2001 BMW 325CI Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 325CI years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 49 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 325CI. That ranks 2nd out of 7 325CI model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (13 complaints, 27%), typically at around 152,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 6 fires, 5 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 49owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 BMW 325CI problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 13 | 27% | 152,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 14% | 39,104 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 10% | 63,118 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 10% | 138,671 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 8% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 8% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 6% | 126,342 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 6% | 121,180 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 4% | 111,798 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | 90,536 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 2% | 168,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 47,638 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 2% | 95,125 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 BMW 325CI recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2001 BMW 3 Series (323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci and 330Ci), 1999-2001 323i, 328i, 330i, 330xi, and 2000 323i, 328i stationwagon vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles are equipped with driver-side air bag inflators that were previously inspected, but not replaced under recall numbers 19V-851, 19V852, or 19V-853. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to explode or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: The inflator could explode during air bag deployment, resulting in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a newly designed inflator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 12, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i and 330i and 2000-2001 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT vehicles equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) manufactured by Takata. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver air bag as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW notified owners, and Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began November 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the engine auxiliary/cooling fan operation, including variable speed, is electronically controlled. Failure of the fan motor can cause the electrical circuitry of the fan control unit to overload and fail, causing the fan to stop operating.
Risk: If this were to occur, engine overheating and subsequent engine damage could result. In addition, it is possible for the failure of the electrical circuitry to cause a fire in the fan control unit located in the front of the engine compartment.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fan. Owner notification began september 28, 2001. This is a supplement to a recall that began during september 2001 (see recall campaign 01v206). Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fan
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The engine auxiliary/cooling fan operation, including variable speed, is electronically controlled. Failure of the fan motor can cause the electrical circuitry of the fan control unit to overload and fail, causing the fan to stop operating.
Risk: If this were to occur, engine overheating and subsequent engine damage could result. In addition, it is possible for the failure of the electrical circuitry to cause a fire in the fan control unit located in the front of the engine compartment.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fan. Owner notification began september 28, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Faulty dmtl now needs a third component at 49,000. Miles. Just replaced defective wiring harness in trunk that caused some lights to fail and burnt up a relay faulty design. Transmission cable gets stuck when shifting out of drive & n. Needs cable re aligned or replaced for the second time in…
Fuel tank strap brackets completely broken off at the weld points. Fuel tank hanging off bottom of car
Takata recall. I received a card in the mail from bmw of north america informing me that there was a recall on the airbag for my 2003 bmw x5. When we called the dealership in amarillo texas, autoplex bmw, we were told by the service manager kendra that we are welcome to buy new cars from them but…
2001 bmw 325 ci. Consumer writes in regards to takata airbag safety recall. *ld the consumer was involved in an accident in which the air bag deployed and hit the consumer in the head causing brain injury and eye irritation. Prior to the accident the consumer paid out of pocket to have the air bag…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 bmw 325ci. While the vehicle was stationary, the air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air bag module needed replacement. A dealer was not contacted about the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of…
Other BMW 325CI years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 325CI | 36 | 2 |
| 2005 325CI | 31 | 2 |
| 2004 325CI | 68 | 2 |
| 2003 325CI | 27 | 5 |
| 2002 325CI | 30 | 3 |
| 2001 | 49 | 5 |
| 2000 325CI | 6 | 3 |
See all BMW 325CI problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 325CI?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 13 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 BMW 325CI?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 BMW 325CI a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 325CI model years, the 2001 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.