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1999 BMW 528I

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 BMW 528I do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 46.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
46Owner complaints

Model-year median: 46

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1999 BMW 528I

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 46 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 9 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 7 reports
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6 reports
  • Power Train: 4 reports
  • Structure: 4 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    41
    1997    33
    1998    46
    1999    42
    2000    2
    2001
    Compare all 528I years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Air Bags
    9    Vehicle Speed Control
    7    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    6    Power Train
    4    Structure
    4
    All reported categories
    Electrical System
    3    Exterior Lighting
    3    Service Brakes, Air
    3    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    2    Equipment
    2    Service Brakes, Electric
    2    Steering
    2    Tires
    2    Unknown Or Other
    2    Back Over Prevention
    1    Electronic Stability Control
    1    Engine And Engine Cooling
    1    Seat Belts
    1    Seats
    1    Service Brakes
    1    Traction Control System
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    25 reports with mileage · 21 unknown

    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.

    • Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

    Electrical System complaints

    3 reports
    Clear category filter
    85,000 miles · Nov 9, 2008
    Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

    REPEATED FAILURE OF ABS-ODOMETER-SPEEDOMETER ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED TWO YEARS RUNNING. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #10248051

    70,000 miles · Sep 27, 2006
    Electrical System

    ASC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN FAILURE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL AND SPEEDOMETER ON MY 1999 BMW 528I. BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS ISSUE FOR 5 SERIES CARS 9/98 TO 9/00 (MINE WAS BUILT 10/98). BULLETIN INFO: VS-23/WEINTUCH BAUGRUPPE/GROUP:32 32 01 00 (646) . THE REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS CODE IS RA 2…

    Read full complaint

    ASC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THIS RESULTED IN FAILURE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL AND SPEEDOMETER ON MY 1999 BMW 528I. BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ON THIS ISSUE FOR 5 SERIES CARS 9/98 TO 9/00 (MINE WAS BUILT 10/98). BULLETIN INFO: VS-23/WEINTUCH BAUGRUPPE/GROUP:32 32 01 00 (646) . THE REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS CODE IS RA 24 52 515/ 34 52 516. AFTER UNIT FAILED, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IN WHICH I HAD TO BRAKE HEAVILY AND ALL FOUR WHEELS LOCKED UP. THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLE OWNERS CURRENTLY REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM ON A NUMBER OF BMW BULLETIN BOARDS (WWW.ROADFLY.COM). IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT APPARENTLY BMW IS AWARE OF BUT NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN WARRANTY BUT I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. EVENTUALLY, THERE WILL BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FROM THIS KNOWN PART FAILURE. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT A NUMBER OF BMW DEALERS ARE STOCKING UP HIGHER THAN USUAL INVENTORIES OF THIS PART, APPARENTLY IN ANTICIPATION OF LARGE SCALE FAILURES OF THE ASC CONTROL UNIT (PART34-52-6-756-343). MY NEXT CAR WILL NOT BE A BMW, THEY DON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR CARS. THINK & READ BEFORE YOU BUY BMW! IT'S EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR.LC *NM

    NHTSA ODI #10169438

    91,000 miles · Nov 23, 2004
    Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control

    SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING. PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON VEHICLE REPAIR FORUMS. DEFECTIVE MODULE WAS UPGRADED BY BMW ENGINEERING BUT NO RECALL ISSUED, LEFT TO OWNERS TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE BEFORE GETTING MODULE REPLACED. RISK OF EXCESSIVE SPEED. RISK OF OVERSPEED CONDITION WHILE ENTERING POSTED SPEED CORNERS. BMW ONLY REPAIR DUE…

    Read full complaint

    SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING. PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON VEHICLE REPAIR FORUMS. DEFECTIVE MODULE WAS UPGRADED BY BMW ENGINEERING BUT NO RECALL ISSUED, LEFT TO OWNERS TO EXPERIENCE FAILURE BEFORE GETTING MODULE REPLACED. RISK OF EXCESSIVE SPEED. RISK OF OVERSPEED CONDITION WHILE ENTERING POSTED SPEED CORNERS. BMW ONLY REPAIR DUE TO PROGRAMMING, COST OF $2000, RISK OF LESS AFFLUENT OWNERS DRIVING WITH SPEEDOMETER INOPERATIVE.*AK

    NHTSA ODI #10100433

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No 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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.