Most common 2002 BMW 325xi problems
Share of the 68 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 325xi complaints by model year
2002 BMW 325xi recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
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…
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.
Air bags
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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
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…
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.
Air bags
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…
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.
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
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…
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.
Service brakes, air › Disc › Rotor
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.
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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 BMW 325xi:
Rear lamp illumination
Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the…
Rear Lamp Illumination
In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact…
Rear lamp illumination
In March 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. Mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 BMW 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to BMW in April 2009, and odi received BMW's response in June 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin…
What 2002 BMW 325xi owners say
Engine & cooling
Battery and alternator checked good with various service providers yet vehicle had a persistent battery drain witch would only appear after car was on the road and driving. After car stopped running due to low battery it then would not restart. No warning lights would come on until just a minute or two prior to engine quitting. Took vehicle to monrovia BMW in monrovia ca and was told that alternator was faulty. Installed new (not rebuilt) specified alternator and new battery and 5 months later same problem came back. Further own personal investigation found that BMW is aware of a faulty electrical system design flaw and I was never told about from BMW tech's at time of inspection as to the possibility of a system problem when the climate control "blower motor resistor" of "final stage unit" (fsu) and its internal resistor fails. …
BMW 2002 325xi at low temperatures like 5 or 6 f. The crankcase vent valve froze and the high pressure built up caused the valve to blow and couple of gaskets burnt. Oil spilled over to the exhaust causing smoke coming out of the engine compartment. If driven couple of more miles the car would have been on fire. The car just has 67000 miles which is fairly low miles and new car. All the mechanics I talked to quickly recognized the problem and asked me not to drive at all. They said it can catch fire if driven little more. Its a common problem that most of the mechanics recognize and frequency is high but in cold states not in warmer states.
Electrical system
While driving our car the dash lights will come on and the car will loose all power. We have to pull over and turn car off wait a minute with key completely out of the ignition and restart the car then all lights are off and car is completely drivable. This happens multiple times a day no matter what speed is being driven. Also within the same month the locks will not unlock when car is stopped and shut off or by the power button inside the car. As well as our 4 way indicator which is on same switch as the power lock button no longer works.
Locks occupants in car and cannot electrically or mechanically unlock. Many BMW operators have reported this problem on internet but no recall exists for dealerships to repair/replace. Happens when vehicle is in motion or stationary, on a city street or highway, turning or anytime the system locks the doors trapping occupants
Air bags
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-months after the repair, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle back to the dealer where a diagnostic test showed that a wire from the A-pillar connector to side air bags had high resistance. The dealer stated that the repair was not covered under the recall. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The contact stated that several days later the air bag warning light disappeared without the repair being performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 44,743.
I was driving the car and my wife was a passenger in the front seat. Another car hit our car on the front driver side deploying both front airbags. I had back injuries and my wife lost vision in both her eyes. She is still not able to see even though she had several surgeries at mayo clinic in rochester, mn. Every surgeon she has seen has said that this is the worst airbag injury they have ever seen. Updated 09/17/14.updated 10/01/14 updated 01/26/15. Updated 02/4/2015
2002 BMW 325xi engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 BMW 325xi a good car?
Based on 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 325xi rates use caution: 9.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the 325xi at the same age. It is one of the 325xi years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 BMW 325xi?
The engine & cooling — 18 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the electrical system (15) and air bags (13).
How many recalls does the 2002 BMW 325xi have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2002 BMW 325xi, the most recent from January 15, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 325xi?
Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2004 and 2002. See the full BMW 325xi years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 BMW 325xi problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 23% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.