagnostics. *tw
41/03/96 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1996
Recall 96v111 - this recall campaign involves the brake light switch. *tw
MSG1016 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1996
Cruise control set speed drops slightly. *tw
650295(4168) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
Ratcheting/clicking noise from a/c compressor after turn-off. *tw
640594(4123) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
UNKNOWN
720294(4138) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
Dash warping above center vent. *tw
510894(4129) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
Internal software problem in zae control module causing srs warning lamp illumination. *tw
720294(4138) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
Engine will not start, primarily during cold weather or high altitude. *tw
120794(4116) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1994 BMW 325 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1994 BMW 325?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.