1997 BMW 5 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 5 Series years
- Not enough data 16th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 1997 BMW 5 Series. That ranks 16th out of 19 5 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 100%), typically at around 158,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 1owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 BMW 5 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 | 100% | 158,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
1997 BMW 5 Series recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, due to long exposures to certain environmental and operating conditions, the material structure of the front spring strut plate could be affected. In some cases, the strut plate could begin to crack, and eventually it could break. If this occurred, the plate could contact the tire.
Risk: This could lead to a sudden loss of tire pressure or tire failure.
Fix: Dealers will install a retaining clip to the underside of the front spring strut plates. The recall began may 17, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Windshield wiper inoperation (SQ98010) — opened Jun 3, 1998, closed Sep 11, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While starting the car the drivers side air bag deployed. *tr
Other BMW 5 Series years
← 1996 5 Series · 1998 5 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 5 Series | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 5 Series | 81 | 4 |
| 2010 5 Series | 6 | 5 |
| 2009 5 Series | 8 | 3 |
| 2008 5 Series | 105 | 3 |
| 2007 5 Series | 13 | 3 |
| 2006 5 Series | 85 | 7 |
| 2005 5 Series | 21 | 4 |
| 2004 5 Series | 64 | 6 |
| 2003 5 Series | 15 | 0 |
| 2002 5 Series | 7 | 0 |
| 2001 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 2000 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 5 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 5 Series | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| 1996 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 5 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 5 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW 5 Series?
Owners most often report air bags problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1997 BMW 5 Series?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 BMW 5 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 5 Series model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.