IllustrationHEADLIGHT NO LONGER WILL STAY IN ALIGNMENT LIGHT SHINES DOWN NOT OUT ON ROAD. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF ANY ACCIDENT. *JB
1997 BMW 528I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 BMW 528I do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 46.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 528I years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 19 of 41 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Suspension. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
41 reportsWHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING A SPACE THE FLEXIBLE BALL JOINT HOUSING CAME APART. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND. *AK THE FLEX JOINT HOUSING BOLT WENT OUT. THE FLEX JOINT HOUSING BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE SLIP RING WAS DAMAGED TO THE WHEEL…
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WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING A SPACE THE FLEXIBLE BALL JOINT HOUSING CAME APART. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND. *AK THE FLEX JOINT HOUSING BOLT WENT OUT. THE FLEX JOINT HOUSING BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE SLIP RING WAS DAMAGED TO THE WHEEL SPRING. *SCC *JB
THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT STRUT HAS FAILED. THE STRUT HAS BROKEN HALF WAY AND APPEARS THAT IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME OR A BUMP BEFORE THE ENTIRE PIECE BREAKS OFF. IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CONTROL WILL BE LOST. A FEW MONTHS AGO I REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT BECAUSE THAT STRUT SPRING BASE FAILED, AT THE TIME I CONS…
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THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT STRUT HAS FAILED. THE STRUT HAS BROKEN HALF WAY AND APPEARS THAT IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME OR A BUMP BEFORE THE ENTIRE PIECE BREAKS OFF. IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CONTROL WILL BE LOST. A FEW MONTHS AGO I REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT BECAUSE THAT STRUT SPRING BASE FAILED, AT THE TIME I CONSIDERED A FREAK OCCURRENCE AND JUST REPLACED THE STRUT. NOW THAT THE OTHER STRUT IS FAILING I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SINCE I NEED MY CAR TO TRAVEL TO WORK AND I AM PLANNING ON TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. *JB
IT WASN'T A VERY COLD DAY ABOUT 17 DEGREES,I WENT TO PULL MY DOOR HANDLE OPEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE ENTIRE DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF.THIS IS SUPPPOSE TO BE A TOP OF THE LINE CAR BMW 528I, I HAD OTHER CARS THAT WERE JUST REGULAR CARS AND IT'S BEEN COLDER THAN THIS AND THE DOOR HANDLES WERE FROZEN AND THEY NEVER CAME OFF.
RADIATOR FAILURE AT THE TOP HOSE CONNECTION POINT. LATER LEARNED THAT THE MATERIAL USED IS QUITE UNRELIABLE -- SO I REPLACED ALL THE PLASTIC I COULD FIND IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. $1200. I EXPECT I'LL HAVE TO DO IT ALL AGAIN IN ANOTHER YEAR OR SO.
WHILE TRYING TO OPEN PASSENGER DOOR THE WITH THE KEY DOOR LATCH AND KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE, WAS UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR.*AK
VEHICLE WAS CONSTANTLY LEAKING OIL. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THIS WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM.*AK
I'D LIKE TO REQUEST AN INSPECTOR TO CHECK ON MY VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAD AN ACCIDENT LIKT THIS BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 20MPH HAD HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER INJURED. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK *YH
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK IN RAINSTORM. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR REPLACEMENT OF A RELAY, WHICH "WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH." HE SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL--THEY WERE ONLY REPLACING THOSE THAT FAILED. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THERE SHOULD BE A RECA…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK IN RAINSTORM. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR REPLACEMENT OF A RELAY, WHICH "WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH." HE SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL--THEY WERE ONLY REPLACING THOSE THAT FAILED. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PART.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.