U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Bmw 325XI problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

68 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

67,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 53 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 68 complaints (22.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	9	13.2%
Braking behavior	4	5.9%
Transmission and shifting	2	2.9%
Steering behavior	2	2.9%
Engine operation	1	1.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Engine

Air Bags

Suspension

Exterior Lighting

Steering

Power Train

Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

Electrical System: 15; Engine: 15; Air Bags: 12; Suspension: 9; Exterior Lighting: 8; Steering: 7; Power Train: 4; Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 6

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 15 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2003

2004

2006

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2022

2003: 3; 2004: 3; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2009: 6; 2010: 1; 2011: 7; 2012: 2; 2013: 23; 2014: 4; 2015: 4; 2016: 7; 2017: 5; 2022: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10090843 · 2004-09-11 (September 11, 2004)

(1) PARKED AT A LIGHT. (2) LIGHT CHANGED, I ACCELERATED, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, VARIOUS DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, I NURSED THE CAR THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, AND PULLED OVER. TURNED THE CAR OFF, RESTARTED, DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. AFTER TALKING WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT I REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT THE CAR WAS DRIVEABLE. WARNING LIGHTS STAYED ON BUT ENGINE POWER WAS BACK AND I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME. (3) DEALER RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH EXPLAINED THE ENGINE FAILURE AS AN ELECTRICAL FAU…

Owner-reported narrative. 75,551 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090843 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10267357 · 2009-04-30 (April 30, 2009)

2002 BMW 325 XI THE WARNING LIGHT FOR A BULB-OUT OR THE FAST BLINK FOR THE TURN SIGNALS COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE GROUNDING OF THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE WIRING HARNESS MELTS. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO FIX OUTSIDE WARRANTY. CHARGE TO REPAIR - $450. BMW SERVICE BULLETIN: SI B 63 03 06 PARTS NEEDED: 12 52 7 519 956 8-PIN CONNECTOR HOUSING 12 52 0 007 171 BLADE CONTACT SLK 2.8 WITH A WIRE LENGTH OF 500 MM, 1.0 MM 12 52 1 433 217 BLADE CONTACT SLK 2.8 WITHOUT WIRE FOR A CABLE CROSS SEC…

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267357 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10316038 · 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)

THE TAIL LIGHTS ELECTRIC CONNECTOR MODULE IS DYSFUNCTIONAL. IT IS BURNED OUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AS A RESULT, BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. THIS FAILURE HAS PREVIOUSLY HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS AS WELL. THE CAUSE WAS SIMILAR. THE GROUND CABLE AND ELECTRIC CONNECTOR WERE BURNED OUT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 74,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316038 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10436836 · 2011-11-23 (November 23, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE REAR LIGHTS FUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436836 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10493117 · 2013-01-15 (January 15, 2013)

NOTICED THAT WHEN DRIVING ON CURVY ROADS IT FEELS LIKE RIDING ON A ROUGH ROAD PATCH OR FEELS LIKE BRAKING. DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN FOUND DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER AND FILTER. NO FAULT IN MEMORY. REMOVED AND EXCHANGED TORQUE CONVERTER. REMOVED TRANSMISSION OIL PAN AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION OIL FILTER AND OIL AND FLUSHED ALL TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 35,637 miles reported. Look up ODI 10493117 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10732189 · 2015-07-06 (July 6, 2015)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THERE WAS A THREE SECOND DELAYED RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE RPMS BEGAN TO INCREASE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS ONLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAI…

Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10732189 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10492981 · 2013-01-14 (January 14, 2013)

NOTICED A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TECHNICIAN SAID THAT THE 2 REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN HALF SO REPLACED THE REAR SPRINGS. ALSO, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SWAY BARS AND LINKS WERE WORN AND HAD PLAY. REPLACED ALSO. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,826 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492981 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10492984 · 2013-01-14 (January 14, 2013)

FOUND LEAK ON FLOOR. TECHNICIAN AT DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT POWER STEERING LINE FROM PUMP TO RACK LEAKING FLUID. REPLACED POWER STEERING LINE FROM PUMP TO RACK. FILLED AND BLED SYSTEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 52,770 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492984 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10267676 · 2009-05-04 (May 4, 2009)

2002 BMW 325 XI HAVING NEW WATER PUMP AND FAN CLUTCH REPLACED AND OIL CHANGE (4/27/09). AFTER 15 MINUTES DRIVE ON I-90 (4/28/09) THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP ON THE MIDDLE OF I-90 NEAR EXIT 11A. NEAR COLLISION WITH A BIG TRUCK THAT CAUSE TRAFFIC STOP. MANAGE TO GET INTO THE MASPIKE TOLL PLAZA, THE ENGINE DAMAGE AND OVERHEATED. CAR TOWED BACK TO DEALER, THEY HAVE THE OLD PUMP, NEW PUMP, FAN CLUTCHES (OLD AND NEW). THE CAR NEARLY GOT HIT BY A TRUCK THAT MAY CAUSE FATAL. THE ENGINE THAT HAVE THE PARTS REPLACE TO PREVENT THE ENGINE OVERHEAT OVERHEATE…

Owner-reported narrative. 135,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267676 at NHTSA ↗