2003 Bmw 540I: complaints, problems and recalls

DRIVING HOME ONE EVENING, I NOTICED A BINDING FEELING BEING TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE DRIVE-TRAIN, DRIVE-ABILITY DID NOT SEEM TOO AFFECTED, OTHER THAN THE ODD BIND BEING FELT. THE NEXT MORNING UPON START-UP, THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD, RPM SENSITIVE WHINING NOISE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND DROVE ONE OF MY OTHERS. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS NOT ALIGNED CORRECTLY. THROUGH FURTHER OBSERVATION, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP MOUNTS WERE BROKEN. THE BROKEN MOUNTS CAUSED THE PUMP TO PUSH FORWARD AND…

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485167 at NHTSA ↗

BMW E39 540I POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR (CLIMATE CONTROL FAN RESISTOR) WITH HEATSINK.. AFFECTS "AUTO" FAN.. VERY NOTICEABLE IN THE LONG RUN.. KNOWN PROBLEM.. MANY DO NOT LAST PAST 50,000KM.. SEE HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=143393 FOR REPLACEMENT.. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 31,068 miles reported. Look up ODI 10498406 at NHTSA ↗

STARTED THE CAR AND BEGAN TO DRIVE OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A NOISE IN THE ENGINE. SHUT DOWN ENGINE AND POPPED THE HOOD- FOUND DRIVE BELT SHREDDED BECAUSE POWER STEERING PUMP SNAPPED AND LET LOOSE INTO TENSION PULLEY- LUCKILY I WAS NOT AT SPEED AND BELT DID NOT FAIL- OTHERWISE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ALONG WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10641842 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER'S SIDE, REAR TIRE EXPLODED, WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 5 IN CALIFORNIA, CAUSING $5,500 DAMAGE TO THE REAR BODY OF THE CAR. BOTH THE REPAIR FACILITY AND DISCOUNT TIRE FOUND THE OTHER 3 TIRES TO HAVE DEFECTS RENDERING THEM UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 76,786 miles reported. Look up ODI 10660923 at NHTSA ↗

TAKATA RECALL - THE BMW 2003 540I THAT I OWN, HAS A DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG AND A PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I COMPLIED WITH THE BMW RECALL FOR THE TAKATA AIRBAG REPLACEMENT SYSTEM THAT TO MY DISSATISFACTION, REPLACED ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT TO NOTIFY NHTSA THAT BMW DID NOT REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WITH THIS RECALL. THIS NON-REPLACEMENT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS CONCERNING TO ME AS THE PASSENGER IS AT RISK FOR THE PROBLEMS THAT TAKATA AIRBAGS PRODUCE WHETHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR THE PASSENGER SIDE.…

Owner-reported narrative. 175,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209951 at NHTSA ↗

See attached document for complaint

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11607455 at NHTSA ↗

Air bag light coming on and off intermittently. Known recall affecting bmw 540 models around this vin number. BMW says this particular vin not affected, but if NHTSA adds vin to list, they will fix.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11653650 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-05-28 (May 28, 2015)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.

Reported: 2019-01-14 (January 14, 2019)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i Sedan, 530i Sedan, 540i Sedan, 2001-2003 525i Sports Wagon and 540i Sports Wagon vehicles, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel. The sports steering wheel has a frontal air bag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.