The 1993 BMW 525i has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 930,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING98V1780001998-08-04340,000 affected
Defect
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…
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.
THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE…
Consequence
THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Consequence
IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
2
1fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
1
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
1
1fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
1
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
1
1fires
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
1
Total complaints9
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Tl* the contact owns a 1993 bmw 525i. The contact stated that both the rear driver and passenger side doors failed to open. As a result, the rear passengers were not able to enter or exit the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1993 bmw 525i. The contact stated that both the rear driver and passenger side doors failed to open. As a result, the rear passengers were not able to enter or exit the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The…”
“A malfunction or failure of a colling system component (thermostat, water pump or fan belt) caused the vehicle to overheat prior to recall notice 98v-178. Nlm”
“Vehicle parked on on down hill grade. When vehicle is started and put in reverse gear, the transmission does not engage immediately and vehicle rolls forward. Increased pressure is applied to the accelerator and suddenly the transmission engages.”
“Design of charcoal filter canister caused it to absorbed a large amount of water causing it to freeze and the fuel pump kept pumping until the fuel tank imploded.”
“Received installation of recalled radiator cap at vob bmw in 9/27/99 (98v178000) that was supposed to keep the bmw cars from overheating which causes the engine to overheat and burnup. On 5/9/00 the temp was 95 degrees f, after running my air conditioning, my car began to smoke heavily and the…”
“Received installation of recalled radiator cap at vob bmw in 9/27/99 (98v178000) that was supposed to keep the bmw cars from overheating which causes the engine to overheat and burnup. On 5/9/00 the temp was 95 degrees f, after running my air conditioning, my car began to smoke heavily and the…”
“Received installation of recalled radiator cap at vob bmw in 9/27/99 (98v178000) that was supposed to keep the bmw cars from overheating which causes the engine to overheat and burnup. On 5/9/00 the temp was 95 degrees f, after running my air conditioning, my car began to smoke heavily and the…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1993 BMW 525i as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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