I parked my car in the garage as usual. When I went out to leave home the steering was locked. Nothing out of the ordinary was done after parking it or when attempting to start it. The lights for the radio came on, the windshield wiper works, the lights on the console light up, but the steering wheel is locked and the key will not turn more than a few centimeters.
The worst 1991 BMW 525I problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Engine5
- Electrical3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Lights2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine5
- Electrical3
- Airbags2
- Body2
- Lights2
- Acceleration1
- Fuel system1
- Locks1
- Seats1
- Steering1
- Transmission1
Recalls 4
Engine and engine cooling: cooling system
- What is wrong
- 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 possible that damage to, or failure of, a coolant system component could occur.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 98V178000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- 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 bushing. In this case, during application of the throttle pedal without cruise control being engaged, the outer tube could catch on the edge of the broken bushing.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 97V131000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- The air bag contact ring locking tab located in the steering wheel assembly can break without warning.
- Risk
- If this happens, the contact ring wiring could eventually break. The air bag readiness indicator lamp (SRS or airbag) in the instrument cluster will illuminate, and the air bag would not deploy in the event of a frontal impact vehicle collision.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the locking tab with one of a different design.
Recall number 96V110000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- The brake light switch can fail allowing the switch to remain in the "brake lights off" position or in the "brake lights on" position.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 96V111000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 1991 BMW 525I 4
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- Announcement that owners of vehicles involved in recalls 96V110 and 96V111 will be combined into one mailing
- Recall 96V110 - bmw of north america has initiated a recall campaign which involves the airbag contact...
- Recall 96V111 - this recall campaign involves the brake light switch
1991 BMW 525I fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15 | 17-23 | 15-18 |
What 1991 BMW 525I owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While sitting in my 1991 bmw 525i the seat suddenly fell backward,and sideways. After removing the seat, and almost completely dissassembling it so I could try to realign the thing long enogh to make it home,I was able to through brute force put it back in place. Later after several subsequent failures I was able to pinpoint the problem.the cables that go between the electric drive motors and the seat adjustment gearboxes were sheathed in a failure-prone plastic! The plastic through time wears and stretches untill the drive cable slips out of gearbox allowing catastrophic failure. I just checked to see if this item had been recalled with no luck.
Tail lights do not stay on due to defective sockets. The plastic sockets have melted from the heat of the tail light bulbs and no longer hold the bulbs in properly. They blink on and off and sometimes stay off all together. Dealer advised me to buy new ones @ $320 each to solve the problem. Since this is a safety defect, bmw should replace them. Dt
The cooling system fan clutch failed within 45,000 miles. Nlm
Upper radiator "plastic male" outlet connecting to upper rubber hose exploded causing extrime engine overheating and engine failure with no warning even after dealer installed new radiator cap recall in august 1999. Almost caused a highway accident. Car has excellent maintenance record at dealership. Reported problem to bmw of north america. Representative told me that was not the responsibility of bmw of north america.
Replaced the radiator cap but the new cap caused a hole in the radiator.
Engine cooling system design contains a flaw, when removing radiator cap consumer sustained burn injuries due to cap not having a two-stage release, o-rings at the base of the cap ensure that the pressure is maintained within the radiator until the cap is fully unscrewed.
The SRS {a safety system} light keeps flashing.
Power door lock mechanism failed causing erratic performance of the locks.
The speedometer operates irratically during cold weather. It functions ok when warm. This is caused by bad materials used on the speedometer pcb board. A number of bmw owners have experienced this problem and fixes are suggested on the internet at the following links. Http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/speedo/speedo.htm and at http://www.eskimo.com/~dalus/bmw/e30/interior/e30_speedo_sender_problem.html. Unreliable or lack of indication of driving speed can be a serious safety issue. This appears to be a problem that many bmw owners have suffered as indicated by the number of people who have reported it on the web. The dealer wants over $600 to fix the problem.
Compare the 1991 BMW 525I
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Questions about the 1991 BMW 525I
Is the 1991 BMW 525I reliable?
Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 1991 BMW 525I, fewer than a typical 525I model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1991 BMW 525I?
Engine and cooling, with 5 complaints. Next is electrical (3).
How many recalls does the 1991 BMW 525I have?
4 recalls, covering engine and engine cooling, vehicle speed control and air bags.
Was there a recall on the 1991 BMW 525I engine?
Yes, 1 recall: 98V178000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What gas mileage does the 1991 BMW 525I get?
Official estimates for the 1991 BMW 525I range from 15 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.5L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 15 city and 17-23 highway.
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