2006 BMW 325XI Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 325XI years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 13 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 BMW 325XI. That is the most of any 325XI model year in the database (13 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (64 complaints, 58%), typically at around 76,150 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 2 fires, 1 injury. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 110owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 BMW 325XI 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 problems | 64 | 58% | 76,150 | “air bag” (56%) | $1,550 |
| Steering | 14 | 13% | 74,511 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 12 | 11% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 11 | 10% | 77,750 | — | — |
| Seats | 8 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 5% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 4% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 3% | 83,400 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 3% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 3% | 91,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% | 93,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 2% | 87,501 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 70,989 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 BMW 325XI recalls (6)
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 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's air bag module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 30, 2024. 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 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) 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 driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 530xi Sports Wagon, 325i, 325xi, 325xi Sports Wagon, 330i, 330xi, Z4 3.0i and Z4 3.0si vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PCV valve heater, free of charge. The recall began May 30, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall is an expansion to recall 17V-683.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.
Risk: Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: BMW of North America, Inc. (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, and 550i vehicles equipped with the Sport Seat option and certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i vehicles with standard seats. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
Risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began September 1, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Problem: BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model year 2006-2007 750i, 750Li, and 760Li sedans, and model year 2006 X5 sports activity vehicles, equipped with certain seat types. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if and how the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.
Risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant detection mat to eliminate the possibility that it may crack, free of charge. Additionally, owners of model year 2006-2007 3 Series with standard seats, 5 Series with comfort seats, and Z4 models, will receive an extended warranty on their front passenger seat occupant detection mat. Owners may contact BMW customer relations at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
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.
My vehicle was parked in the driveway in front of my house and had not been driven for several days. I walked outside and noticed the engine fan was running so I opened the driverâs door and noticed white smoke coming from the glove box compartment. I opened the glove box and noted a small fire…
[XXX] . I have a 2006 BMW e91, but mine is not listed for recall above in the link. Currently have a fault for occupant detection malfunction. I also have sports seats listed in the above document. The sensor will say active when no one is sitting in the seat which is a safety concern. INFORMATION…
The contact owned a 2006 BMW 325XI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V513000 (Air Bags) and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Intermittently on startup/ignition, car electrical shuts completely down. No power to anything and key fob becomes locked in the ignition. After a few minutes the electrical comes back on on its own. This usually only happens in park on startup, however on one occasion, the electrical shut off for…
I purchased a used car that now has a passenger restraint sensor warning. Please fulfill a recall as this is a recurring issue with bmw
Other BMW 325XI years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 325XI | 0 | 2 |
| 2011 325XI | 0 | 3 |
| 2010 325XI | 0 | 3 |
| 2009 325XI | 1 | 3 |
| 2008 325XI | 0 | 3 |
| 2007 325XI | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 | 110 | 6 |
| 2005 325XI | 27 | 4 |
| 2004 325XI | 55 | 4 |
| 2003 325XI | 31 | 5 |
| 2002 325XI | 68 | 6 |
| 2001 325XI | 14 | 2 |
| 2000 325XI | 0 | 1 |
See all BMW 325XI 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 2006 BMW 325XI?
Owners most often report air bags, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 64 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 BMW 325XI?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 BMW 325XI a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 325XI model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.