1999 BMW 540I Recalls & Complaints

Incident: June 22, 2015 · Filed: July 8, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V004000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,076.

Incident: February 16, 2011 · Filed: March 27, 2015

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND HESITATED WHEN SHIFTING THE GEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 6/8/15*CN UPDATED 10/3/1017*CN

Incident: March 20, 2015 · Filed: March 20, 2015

MY 1999 BMW 540I WAS JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WE HEARD A LOUD THUD. I WALKED OUT TO THE BMW AND NOTICED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON, SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

Incident: May 11, 2011 · Filed: May 13, 2014

MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR MOVE. I HAD THE TRANS REBUILD AND 2 YEARS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TRANS HAS LOST GEARS 1-3 AND REVERSE, MULTISTATE REPAIRED THE TRANS AGAIN 2013, IFOR THE SECOND TIME, IT NEVER WORKED AFTER REPAIRS. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, BMW SAYS I NEED NEW TRANS AND ENGINE. WHEN I LOOKED UP RECALLS FOR 540I, IT STATES THE SAME TRANS PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. WHEN I LOOK UP ENGINE THERE ARE KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH 540I, NOT MY VIN. I ALSO HAVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES, WHICH HAVE A RECALL ON 540I, BUT NOT MY VIN. ALSO ISSUES WITH COOLANT, WHICH IS ANOTHER KNOWN ISSUE, BUT NOT MY VIN. I HAVE TRIED TO GET BMW TO DIAGNOSE, BUT THEY ONLY RECOMMEND REPLACING ALL PARTS AT MY EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A HISTORY OF THESE TYPE OF ISSUES WITH THE 540I, 1999 CARS. I WANT BMW TO REPLACE ALL KNOW ISSUE PARTS AT THEIR EXPENSE AND THEY HAVE REFUSED DUE TO MY VIN, NOT WILLING TO ADD VIN TO THE ISSUE. ALL ISSUES WITH MY CAR ARE KNOWN ISSUES FOR 540I 1999 CARS. *TR

Incident: November 27, 2013 · Filed: November 27, 2013

POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE CAUSING ACCESSORY BELT TO BE THROWN FROM ENGINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING AND POWER. *TR

Incident: March 25, 2011 · Filed: March 26, 2011

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED (55-60MPH) AND A LOUD METALLIC 'THUNK' NOISE WAS HEARD AS IF SOMETHING STRUCK OR BOUNCED OFF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. THE SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE COME OFF THE DRIVE PULLEYS, AND UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DISCOVERED TO BE LOOSE. THE UPPER MOUNTING EAR WAS BROKEN, AND THE LOWER MOUNTING BOLT WAS MISSING ENTIRELY. IT APPEARS THE BREAK IN THE UPPER MOUNTING EAR CAUSE THE LOWER BOLT TO VIBRATE LOOSE, AND IN TURN THE SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT WAS DISLODGED. THE RESULT WAS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING THAT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN AT LOW SPEED DUE TO SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT.

Incident: November 5, 2010 · Filed: November 18, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

Incident: August 12, 2010 · Filed: August 21, 2010

STARTED MY CAR AND HEARD A THUMPING NOISE AND FOUND OUT IT WAS MY BELT BEING CHEWED UP BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKETS BROKE. *TR

Incident: August 15, 2009 · Filed: September 7, 2009

MY 1999 BMW 540I HAS HAD INTERMITTENT DOOR UNLOCKING FAILURES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE ANY OF THE FOUR DOORS MAY SUDDENLY BECOME DOUBLE LOCKED SO THAT NEITHER THE ELECTRONIC BUTTONS OR ANY MANUAL EFFORTS WILL UNLOCK/OPEN THE DOORS. FORTUNATELY NOT ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, SO OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CLIMB OVER AND BETWEEN SEATS TO EGRESS THE CAR. MECHANICS SAY THAT THE PROBLEM IS RELAYS IN THE GENERAL MODULE (GM III) WHICH CONTROLS ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS. IN THE PAST THE PROBLEM WOULD SELF-CORRECT IN A FEW HOURS OR DAYS. TWO WEEKS AGO, ONE BACK DOOR FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER LOCKED AND WON'T UNLOCK. APPARENTLY, THE CRASH SENSOR WHICH TELLS THE GM TO UNLOCK THE DOORS IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH WILL NOT WORK. THIS FAILURE TRAPS OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR. *TR

Incident: May 1, 2006 · Filed: November 3, 2008

AT APPROXIMATELY 75K MILES THE BOSCH ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT FAILED ON MY 1999 BMW 540I. A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS TO BE TRUE. A NEW UNIT WAS INSTALLED AT THE APPROX COST OF $600. WHAT IS TROUBLING IS THAT EVERY OWNER OF A BMW 5-SERIES FROM 1999-2000 SEEMS TO HAVE HAD THIS PART FAIL ON THEM. ACTUALLY, I HAVE YET TO MEET OWNER WHO STILL HAS THEIR ORIGINAL PART. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WAS LESS THAN HELPFUL AND DENIED A WARRANTY CLAIM (CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY) AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THIS INTEGRAL CONTROL UNIT SHOULD BE RECALLED DESPITE STATISTICS THAT SHOW OTHERWISE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THIS FAILURE LEAVES THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS SUDDENLY INOPERATIVE. *TR