2001 BMW 540 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 540 years
- Not enough data 3rd of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 540. That ranks 3rd out of 5 540 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 87,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 5owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 BMW 540 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 | 2 | 40% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 20% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 20% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 BMW 540 recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleDo not drive
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dealership in concord california has been trying to delay repairing my vehicle airbag even after appointment. Did not even start fixing my vehicle after waiting 5 plus hours.
I was driving along and i heard a "pang" sound followed by a loss of power steering, a moment later my battery light came on. I was able to get the car to a safe stopping place to be towed before the lost belt that followed overheated me. Pump snapped in at least one place making the pulley…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving a round rock of 4-5 inches in diameter was drove over and struck the front air dam right of the center. As a result, the driver side curtain air bag and the driver side head protection air bag deployed. The manufacturer was alerted and the contact is waiting…
Radiator failed at 40k miles in middle of rush hour traffic,obscuring vision while driving between many cars and then stranding car fat dangerous interchange. *nlm
Accelerator pedal stcks when foot pressure is released. Response of accelerator is very quick. Dealer was notified. *ak gas pedal stuttering/ binding condition is worse when vehicle is out in sun for a few hours. Dealer replaced pedal three times. *tt
Other BMW 540 years
See all BMW 540 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 2001 BMW 540?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, steering problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 BMW 540?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 BMW 540 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 540 model years, the 2001 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.