BMW 525 owners have reported 4 electronic stability control related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common electronic stability control problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's electronic stability control (4 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Electronic Stability Control problems |
The service engine light is on and off many times. There are several times after I exit the highway car shaked and almost cannot drive. But after several hours or park one day, it can drive again, when it can drive, it runs excellent. I do not know what happened. If I drive a long distance, the light turn on again. It even slow down on the highway. Currently it cannot drive. It ever stopped on the highway 60th nogales exit. Temperature light is on. I drive it of the highway. After I exit highway, the steering is locked.
I was driving on my way to work and started smelling something burning. All electrical warning lights started lighting up the dash and then displays go blank. Passenger compartment was filling up with smoke coming from under glove box. I pulled over and called fire department. We disconnected battery and took to BMW. They said micro-processor located in spare tire storage area had shorted out due to water. I don't carry coolers and don't leave my trunk open when it rains. How did water get there. Bulletins show that sunroof drains get clogged and water gets into trunk and shorts out electrical. Service bulletin says if this happens, customer pay but move electrical to where it can't get wet. So BMW knows it's a problem and can cause a fire but doesn't care to cover repair. Now I'm stuck with $1000 repair for micro-processor just to be able to tell what else is burned up. I have to pay before I will know if it will cost an additional $5,000 to repair. I'm lucky electrical didn't catch fire and burn up entire car.
Vehicle was in motion during these events . Electric warning malfunction, alert passenger restraint system malfunction. A message right low beam headlight was malfunctioning. Electronic control sudden malfunction of the windshield wipers.
Abs / dsc control unit failure . Traction control light on all the time , stability control is inoperable.