1997 BMW 540I Problems & Recalls

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATBELT LOCKS IN THE SIDE PANEL AND WONT EXTEND TO ALLOW PASSENGERS TO GET BUCKLED UP. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT IT HAPPENS.

INCIDENT #1 2010: ACCELERATED THE VEHICLE TO 75MPH TO ENTER FREEWAY. TOOK FOOT OFF GAS AND VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. ENGAGED CLUTCH TO STOP ACCELERATION AND RPM CONTINUED TO RISE TO THE LIMITER POINT (APPROX 5500 RPM). PULLED OVER, STARTED CAR AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE RED LINE. ...

Mileage: 130,000

I EXCHANGED THE LAMBDA SENSOR OF MY CAR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. SUDDENLY MY MILEAGE WENT DOWN AND I STARTED AN ERROR SEARCH. SINCE I WAS DOING A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS ON THE CAR I DIDN'T COME UP WITH THE SENSORS UP FRONT. UPDATED 11/16/10 *BF UPDATED 03/23/11 *BF SO WHEN IT CAME TO THEM I REC...

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES RAPIDLY IN OUT-OF-CONTROL MANNER. SOMETIMES IT ALSO DECELERATES RAPIDLY, AND LURCHES. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

WHENEVER MY CRUISE CONTROL IS SET, VEHICLE CONSISTENTLY OVERCOMPENSATES IN SPEED FLUCTUATIONS. IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDDLE GETS STUCK ALL THE WAY DOWN. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO GO FROM HWY SPEEDS TO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS 80+MPH SPEEDS IN A MATTER OF A FEW SECONDS. CRUISE CONTROL MUS...

Mileage: 150,000

1997 BMW 540I FUSE TO THE FUEL INJECTOR BLEW OUT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN DIE WHEN IN MOTION DUE TO THE BLOWN FUSE(S) TO THE INJECTOR. THE THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE WIRE TO MELT AND BLEW THE FUSE. THE SUNROOF WAS I...

Mileage: 53,777

1997 BMW 540I FUSE TO THE FUEL INJECTOR BLEW OUT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN DIE WHEN IN MOTION DUE TO THE BLOWN FUSE(S) TO THE INJECTOR. THE THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE WIRE TO MELT AND BLEW THE FUSE. THE SUNROOF WAS I...

Mileage: 53,777

1997 BMW 540I FUSE TO THE FUEL INJECTOR BLEW OUT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN DIE WHEN IN MOTION DUE TO THE BLOWN FUSE(S) TO THE INJECTOR. THE THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE WIRE TO MELT AND BLEW THE FUSE. THE SUNROOF WAS I...

Mileage: 53,777

1997 BMW 540I FUSE TO THE FUEL INJECTOR BLEW OUT.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *MR THE VEHICLE WOULD ALL OF A SUDDEN DIE WHEN IN MOTION DUE TO THE BLOWN FUSE(S) TO THE INJECTOR. THE THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT WHICH CAUSED THE WIRE TO MELT AND BLEW THE FUSE. THE SUNROOF WAS I...

Mileage: 53,777

THE RADIATOR NECK BROKE OFF WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON MY 1997 540I. IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW BY ALL ACCOUNTS, OWNERS, TECHNICIANS AND EVEN MY OWN PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED IT WITH AN 1988 735I. PLASTIC PARTS ON THE RADIATOR IS UNACCEPTABLE, DANGEROUS AND COSTLY. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ...

Mileage: 127,075

(1) REPLACED WATER PUMP AND ACCESSORY BELTS. ON A FORUM THAT I READ, MANY SUGGEST REPLACING THE RADIATOR WHEN REPLACING THE WATER PUMP, AS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE DUE TO THE RADIATOR'S HIGH AND FREQUENT FAILURE. REPLACE THE RADIATOR AS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE?!? I WOULD RATHER NOT. A RADIATOR IS N...

Mileage: 55,000

BUCKLE ON THE SEAT BELT IS IN A DEPRESSED POSITION, PREVENTING THE LATCH FROM LOCKING. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO SAID IT WOULD COST $400.00 TO REPAIR SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *AK THE SET BELT LATCH WOULD BECOME CONTINUOUSLY DEPRESSED IN WHICH IT WOULD NOT SPRING BACK AND WOULD NOT C...

