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FaultScore report

1999 BMW 540IA problems

Owners have filed 11 complaints about the 1999 BMW 540IA with NHTSA between 2002 and 2009. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the BMW 540IA All 1999 cars
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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

11

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

2

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

54,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

11%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

How 1999 compares with every other BMW 540IA

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1999 BMW 540IA

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Engine & Cooling 6 54.5%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 51,000 mi

Transmission & Drivetrain 2 18.2%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

Equipment & Accessories 1 9.1%

0 crashes, 1 fires · median 51,000 mi

Lights 1 9.1%

Median failure at 83,000 miles

Brakes 1 9.1%

Median failure at 106,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

25,000 – 49,999 miles 2 22.2%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 4 44.4%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 11.1%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 2 22.2%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Nov 2002 peak 2 Sep 2009

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 51,000 miles Rancho Mirage, CA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MY 1999 BMW 540I SPORT CAUGHT FIRE 12/19/08 WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME. I NOTICED FLAMES ABOUT 1:30 AM COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR TO DINNER THAT NIGHT AND IT WAS PARKED AND LOCKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE FLAMES THROUGH THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNED AND MELTED. ONLY THE REAR TRUNK AREA WAS LEFT. I COULD FIND NO MENTION OF THIS TYPE OF FIRE OCCURRING ON THE WEBSITES OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. NO RECALLS THAT I COULD FIND. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WHILE I HAD IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD GOOD RECORDS ALSO. I HAD ONLY OWNED IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS. IT WAS BOUGHT FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA complaint #10252453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Rancho Mirage, CA Fire

EQUIPMENT

MY 1999 BMW 540I SPORT CAUGHT FIRE 12/19/08 WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME. I NOTICED FLAMES ABOUT 1:30 AM COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR TO DINNER THAT NIGHT AND IT WAS PARKED AND LOCKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE FLAMES THROUGH THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNED AND MELTED. ONLY THE REAR TRUNK AREA WAS LEFT. I COULD FIND NO MENTION OF THIS TYPE OF FIRE OCCURRING ON THE WEBSITES OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. NO RECALLS THAT I COULD FIND. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WHILE I HAD IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD GOOD RECORDS ALSO. I HAD ONLY OWNED IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS. IT WAS BOUGHT FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA complaint #10252453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Elverson, PA

POWER TRAIN

I HAVE A 1999 540I AND THE REVERSE HAS STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THE FORWARD GEARS WORK PERFECTLY BUT THE REVERSE SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR STORIES.

NHTSA complaint #10284644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Rancho Mirage, CA Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

MY 1999 BMW 540I SPORT CAUGHT FIRE 12/19/08 WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME. I NOTICED FLAMES ABOUT 1:30 AM COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR TO DINNER THAT NIGHT AND IT WAS PARKED AND LOCKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE FLAMES THROUGH THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNED AND MELTED. ONLY THE REAR TRUNK AREA WAS LEFT. I COULD FIND NO MENTION OF THIS TYPE OF FIRE OCCURRING ON THE WEBSITES OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. NO RECALLS THAT I COULD FIND. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WHILE I HAD IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD GOOD RECORDS ALSO. I HAD ONLY OWNED IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS. IT WAS BOUGHT FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA complaint #10252453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Rancho Mirage, CA Fire

EQUIPMENT

MY 1999 BMW 540I SPORT CAUGHT FIRE 12/19/08 WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME. I NOTICED FLAMES ABOUT 1:30 AM COMING FROM THE SIDES OF THE HOOD. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR TO DINNER THAT NIGHT AND IT WAS PARKED AND LOCKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE FLAMES THROUGH THE WINDOW OF MY HOUSE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CAR WAS TOTALLY BURNED AND MELTED. ONLY THE REAR TRUNK AREA WAS LEFT. I COULD FIND NO MENTION OF THIS TYPE OF FIRE OCCURRING ON THE WEBSITES OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. NO RECALLS THAT I COULD FIND. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED WHILE I HAD IT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD GOOD RECORDS ALSO. I HAD ONLY OWNED IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS. IT WAS BOUGHT FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA complaint #10252453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles College Park, MD

