1999 BMW 540I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 540I years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 BMW 540I. That ranks 5th out of 17 540I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (5 complaints, 23%), typically at around 56,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 22owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 BMW 540I 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 23% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 18% | 108,538 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 14% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 14% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 14% | 182,005 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 9% | 189,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 9% | 144,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 5% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 5% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 5% | 188,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 5% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 5% | 189,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 BMW 540I recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The thickness of the main positive electrical cable (generator to starter) insulation is less than specified, making it susceptible to being abraded or cut by the clip that secures the cable to the generator.
Risk: The cable insulation can be worn away, exposing the wire. The wire could contact the clip or a short circuit could occur.
Fix: Dealers will apply a thickness of insulating tape to the cable in the area of the clip, and install a revised clip.
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.
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…
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…
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
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…
Power steering pump broke causing accessory belt to be thrown from engine at highway speeds, resulting in loss of steering and power. *tr
Other BMW 540I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 540I | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 540I | 5 | 1 |
| 2023 540I | 5 | 1 |
| 2022 540I | 6 | 1 |
| 2021 540I | 9 | 6 |
| 2020 540I | 3 | 5 |
| 2019 540I | 11 | 1 |
| 2018 540I | 31 | 2 |
| 2017 540I | 20 | 1 |
| 2003 540I | 7 | 2 |
| 2002 540I | 12 | 2 |
| 2001 540I | 15 | 4 |
| 2000 540I | 31 | 2 |
| 1999 | 22 | 1 |
| 1998 540I | 26 | 1 |
| 1997 540I | 27 | 0 |
| 1995 540I | 10 | 2 |
See all BMW 540I 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 1999 BMW 540I?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 BMW 540I?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 BMW 540I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 540I model years, the 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.