RecallMyCar

1986 BMW 325 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1986 BMW 325, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

3
safety recalls
9
owner complaints to NHTSA
1 / 0
complaints citing a crash / fire

3 safety recalls for the 1986 BMW 325

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Heater core (visibility)

    NHTSA 93V015000 Reported 375,000 vehicles potentially affected BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE

    The malfunction or failure of a coolant system component results in significantly increased coolant temperature and a resulting increase in system pressure.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a thermostatic bypass valve in the engine compartment to control coolant temperature in the heater core. Also, a new design radiator cap will be installed, to control pressure and provide greater…

  2. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 86V151000 Reported 97,300 vehicles potentially affected BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE

    Brake light switch could overheat, eventually leading to melting of plastic internal parts in area of electrical contacts.

    Remedy: Replace brake light switch with revised switch with increased electrical load capacity.

  3. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

    NHTSA 86V138000 Reported 120,261 vehicles potentially affected BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE

    The two parts of the steering column disengagement element could completely disconnect if the car contacts an object in the roadway or elsewhere of sufficient mass to apply a significant force directly to the steering gearbox. Consequence of defect: steering control would be lost.

    Remedy: Bolt two specially formed plates to the disengagement element so that steering capability will be retained.

9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1986 BMW 325 have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 300,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 2 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“My 1986 325es BMW over heat. Change the fluids, perform several checks and it is still over heating. Has there been any recall on the heating or cooling system.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 19, 2017 · Engine

“Car has overheated since 2000. I have called the dealership several times and they keep telling me there is no recall for my 86 BMW 325 but i just looked up recalls and saw were overheating was a prob”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 22, 2007 · Engine and engine cooling

Compare BMW 325 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 325 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1984 BMW 32513
1985 BMW 32521
1986 BMW 32539
1987 BMW 325215
1988 BMW 32527
1989 BMW 325211
1990 BMW 32526
1991 BMW 32536
1992 BMW 325323
1993 BMW 32538
1994 BMW 325125
1995 BMW 325023
1996 BMW 32504
1997 BMW 32501
1998 BMW 32504
1999 BMW 32502
2000 BMW 32520
2001 BMW 325231
2002 BMW 325226
2003 BMW 32509
2006 BMW 32518
2007 BMW 32510
2008 BMW 32511
2009 BMW 32510
2010 BMW 32510
2011 BMW 32510
2012 BMW 32510

Checking a specific 1986 BMW 325

How do I know if my 1986 BMW 325 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1986 BMW 325; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 86V138000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other BMW models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.