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540IA WITH FAILURE MILEAGE OF 100,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH HE BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS BEGAN TO FUNCTION IMPROPERLY, AND COULD NOT BE OPERATED IN 1ST THROUGH REVERSE GEARS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE BMW DEALER, WHERE THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO TO FIX THE RECALL. THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHOUT COST BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED BY NHTSA AND NOT BY THEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS OF 4-13-07 THE DEALER HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR OVER A MONTH, AND WANTED TO CHARGE HIM $5,000, EVEN THOUGH THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE RECALL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA complaint #10187806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 106,000 miles Baltimore, MD

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

I HAD TROUBLES WITH MY ABS MODULE UNIT THAT IS ATTACHED TO MY BMW 1999 540IA. I HAVE BECOME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT DISABLES THE ABS CONTROL OF MY CAR AND MANY OTHER SAME MODEL CARS AS MINE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE PART MYSELF DUE TO NO RECALL OR ACCEPTANCE FROM BMW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY FEATURE ON MY AND MANY OTHER BMW'S SIMILAR TO MINE. THE FAILURE OCCURED OUT OF THE NOWHERE AND THE RESULTING PROBLEM IS THAT THE UNIT WOULD GO OFF AFTER CAR WOULD WARM UP THEN EVENTUALLY OVER TIME THE UNIT COMPLETELY FAILS AND DISABLES THE CARS ANTI BRAKING SYSTEM. THE UNIT WAS REPLACED BY ME AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET BMWNA OR ANYONE FROM BMW TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY UNIT. THE NEW PART COST ME ABOUT $700 AND THE LABOR WAS ABOUT $60 TO GET IT INSTALLED AND PROGRAMMED FROM TEH BMW DEALER AROUND HERE. I HAVE MY OLD PART IF THAT HELPS BUT IT IS OF NO USE. THX MICHAEL D. KARR.

NHTSA complaint #10147799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,499 miles Dublin, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR CRACKED AT TOP HOSE INLET CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT

NHTSA complaint #10128419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 54,000 miles Tigard, OR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

1) CHECK COOLANT LEVEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON TWICE IN 1 WEEK. KUNI BMW CONDUCTED MY FACTORY INSPECTION II SERVICE ONLY 2 MONTHS BEFORE THIS OCCURED. ) RADIATOR CRACKED WHERE THE UPPER HOSE ENTERS THE RADIATOR, LEAKING FLUID INTO THE ENGINE BAY AND GROUND. 3) REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THIS IS A WELL KNOW DEFECT ON THIS VEHICLE - WHY DOESN'T BMW DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?

NHTSA complaint #10105902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 54,750 miles SAN Jose, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

RADIATOR FAILED ON MY 1999 BMW 540 AT 54,700 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT BMW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. THIS SAFETY PROBLEM: - DISABLES THE VEHICLE NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHERE THE PANIC COULD ENDANGER OTHER DRIVERS, TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN THE DEAD OF WINTER BY YOURSELF. - STEAM FROM FAILED RADIATOR BLOCKS VISION OF THE ROAD, OR WHATEVER ELSE IS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT CORNER OF THE VEHICLE. - FAILURE CAN NOT BE PREDICTED BY VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE RADIATOR.

NHTSA complaint #10102410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 41,250 miles South Easton, MA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

CRACK IN RADIATOR - NEEDS REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10100578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 83,000 miles Georgetown, TX

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLAMP INTERNAL ADJUSTING RODS (BRITTLE PLASTIC MATERIAL) FAIL PREMATURELY CAUSING HEADLAMP BEAN TO DEFLECT AND LAMP BEAMS TO SHUDDER OR WIGGLE. THIS TENDS TO REDUCE THE FIELD OF VISION FOR DRIVERS AND TO BLIND ONCOMING MOTORISTS.

NHTSA complaint #10065886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Standish, ME

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

NO SUMMARY. DT

NHTSA complaint #769085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.