1994 BMW 325i Problems & Complaints

THE RADIATOR CAP FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE 98V-178, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS DUE TO IMPROPER RADIATOR DESIGN. NLM

THE PROBLEM DEALS SPECIFICALLY WITH THE LOCATION OF THE SUPPLY HOSE (PART OF THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM) FROM THE RESERVOIR TANK TO THE RADIATOR. THE FIRST TIME THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED WAS ON THE DATE OF THIS REPORT. IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE SUPPLY HOSE IS LOCATED RIGHT UNDER THE FAN SHROUD. IT IS HELD UP BY 2 CLAMPS THAT ARE MOLDED ONTO THE FAN SHROUD. THIS WHOLE ASSEMBLY (SHROUD AND CLAMPS) APPEAR TO ME TO BE A PLASTIC MATERIAL. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT THE SUPPLY HOSE HAS COME LOSE FROM THE CLAMPS THAT ARE MOLDED ONTO THE SHROUD ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME IT SHEARED OFF 2 FAN BLADES AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY BY THE DEALER. THE SECOND TIME IT CAME LOOSE IT THE HOSE SHEARED OFF ALL OF THE FAN BLADES THUS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT TO THE POITN THE ENGINE WAS RUINED. THE PISTON COMPLETELY TURNED OVER IN THE CYLINDER CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. APPARENTLY WHAT HAPPENS IS OVER TIME THESE CLAMPS MOLED ONTO THE SHROUD BECOME HOT AND BRITTLE THUS MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO EVENTUALLY BREAK OFF. DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE SUPPLY HOSE ONCE IT COMES LOOSE FROM THESE CLAMPS IT FALLS DIRECTLY INTO THE FAN BLADES. THE LOOSE HOSE CANNOT AVOID THE FAN. I HAVE LOOKED AT MANY OTHER MAKES OF AUTOMOBILES SINCE THIS HAPPENED THE LAST TIME. IN ALL OF THE OTHER AUTOMOBILES THAT I HAVE LOOKED AT THE SUPPLY HOSE IS ENGINEERED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IF IT DID COME LOOSE FROM THE CLAMPS IT CANNOT BECOME ENTANGLED WITH THE FAN BLADES. IT COULDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE! BASED UPON THIS KNOWLEDGE I BELIEVE THAT BMW HAS ERRED IN THE DESIGN OF THE COOLING SYSTEM, AT LEAST ON THE 3 SERIES. IT IS STILL DESIGNED THAT WAY TODAY. I HAVE TALKED TO BMW OF NORTH AMERICA ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL! I WOULD APPRECIATE (IF YOU HAVE TIME) A PHONE CALL SO THAT I COULD EXPLAIN THIS PROBLEM BETTER! THANK YOU! SINCERELY, DANNY L. SMITH. *AK

RECALL COMPONENT FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL (98V-178), CONSUMER IS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING REIMBURSEMENT.

THE BRACE HOLDING ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS BROKE OFF. IT SEEMS IF BROKE OFF AT THE WELDS. THE STRAP WAS JUST HANGING AND ONLY THE OTHER WAS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK IN PLACE. *TR

FUEL LINE LEAKS REALLY BAD CAN CAUSE FIRE HAZARD IN THE ENGINE IS HOT BUT THE BMW DEALER JUST SAID THAT THE RUBBER HOSE CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME.*AK

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF 1ST GEAR WITH ENGINE LOAD. *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. *SC *JB

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. DEALER STATES IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHILE DRIVING AND STOPPING IT WOULD NOT MOVE UNTIL 4000 RPM'S, AND VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEABLE.*AK

AIR BAG GASKET DISINTEGRATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. MJS

THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEP COME ON CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO DEALER ABOUT SEVEN TIME DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM . TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER READING WAS INCORRECT. THE MILEAGE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 28,000 MILES WHEN THE TITLE INDICATED THAT THE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT ANOTHER MECHANIC HAD ALTERED THE ODOMETER. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING, THE FRONT WINDOWS FOGGED AND THE SEAT BELTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING REPAIR AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 28,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS LOCKED IN THEIR 1994 BMW 325I AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDOWS AND HORN DID NOT WORK EITHER. *JB

FUEL GAUGE INTERMITTENT FAILURE. BMW'S FROM 70'S TO '07 HAVE BEEN NOTED BY OWNERS AS BEING A PERSISTENT PROBLEM. MOST DUE TO FAILURE OF THE SENDING UNITS. MANY OWNERS END UP HAVING THE SENDERS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES D/T MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE SENDING UNITS. MY E36 HAS 2 SENDING UNITS AND I HAVE BEEN STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MULTIPLE TIMES. AND THE SAME FOR MANY OTHER OWNERS ON BMW ONLINE BOARDS/FORUMS. I'VE BEEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC WHERE I MERELY MISSED AN ACCIDENT BY MANEUVERING W/O ENGINE POWER. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. BMW HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS AND SHOULD RECALL THE FAILED UNITS THAT JUST KEEP FAILING. *TR

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE, HOWEVER THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULBS BURNED OUT. *SC *JB

CHILD SEAT WOULD NOT LATCH ONTO LEFT SIDE OF BASE. *MR PH

CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO OPEN LEFT REAR DOOR FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED.*JB

VEHICLE WILL STALL IN RAIN. DEALER DETERMINED THAT COMPUTER MODULE GOT WET AND VEHICLE WILL EITHER STALL OR NOT START. COMPUTER MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. *AK

LEFT REAR SEAT BELT NEVER WORKED, UNIT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE AND WAS REPLACED, BMW REFUSED TO HELP WITH EXPENSE. *MJS