2001 BMW 525 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jan 26, 2017 · 3 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other 525 years
Not enough data 2nd of 5 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 525. That ranks 2nd out of 5 525 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 33%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2001 BMW 525 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags1 · ~50,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1 · ~144,414 mi
Structure1 · ~144,414 mi
Vehicle Speed Control1 · ~50,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags133%50,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling133%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic133%144,414——
Structure133%144,414——
Vehicle Speed Control133%50,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2001, with 1 complaints
2001: 1200112007: 1200712012: 120121

n = 3 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2001 BMW 525 recalls (1)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not driveJan 20, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V047000 · 230,117 vehicles

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

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.

Power brake servo failure due to water accumulation. Driving the car and attempted to stop when there was suddenly no power brakes. Dealer indicated that it was caused by a bad vacuum line. When replacing the vacuum hose, i found the brakes booster (servo) submerged in 6 inches of water. After…

Structure · received Jan 17, 2012 · NHTSA complaint 10444001

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 bmw 525. While driving, the contact heard a noise. The vehicle then suddenly lost control ,veered to the right, and crashed into a channelizer barrel at highway speeds. Although, he struck the barrel head on the air bag failed to deploy. The current and failure mileages…

Air Bags · received Apr 16, 2007 · NHTSA complaint 10188061

Engine compartment started smoking. Consumer pulled into a parking lot and shut vehicle off. Service manager had vehicle towed to dealership. Electrical componets in fan were burned out. Consumer stated this problem started after recall was performed. Dealer advised consumer to attached recall…

Engine and Engine Cooling · received Nov 1, 2001 · NHTSA complaint 898621

Other BMW 525 years

← 1998 525 · 2002 525 →

YearComplaintsRecalls
2002 52501
200131
1998 52520
1997 52510
1995 525150

See all BMW 525 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 525?

Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.

Was there a recall on the 2001 BMW 525?

Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2001 BMW 525 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 525 model years, the 2001 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.