Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2002 BMW 325I
NHTSA data on file today
The 2002 BMW 325I has 7 NHTSA recall campaigns and 162 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #20V018000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflators May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V428000 Passenger Side Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V318000 Driver Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V172000 Passenger Side Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V438000 REAR LAMPS IN BODY PANEL NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E023000 MASTER CYLINDER LEAK NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #02V057000 BMW/FRONT STRUT NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 52 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 44 complaints
- Electrical System 21 complaints
- Visibility 17 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 9 complaints
- Power Train 7 complaints
Of the 162 complaints on file, 7 report a crash and 19 a fire; across all 162 complaints, owners report 7 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2002 BMW 325i has a significant number of owner complaints and recall campaigns, primarily related to air bags and exterior lighting. This suggests potential reliability concerns. However, the presence of some rare complaint areas indicates that not all owners experience these issues. Limited data on other components suggests cautious optimism in some areas, but the overall outlook remains below-average.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | Unknown | $500–$2,500 | very common |
| Exterior lighting | Unknown | $100–$500 | very common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $300–$1,000 | common |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 7,500 miles
- Brake pad replacement
- Tire rotations
- Cooling system check
- Transmission fluid change
- Spark plug replacement
- Battery inspection
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light
- Dim or non-functional lights
- Electrical malfunctions
- Overheating engine
- Brake fluid leaks
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2002 BMW 325I at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.