Menu

2001 BMW 525Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 3 owner complaints about the 2001 BMW 525, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 17V-047 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.

–
CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 24%Owner complaints32 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 20, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 BMW 525 has problems

3 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags11
Engine and engine cooling11
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Structure10
Vehicle speed control11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2001 BMW 525 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

24%repaired · 2018 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-047 · Jan 20, 2017 · 230,117 vehicles · 55,819 repaired

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other 525 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 525 median. How we score

'85'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'97'98'01'02
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What 525 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 10188061 · Apr 16, 2007 · 50,000 miles

Own a 2001 525?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.