NHTSA vehicle safety data

1999 BMW 5 Series Recalls & Complaints

The 1999 BMW 5 Series has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1999 BMW 5 Series. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

1999 BMW 5 Series owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 BMW 5 Series, describing incidents dated November 19, 2004 to May 26, 2005.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 2 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #10128211 · Filed July 9, 2005
I HAVE A 1999 BMW 528I WITH INTERMITTENT ABS CONTROLLER ISSUE, WHICH ACTIVATES AT LOW RATE OF SPEED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR. THE NEXT DAY IT ACTIVATED AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THE ABS REPAIR KIT IS BAD. I ASKED WHAT IS…
ODI #10106020 · Filed January 9, 2005
ABS CONTROLLER FAILURE. VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE DURING THIS PRODUCTION PERIOD. SOME REPORTS OF UNCONTROLLED APPLICATION OF BRAKES AT HIGH SPEEDS. BMWNA SALES OF THE ABS MODULATOR AND/OR REPAIR UNIT WILL REFLECT THIS CLAIM.*AK

Read all 2 complaints

Steering Rod May Detach from Wheel Knuckle

NHTSA #19E058000 · Steering — Linkages — Rod — Relay — Connecting · NHTSA notice

Reported August 28, 2019 · ZF North America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 614 vehicles

Repair completion: 41.21% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified August 28, 2019

Defect description

ZF Group North America Operations (ZF) is recalling certain Lemförder Steering Center Rods sold as aftermarket parts for 1996-2004 BMW 5-Series (E39) vehicles. The steering center rods may have an insufficient ball pin pull force that may allow the rods to detach from the steering knuckle.

Safety consequence

If the steering rod detaches from the steerable wheel knuckle, it can cause sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

ZF has notified the parts distributors, instructing them to inform the end customer. ZF will reimburse them for the affected parts. The recall began August 28, 2019.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1999 BMW 5 Series. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1999 BMW 5 Series.

Service Brakes, Air

ODI #10128211

Incident: May 26, 2005 · Filed: July 9, 2005

I HAVE A 1999 BMW 528I WITH INTERMITTENT ABS CONTROLLER ISSUE, WHICH ACTIVATES AT LOW RATE OF SPEED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR. THE NEXT DAY IT ACTIVATED AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THE ABS REPAIR KIT IS BAD. I ASKED WHAT IS THAT AND THEY STATED IT CONTROLS THE ABS SYSTEM ON MY CAR AND THE PART IS $1000. I AM A MEMBER OF ROADFLY.ORG, WHICH IS A NETWORK CONSISTING OF BMW OWNERS SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT ISSUES AND TIPS. MY CONCERN IS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE BMW (E39). I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO CHECK THE WWW.ROADFLY.ORG MESSAGE BOARD ON THE BMW E39 1997-2001.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10106020

Incident: November 19, 2004 · Filed: January 9, 2005

ABS CONTROLLER FAILURE. VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE DURING THIS PRODUCTION PERIOD. SOME REPORTS OF UNCONTROLLED APPLICATION OF BRAKES AT HIGH SPEEDS. BMWNA SALES OF THE ABS MODULATOR AND/OR REPAIR UNIT WILL REFLECT THIS CLAIM.*AK

Other BMW 5 Series model years

Check your 1999 BMW 5 Series VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 5 Series at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a BMW VIN