2005 BMW 325I Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 4about this part
- Share
- 6%of 71 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 65,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2005 BMW 325I, 6% of the 71 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 65,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“My car's transmission light came on so I pulled over to the side of the road. I turned the car off and on but the warning light wouldn't go away. After the car was turned on, it would not shift into drive even though I could hear that the engine was running. I had to have the car towed and was informed by the dealer that my transmission would need to be replaced. This would cost approximately $6,500-. It seems that several Bmw owners have had similar issues with the transmission. This is a huge safety concern since I was on a 2-lane highway through mountains without any cell phone reception.”
NHTSA complaint #10455284, filed 2012-04, 145,010 miles“Each time I have had this problem the car has been parked for at least 6 hours. The car starts but does not engage in reverse. The car will roll back due to a slope of surface but when shifted to drive it only rolls forward but doesn't engage. I continue to push on the gas pedal and it finally lurches forward. This has happened 7 times randomly over the period of one year. The Bmw service department has checked it twice and kept it a week last month. They told me that they had never heard of this problem before and they couldn't replicate it so they couldn't fix it. …”
NHTSA complaint #10257096, filed 2009-02, 65,000 miles“- the contact called regarding a 2005 Bmw x3 2.5i. She noticed the vehicle would start vibrating while driving at any speed, and the brakes would make an awful noise when applied. She also stated that radio/tapedeck/cd overheated when playing cds. The contact stated that the vehicle had about 12,000 miles when brake problem started. She stated that she took vehicle to dealership, and they found nothing wrong with the vehicle, but they replaced 2 electrical modules and the brake assist. The contact continued to have problems with the vehicle vibrating and brakes squeaking. …”
NHTSA complaint #10176979, filed 2006-12, 12,000 miles“The driver had taken the vehicle to the dealership for routine maintenance and the vehicle stalled at the dealer. The driver tried to restart vehicle, but was unable to do so. The mechanic placed the vehicle on the diagnostic machine and the codes registered on the machine. The mechanic determined that the transmission and the battery needed to be replaced.”
NHTSA complaint #10111803, filed 2005-03Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 11 | 2% |
| 2005 | 4 | 6% |
| 2004 | 1 | 1% |
| 2003 | 18 | 9% |
| 2002 | 7 | 4% |
| 2001 | 12 | 8% |
| 1995 | 5 | 16% |
| 1994 | 2 | 12% |
| 1992 | 1 | 3% |
| 1988 | 1 | 20% |
Other parts of the 2005 BMW 325I
33 complaintsExterior lighting
18 complaintsElectrical system
11 complaintsBrakes
3 complaintsVehicle speed control
3 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
3 complaintsTires
2 complaintsEngine
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
1 complaintsWheels
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2005 BMW 325I
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology