NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
46 reports71,200 miles · Jan 18, 2005
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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) DATED 11/2000. THE REPAIR INSTRUC…
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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) DATED 11/2000. 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. HOWEVER I MANAGED TO STOP WITHIN 2 FEET OF THE CAR THAT PULLED IN FRONT OF ME. 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 JUST SPENT $1006.37 TODAY FOR THE REPAIR AT CROWN BMW. 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). *NM
NHTSA ODI #10106550
98,000 miles · Jan 9, 2005
Service Brakes, Air
THE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING BOTH ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO BE DISABLED, SPECIALLY ONCE THE ENGINE IS WAM, ONCE IT FAILED, RESTARTING THE CAR WON'T CORRECT THE SITUATION. IF THE CAR SITS OVER NIGHT, THE ABS AND TRACTION WORKS AGAIN FOR A WHILE, DEPENDS ON DRIVING CONDITION, IF THE CAR IS TAKEN INTO …
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THE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING BOTH ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO BE DISABLED, SPECIALLY ONCE THE ENGINE IS WAM, ONCE IT FAILED, RESTARTING THE CAR WON'T CORRECT THE SITUATION. IF THE CAR SITS OVER NIGHT, THE ABS AND TRACTION WORKS AGAIN FOR A WHILE, DEPENDS ON DRIVING CONDITION, IF THE CAR IS TAKEN INTO HIGHWAY RIGHT AWAY, THE ABS MIGHT WORK FOR HOURS, IF IT GOES INTO CITY DRIVING, IT COULD FAIL WITHIN MINUTES. I HAVE SEARCH ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND FOUND SO MANY OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SIMILAR PROBLEM. WEB SITES RESEARCHED: WWW.BENTLEYPUBLISHING.COM AND WWW.ROADFLY.ORG. *AK THE CAR IS 1999 BMW 528IT, MANUFACTURED 09/98
NHTSA ODI #10106026
Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10101956
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…
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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
114,000 miles · Nov 9, 2004
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO SECOND GEAR AND BECAME STUCK. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK *SC
NHTSA ODI #10083681
Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2004
Unknown Or Other
COMPLAINT REGARDING THE 1999 BMW 528I. *MR IN RE TO LATE PAYMENTS ON THE BEHALF OF THE CONSUMERS. *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10089700
57,500 miles · Jun 24, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
I HAVE HAD FAILURES OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON MY 1999 BMW WHERE THE SYSTEM LOCKS UP AND CAUSES THE CAR TO GO OUT OF CONTROL. BASED ON NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER OWNERS THESE MODELS SEEM VERY PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM. BMW DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT ADDRESSING THIS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10078774
52,000 miles · May 12, 2004
Service Brakes, Air
1999 BMW 528IT - ASC/ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. LOSS OF ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND SPEEDOMETER.COMMON ON 99 MODEL YEAR/55K MILES .NOTED WIDELY ON BMW WEB FORUMS.$1200 REPAIR ALWAYS OUT OF WARRANTY. NO ACKNOWLAGEMENT , RECALL OR HELP FROM BMWNA.
NHTSA ODI #10072461
84,000 miles · Feb 11, 2004
Vehicle Speed Control
ENGINE SURGES WHEN COLD IN COLD WEATHER (<45 DEG). SURGING CAUSES VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD IF AT A STOP. COULD INJUR PEDESTRIAN IF BRAKE NOT PRESSED WITH FORCE. BMW APPARENTLY AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT NO RECALL.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10057045
53,000 miles · Jan 18, 2004
Structure
DOOR HANDLE '99 528I BMW BROKE OFF (MADE OF PLASTIC) = IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN A CRASH NECESSITATING RAPID EXIT FROM VEHICLE. *CB
NHTSA ODI #10054383
Illustration