NHTSA vehicle safety data

1999 BMW 528I Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 1999 BMW 528I right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 46 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1999 BMW 528I.

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1999 BMW 528I owner complaints

Owners have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 BMW 528I, describing incidents dated July 1, 1999 to May 8, 2023.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 12 complaints
Air Bags 9 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control 7 complaints
Structure 4 complaints
Electrical System 3 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 3 complaints

Of the 46 complaints on file, 6 report a crash; across all 46 complaints, owners report 8 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11521084 · Filed May 9, 2023
BMW just issued a Do Not Drive order for BMW 5 series cars from 2000 to 2006. Our car is a 1999 BMW 528I. According to your safety records, this car also has Takata air bags, but I see no indication these have been recalled. Since they are actually older than the 2000-2006 cars, shouldn't these 1999…
ODI #11255209 · Filed September 12, 2019
TAKATA INFLATORS: MY NEPHEW WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. BOTH THE DOOR AIRBAG AND THE CURTAIN AIRBAG EXPLODED.
ODI #11228512 · Filed June 30, 2019
WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA POLICE INSURANCE FRAUD STAGED ACCIDENT ATTEMPTED MURDER. OFFICER [XXX] RELEASED A DRIVER IN THE ACCIDENT AND FILED A FALSE ACCIDENT REPORT WITH CAUCASIAN MALES. ACCIDENT REPORT WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA ONLINE. [XXX] AND [XXX] DAMAGE DON'T EQUAL DAMAGES TO MY CAR…

Read all 46 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 1999 BMW 528I right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1999 BMW 528I. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

46 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1999 BMW 528I.

Air Bags

ODI #11521084

Incident: May 8, 2023 · Filed: May 9, 2023

BMW just issued a Do Not Drive order for BMW 5 series cars from 2000 to 2006. Our car is a 1999 BMW 528I. According to your safety records, this car also has Takata air bags, but I see no indication these have been recalled. Since they are actually older than the 2000-2006 cars, shouldn't these 1999 Takata air bags be just as dangerous? What should I do about this? Thank you.

Air Bags

ODI #11255209

1 injury

Incident: May 23, 2019 · Filed: September 12, 2019

TAKATA INFLATORS: MY NEPHEW WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. BOTH THE DOOR AIRBAG AND THE CURTAIN AIRBAG EXPLODED.

Air Bags

ODI #11228512

Crash 1 injury

Incident: June 12, 2019 · Filed: June 30, 2019

WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA POLICE INSURANCE FRAUD STAGED ACCIDENT ATTEMPTED MURDER. OFFICER [XXX] RELEASED A DRIVER IN THE ACCIDENT AND FILED A FALSE ACCIDENT REPORT WITH CAUCASIAN MALES. ACCIDENT REPORT WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA ONLINE. [XXX] AND [XXX] DAMAGE DON'T EQUAL DAMAGES TO MY CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Air Bags

ODI #11175693

1 injury

Incident: August 18, 2018 · Filed: February 8, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 528I. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED EYE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CALLED THE BMW MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN BMW DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Service Brakes

ODI #10893683

Incident: December 5, 2015 · Filed: August 6, 2016

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY 528I (BMW 1999) THIS PAST WINTER WHEN I NOTICED THE POWER BRAKES WERE NO LONGER WORKING. I HAD TO DEPRESS THE PEDDLE WITH NO ASSIST, AND WHILE THE CAR DI EVENTUALLY STOP, IT COULD HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATE IF MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER WERE FACED WITH THIS CONDITION SUDDENLY. POWER BRAKE BOOSTER APPARENTLY WENT BAD, WATER LEAKING IN AND FREEZING, FORTUNATELY NO ON E INJURED.

Air Bags

ODI #10702388

Incident: March 23, 2015 · Filed: March 29, 2015

MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH TURNED ON. I READ THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS. IS THIS TRUE? *TR

Structure; Equipment

ODI #10402116

Incident: May 10, 2011 · Filed: May 19, 2011

I RECENTLY USED THE JACK IN MY 1999 BMW 528I FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER A FEW DAYS AGO. THE JACK IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR. IT IS LABELED FOR 1997 AND 1998 CARS - NOT THE 1999 I OWN. WHILE JACKING TO REMOVE A TIRE THE JACK POPPED OF PLACE WITH FORCE AND THE CAR FELL. LUCKILY I HAD NOT REMOVED THE TIRE. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT JACK. BMW POLICY IF TO NOT ADDRESS ANY ISSUE AFTER THE 4YEAR/50,000MILE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED....EVEN IF IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THE NHTSA CAN ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE WITH BMW USA. *TR

Vehicle Speed Control

ODI #10392771

Crash

Incident: September 2, 2010 · Filed: March 24, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED FORWARD. SHE WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE AND CRASHED INTO TREE. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. THE POLICE WERE CALLED BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT AN ENGINEER WOULD BE OUT TO INVESTIGATE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER REMOVED THE BLACK BOX FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT MECHANICAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 171,900. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Vehicle Speed Control; Service Brakes, Electric; Traction Control System

ODI #10362395

Incident: October 12, 2010 · Filed: October 26, 2010

COMMON ABS ASC+T ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT FAILURE DISABLED ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, CRUISE CONTROL, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, AND ALARM DISABLED, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DISABLED, AND STABILITY CONTROL DISABLED. THE CAR CAN NO LONGER BE LOCKED TO KEEP OUT INTRUDERS, THE ODOMETER IS DISABLED AND AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF MILEAGE IS BEING ADDED TO THE VEHICLE(ALSO A VIOLATION OF CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE CVC), THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND STABILITY CONTROL WILL NOT WORK AND THE CAR IS OUT RIGHT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN BAD WEATHER. BMW IS AWARE OF THE ABS CONTROL MODULE PROBLEMS IN THESE CARS AND HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION EXCEPT OFFER A VERY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT PART WITH NO UPGRADES TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES. MY PERSONAL VEHICLE HAS HAD THE MODULE FAIL AT ONLY 94K MILES. THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE VARY SAME COMPLAINT. IF I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER I WOULD BE TALKING WITH A LAWYER ABOUT CALIFORNIAN "LEMON LAWS". THE ABS SYSTEM, AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM, AND LOCK SYSTEM ARE ALL MAJOR SAFETY HAZARDS. THE ODOMETER NOT WORKING I BELIEVE FALLS UNDER A CVC VIOLATION POSSIBLY A FEDERAL MANDATE VIOLATION. *TR

Electrical System; Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ODI #10248051

Incident: July 14, 2007 · Filed: November 9, 2008

REPEATED FAILURE OF ABS-ODOMETER-SPEEDOMETER ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED TWO YEARS RUNNING. *TR

Other BMW 528I model years

Check your 1999 BMW 528I VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 528I at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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