Mileage: 75,200

THE FRONT STRUT SPRING PERCH FAILED ON MY 1997 MODEL BMW 540I. THE PERCH CUT INTO TIRE. HIS HAPPENED AT LOW-SPEED, SO NO INJURIES RESULTED (LUCKILY).MW NA HAS ISSUED A RECALL, BUT MY VEHICLE SUPPOSEDLY IS NOT COVERED, I THINK IT MISSED BY TWO MONTHS. MY BUILD DATE IS 08/96. I CONTACTED BMW NA O...

Mileage: 191,784

DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE FRONT SPRING STRUT RECALL 04V183000 REPAIRS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECEIVED AN INSUFFICIENT REPLY. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 43,000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE ELECTRONIC COOLANT THERMOSTAT SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED ENGINE WIRING HARNESS THE BURN UP. THIS CAUSED THE ENIGINE TO STOP RUNNING. LUCKILY, BURNING WAS RESTRICTED TO WIRES AND NO OTHER COMPONENTS WERE BURNT. CAR IS STILL WAITING FOR A NEW WIRING HARNESS AT THE BMW D...

Mileage: 93,000

THE DRIVER SEAT CREATES A CLICKING NOISE AND MOVES OUT OF PLACE (VERY MINOR MOVEMENT) AT NUMEROUS TIMES (AS IN NOT IN LOCKED POSITION) WHILE MAKING TURNS. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY WANT A FORTUNE TO CHECK IT OUT. THE 540I ONLY HAS 65K MILES ON IT. IT CAN BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, IF THE CHAIR SOME HOW...

Mileage: 65,000

THE RADIATOR IN MY 1997 BMW 540I HAS FAILED TWICE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. I SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

Mileage: 75,000

MY 1997 BMW 540I 6-SPEED HAD A RADIATOR FAILURE AT 77,500 MILES. THE PLASTIC RADIATOR CONNECTION POINT FOR THE TOP HOSE SNAPPED OFF. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WELL KNOW ISSUE AFTER SPEAKING WITH BMW SERVICE TECHS AND SEARCHING BMW INTERNET SITES.*AK I BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF...

Mileage: 77,500

I OWN A 1997 BMW 540I. RADIATOR BROKE AT PLASTIC ATTACHMENT POINT. COOLANT LEAKED ALL OVER THE WINDSHIELD AND ENGINE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WELL KNOWN DEFECT AMONG OWNERS OF THIS CAR DUE TO THE PLASTIC ATTACHMENT POINT AT THE JUNCTION OF THE HOSE AND THE RADIATOR. *NLM

Mileage: 71,560

MY 1997 BMW 540I6 RADIATOR BROKE ON ME WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY ON 5/30/03. *AK

Mileage: 57,500

1997, BMW, 540I RADIATOR FAILURE @ 77,500 MILES (DETECTED BY BMW DEALER DURING ROUTINE SERVICE INSPECTION); RADIATOR REPLACED AT MY COST.*AK

Mileage: 77,500

RADIATOR FAILURE ON BMW 540I WITH ONLY 51K MILES, CAUSING LOSS OF TRACTION AND ALMOST A WRECK

Mileage: 51,635

THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE UNEXPECTLY SEPARATED FROM THE RADIATOR. INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE PLASTIC RADIATOR HAD BROKEN AT THE HOSE FITTING. THE RESULTING STEAM CLOUD AND WATER DEPOSITS ON WINDSHIELD ABRUPTLY OBSCURED VISION, LEADING TO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. NON-REINFORCED PLASTIC IS AN UNS...

Mileage: 118,900

SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE COMPLETE LOSS OF COOLANT AT SPEED. DT

NO SUMMARY. DT

TURNED ON IGNITION AND SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

TURNED ON IGNITION AND SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DRIVER USES REMOTE KEY TO LOCK AUTO FROM DISTANCE AWAY SEALING PASSENGER IN CAR: OUTSIDE TEMP. 114 DEGREES. CAR DESIGN HAS NO ESCAPE DEVICE FROM INSIDE INSIDE

DELAMINATION/SEPARATION OF TIRE TREAD FROM CASEING-3 OF THE 4 TIRES ON THE CAR, SEVERE .( DOT NUMBER: LMT8AXBU TIRE SIZE: 225/55R/16 )

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS CLAIMED FIRE WAS DUE TO BRAKE FLUID BEING EXPELLED FROM ABS SYSTEM AND IGINITING EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK

CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FAILED. MJS