2000 BMW 540I Complaints

FAILURE: ENGINE COOLING FAN CLUTCH SEIZED AND THE FAN TURNED AT WATER PUMP RPM. THE FAN FLEW APART, FLINGING ALL BLADES OFF THE FAN HUB. THIS OCCURRED WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME ON A 25 MPH STREET IN THE EVENING WITH OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE: EXPLODING FAN CHOPPED THROUGH THE RADIATOR, COOLANT TANK, BOTH RADIATOR HOSES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HOSES, POWER STEERING HOSES, PUNCHED HOLES THROUGH HOOD AND OUT THROUGH BOTTOM ENGINE COMPARTMENT COVER, BROKE BOTH AIR DUCTS FOR FRONT BRAKE COOLING AND DESTROYED THE MAIN FAN SHROUD. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER FOR OUR CPO EXTENDED WARRANTY VEHICLE ASSISTANCE. THE OPERATOR RECOMMENDED ADVISED OUR COVERAGE PROVIDED FREE TOWING TO NEAREST DEALER AND THAT THE INCIDENT WOULD LIKELY BE COVERED UNDER OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY. SOUTH BAY BMW CHARGED ME $150 TO REVIEW THE SITUATION AND THEN ADVISED THE SITUATION WAS NOT COVERED. I HAVE ASKED FOR SOME EXPLANATION WHY THIS IS NOT COVERED AND NONE IS OFFERED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TODAY TOLD ME THEY HAVE AN "INTERNAL DOCUMENT" WHICH STATES THIS IS NOT COVERED, BUT SHE CANNOT FAX OR SHOW IT TO ME. MY WARRANTY BOOKLET STATES IT IS A COMPLETE LISTING OF NON-COVERED ITEMS AND THE FAN AND CLUTCH ARE NOT LISTED AS NOT COVERED. THE DEALER HAS NOT OFFERED TO REPAIR THE CAR UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS ADVISED IT WILL BE $4800 PLUS BODY SHOP EXPENSES TO REPLACE THE HOOD. I FIND THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS FAN EXPLOSION TO BE INEXCUSABLE. I ALSO DEMAND TO KNOW WHY MY BMW WARRANTY BOOKLET IS NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THE SECRET DOCUMENT HELD BY SOUTH BAY BMW.*JB

RADIATOR FAILURE AT 42K MILES. AFTER READING SIGNIFICANT ARTICLES RELATED TO BMW E39 RADIATOR FAILURES, MINE FOLLOWED SUIT. THERE ARE COUNTLESS INSTANCES OF THE V8 MODELS SHOWING A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF RADIATOR FAILURES WHICH OFTEN ARE CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE THREATENING.

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DRIVERS AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE FAILED. THE MECHANISMS HAS NOT ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE IN OR OUT, EFFECTIVELY MAKING THEM USELESS. THE FIRST WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO PARTS WERE IN STOCK AND WE DID NOT LEAVE THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE OTHER SIDE BROKE. WE HAD NOT BEEN USING THE CAR AND FINALLY TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO LEAVE IT FOR TWO WEEKS TO GET PARTS AND HAVE THE SEAT BELTS REPLACED AT A COST > $500. *NM

WHILE DRIVING COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE RADIATOR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CHECK COOLANT LEVEL LIGHT COMES ON. RADIATOR LEAKS, ALMOST OVER HEATED AND LEFT ME STRANDED. PART REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE. STILL HAVE OLD RADIATOR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED FROM IN THE REAR. CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT REAR DRIVELINE FAILED. *AK

WATER PUMP FAILURE.THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT INVOLVES A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE E39 540I BMW. THE FAILURE OF THE PUMP IS KNOWN TO HAPPEN BETWEEN 5000-60000 MILES AND CAN PUT THE DRIVER IN DANGER AND CAUSE UNNECESSARY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS TO BE INCURRED ON A CAR OF THIS CALIBER. THE WATER PUMP FAILURE IN MY CASE DESTROYED THE MAIN DRIVE BELT LEAVING ME WITH OUT POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ALTERNATOR ETC. E39 OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS AND COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAULTY DESIGN AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WATER PUMP AND COOLING SYSTEM. *AK

AT 71888 MILES THE RADIATOR OF MY BMW 540I BROKE BECAUSE OF A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC HOUSING AROUND THE OUTLET.I HAD READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON THE ROADFLY MESSAGE BOARD. I READ THAT THE RADITORS BROKE AROUND THE HOSE AND THEY ONLY LASTED ABOUT 50,000 MILES. WHEN I READ IT, I WONDERED IF I WAS DUE, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, I WAS SETTING AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I ACCELERATED AWAY FROM THE LIGHT AND AS I DID I SAW STEAM COMING OUT OF THE FENDER WELLS. IT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER CAR, BUT SOON REALIZED IT WAS MINE. I PULLED OVER AND CALLED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS THE RADIATOR AND THE PLASIC HOUSING BROKE AROUND THE HOSE.THIS IS A SERIOUS MECHANICAL FLAW IN A AUTOMOBILE THAT OTHERWISE IS PRETTY DARN GOOD. I DON'T SEE WHY BMW CAN JUST PROVIDE AN ALL METAL RADIATOR, OR BEEF UP THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HOSE TO RESTAND THE STRAIN.*AK