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2002 BMW 325XI Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 2002 BMW 325XI, and owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
68
owner complaints to NHTSA
1 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire

6 safety recalls for the 2002 BMW 325XI

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

  1. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 20V018000 Reported 292,948 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators…

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

  2. Air bags Do not drive

    NHTSA 14V428000 Reported 574,007 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners…

  3. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 15V318000 Reported 419,235 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners…

  4. Air bags Do not drive

    NHTSA 13V172000 Reported 43,204 vehicles potentially affected BMW of North America, LLC

    BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available,…

  5. Turn signal (exterior lighting) and 2 other components

    NHTSA 11V438000 Reported 241,000 vehicles potentially affected BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

    BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi vehicles manufactured from september 1, 2001, through march 1, 2005. Over time, resistance in the electrical contacts may cause one or more rear lamp functions (tail light, brake light, and/or turn-signal), within the vehicle's body panel, to stop working.

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on february 15, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.

  6. Rotor (service brakes)

    NHTSA 02V088000 Reported 799 vehicles potentially affected BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE

    On certain passenger vehicles, a problem in the manufacturing process of the rear brake rotors may have resulted in the creation of a crack where the brake disc and the parking brake drum meet. Further cracking of the rotor could occur due to braking torque when the vehicle is driven and the brakes are applied. The brake drum, connected…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace both rear brake rotors. Owner notification began march 25, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…

68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2002 BMW 325XI have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,674 miles. Complaints peaked in 2013 with 23 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The contact owns a 2002 BMW 325XI. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V018000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that approximately 7”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 26, 2022 · Air bags

“Ignition selaniod isn't working. When i turn the key to start the car, the ignition thinks the car has started, but the engine doesn't turn over. It takes multiple tries to get the car to start.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 15, 2017 · Engine

Compare BMW 325XI model years

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

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2000 BMW 325XI10
2001 BMW 325XI214
2002 BMW 325XI668
2003 BMW 325XI531
2004 BMW 325XI455
2005 BMW 325XI427
2006 BMW 325XI6110
2007 BMW 325XI30
2008 BMW 325XI30
2009 BMW 325XI31
2010 BMW 325XI30
2011 BMW 325XI30
2012 BMW 325XI20

Checking a specific 2002 BMW 325XI

How do I know if my 2002 BMW 325XI 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. 6 campaigns currently list the 2002 BMW 325XI; 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 02V088000).

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.