IllustrationTHE TILT FUNCTION ON THE STEERING WHEEL RAMDONLY ACTIVATES WHICH RESULTS IN THE STEERING WHEEL MOVING UP AND DOWN WHICH IS A SURPRISE TO THE DRIVER. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. NO ERROR INDICATORS SHOW UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
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 campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView 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
Compare all 528I years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
00–25K
025–50K
950–75K
975–100K
5100–150K
2150K+
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
Steering complaints
2 reportsMY CAR WAS HIT (BROAD-SIDED AT A PERPENDICULAR ANGLE) BY A 16 YO IN AN 1989 CAMARO. MY BMW VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, INCLUDING BENDING OF THE CAR-FRAME, BLOW-OUT OF THE DRIVER'S WINDOW (THAT LANDED ON THE PASSENGER, LACERATING HIS LEG), AND SEPARATION AND RUPTURE OF THE BODY SIDE DOOR PANEL ASSEMBLY AND DOOR SHE…
Read full complaint
MY CAR WAS HIT (BROAD-SIDED AT A PERPENDICULAR ANGLE) BY A 16 YO IN AN 1989 CAMARO. MY BMW VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, INCLUDING BENDING OF THE CAR-FRAME, BLOW-OUT OF THE DRIVER'S WINDOW (THAT LANDED ON THE PASSENGER, LACERATING HIS LEG), AND SEPARATION AND RUPTURE OF THE BODY SIDE DOOR PANEL ASSEMBLY AND DOOR SHELL. I SUSTAINED BLUNT LEFT SHOULDER INJURIES AND BRUISING FROM IMPACTING THE PILLAR, AND ALSO BACK/LEG INJURIES. DESPITE THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT (THAT MADE BOTH LEFT-SIDE DOORS INOPERABLE), NEITHER THE SIDE NOR THE HEAD RESTRAINT AIRBAG SYSTEMS DEPLOYED, AND THE EMERGENCY CENTRAL UNLOCKING SYSTEM DID NOT ACTIVATE. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW AMERICA, WHO AFTER WEEKS OF UNHELPFUL SUGGESTIONS, HAD THE CAR INSPECTED. THE ENGINEERS' REPORT (WHICH TO DATE, HAS NOT BEEN SHARED WITH ME DESPITE MY REPEATED REQUESTS), STATES THAT THE IMPACT "WAS NOT SEVERE ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE DEPLOYMENT" OF THE AIRBAGS. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER SUCH INSTANCES OF FAILURE REPORTED TO NHTSA? IN THE BMW ADVERTISEMENT OF THE PASSIVE REASTRAINT SYSTEM, THE SIDE (AND HEAD) AIRBAGS ARE CLEARLY CLAIMED TO BE DEPLOYED DURING SIDE IMPACTS OF LESSER SEVERITY THAN THE ONE I EXPERIENCED. ALL BMW AND MERCEDES SALES PEOPLE AND MECHANICS WHO HAVE SEEN THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WERE OF THE OPINION THAT THE BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE DAMAGE WITH PHOTOS. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No 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.