1999 BMW 540I Complaints

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.*AK

(1) NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS; NOTICED "STEAM" COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. 2) RADIATOR'S UPPER HOSE INLET CRACKED (PLASTIC); CAR DISABLED (3) CAR OUT OF WARRANTY; NO REMEDY FROM MANUFACTURER. *AK

DURING A DOWN SHIFT, MY CAR SOMETIMES JUMP FORWARD A FOOT OR SO AND MAKES A THUMP DOWN SHIFTING NOISE. THIS FORCES ME TO APPLY THE BREAK QUICKLY. JUST A WEEK AGO, I HIT A CURVE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND THE BOTTOM BUMPER COVER OF THE CAR GOT HIT AND BECAME CRACKED! LUCKILY THIS PROBLEM IS RARE. THIS IS ABOUT 4TH FAILURE IN A SPAN OF 10 MONTHS. FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS, MY CAR ALSO STALLS (ENGINE LOSES POWER) DURING A SLOWDOWN. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN I SLOW TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. I NEARLY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT FEW TIMES THIS MONTH BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION DURING A TURN. THIS OCCURS ABOUT 0-2 TIMES PER MONTH AND EACH TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, IM INFORMED THAT THEY SEE NO PROBLEMS OR THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. IVE REPORTED THIS COMPLAINT TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEYVE TOLD ME NO.

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.

ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THIS OCCURRED ON BOTH REAR TIRES. THE CAUSE OF THE TREAD SEPARATION WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE MODEL TIRES. *AK *NM

COMPLETE ABS FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS. THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONTROLLED EACH WHEEL DIFFERENTLY AT DIFFERENT TIMES, CAUSING THE CAR TO BUCK WILDLY AT HIGHWAY SAFE SPEEDS. WHILE BRAKING, THE CONTROLLER WENT BAD (WAS REPORTED TO DEALER PREVIOUSLY AND TOLD IT WAS THE BRAKE PADS - CHANGED AND STILL HAD ISSUE) , LOCKED UP THE REAR WHEELS, CAUSED SLIDING CONDITION IN TRAFFIC, NEARLY COLLIDING WITH OTHER CARS AND UNDERPASS BARRICADE. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIME AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALER (NONE AT SPEEDS - 10 MPH OR UNDER - CONTROLLABLE AT THOSE SPEEDS). *NM

RADIATOR FAILURE ON 1999 540 TOURING - 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. *AK - 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.

THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURENCE. ON THE ROADFLY BULLETIN BOARD OF FELLOW OWNERS, FAILURE RATE IS ALMOST 40% OF RESPONDENTS! TYPICALLY AFTER ONLY 40 - 50K MILES! DT

ON OCCASIONS WHEN SLOWING, TRANSMISION DOWNSHIFTS "HARD" MAYBE 2-1OR 3-2-1 AND EVEN A THUMB??AND DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AT THAT TIME??*AK

WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 25 MPH AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS WILLING TO REPLACE AIR BAG.*AK