IllustrationWhile stopped (engine still running) at a gas station, the driver side airbag and driver side side curtain airbag both went off. The battery disconnect feature was also triggered. Very lucky I wasn't driving when this occurred.
1998 BMW 540I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 540I 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: 14 of 26 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
26 reportsWHITE STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ONTO THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE STEAM WAS FOGGING THE WINDSHIELD, AND CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE UPPER NECK CONNECTOR OF THE RADIATOR HOSE BROKE.*AK
2ND CATASTROPHIC RADIATOR FAILURE. NOT A LEAK, THE NECK BREAKS OFF CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF COOLING. 1ST RADIATOR AT 45K, 2ND AT 92K. BASED ON OTHER'S EXPERIENCES, THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS MODEL (AND EVEN LONGER LIFE THAN MANY). CAUSES LOSS OF VISION DUE TO AMOUNT OF STEAM RELEASED. LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER MAY HAVE DIFFICUL…
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2ND CATASTROPHIC RADIATOR FAILURE. NOT A LEAK, THE NECK BREAKS OFF CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF COOLING. 1ST RADIATOR AT 45K, 2ND AT 92K. BASED ON OTHER'S EXPERIENCES, THIS IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS MODEL (AND EVEN LONGER LIFE THAN MANY). CAUSES LOSS OF VISION DUE TO AMOUNT OF STEAM RELEASED. LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD QUICKLY TO SHUT DOWN. NO WAY TO PREDICT THE FAILURE. SAME ISSUE WITH EXPANSION TANK. BOTH FAILURES ARE ON PLASTIC PARTS.*AK
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY STREET ONE EVENING AND AS I CAME TO A LIGHT, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF MY HOOD. FORTUNATELY IT WAS IN THE EVENING AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHTER THAN USUAL. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAVING KNOWN OTHERS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO, I FIRST CHECKED THE RADIATOR AND SURE ENOUGH, TH…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY STREET ONE EVENING AND AS I CAME TO A LIGHT, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF MY HOOD. FORTUNATELY IT WAS IN THE EVENING AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHTER THAN USUAL. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAVING KNOWN OTHERS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO, I FIRST CHECKED THE RADIATOR AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS A LARGE CRACK DOWN THE SIDE OF THE HOUSING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND PURCHASED A NEW RADIATOR FROM BMW OF SEATTLE THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE NEW RADIATOR WAS ABOUT $200, A FEW HOURS OF MY OWN LABOR AND A FEW MORE HOURS DETAILING THE ENGINE PAY AND HEADLIGHTS WHICH HAD RADIATOR FLUID ALL OVER THEM. ALSO FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS WHO OWN E39 BMW 540S, I FULLY EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE NEXT 50K MILES. I ALSO EXPECT THE EXPANSION TANK TO GO WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. *AK
PLASTIC NECK OF RADIATOR ON MY '98 BMW 540IA BROKE COMPLETELY AND SUDDENLY ON HIGHWAY. WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT UNDER THE HOOD. SAW TEMP GAUGE CLIMB UP RAPIDLY. PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. NO ONE WAS HURT LUCKILY. *NM
MULTIPLE COOLANT DEFECTS ON THE 1998 540. THE CAR HAS NOW HAD 3 RADIATORS, 3 THERMASTATS, WATER TUBE SEALS REPLACED TWICE, AND A WATER PUMP. THE COSTS HAVE BEEN OVER $3,500. THESE LEAKS ARE NOT JUST EXPENSIVE, THEY POSE A REAL DANGER TO CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY AND DAMAGE. THE FAILURE RATE IS KNOWN TO BE VERY HIGH. HTTP://WW…
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MULTIPLE COOLANT DEFECTS ON THE 1998 540. THE CAR HAS NOW HAD 3 RADIATORS, 3 THERMASTATS, WATER TUBE SEALS REPLACED TWICE, AND A WATER PUMP. THE COSTS HAVE BEEN OVER $3,500. THESE LEAKS ARE NOT JUST EXPENSIVE, THEY POSE A REAL DANGER TO CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY AND DAMAGE. THE FAILURE RATE IS KNOWN TO BE VERY HIGH. HTTP://WWW.VOTATIONS.COM/ASP/SURVEYRESULTS.ASP?POLLID=66461 .*AK
DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING MAKES NOISE WHEN WHEEL SPINS FREELY. THIS WAS REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER IN PAST. DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT BEARING ! DRIVER-SIDE BERAING STILL NOISY. WAITING FOR COMPLETE FAILURE TO PROVE DEALER WRONG. FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ARE MARGINALLY DESIGNED FOR BMW 540I, THIS IS WELL DOC…
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DRIVER-SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING MAKES NOISE WHEN WHEEL SPINS FREELY. THIS WAS REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES TO DEALER IN PAST. DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT BEARING ! DRIVER-SIDE BERAING STILL NOISY. WAITING FOR COMPLETE FAILURE TO PROVE DEALER WRONG. FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ARE MARGINALLY DESIGNED FOR BMW 540I, THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON VARIOUS WEB SITES OF BMW OWNERS. BEARINGS LAST 75,000 MILES!
ENGINE COOLING RADIATOR HOSE FITTING BROKE OFF. LOST ALL COOLANT ON HIGHWAY. DEALER REPLACED RADIATOR UNDER WARRANTY AND STATED IT IS COMMON FAILURE ON 540I BMW DUE TO PLASTIC PARTS NOT STONG ENOUGH TO RESIST TEMPERATURE. WELL DOCUMENTED ON PRIVATE WEB SITES.
ENGINE DOESN'T REV UP ABOVE 4500 RPMS AND MISFIRES. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON. DEALER REPLACED ONE OF TWO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS UNDER WARRANTY. ACCORDING TO PRIVATE CLUBS ABD WEB SITES OF BMW OWNERS, 540I CAT CONVERTERS LAST 50KMILES ONLY.
ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AND STALLS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPLACED FAULTY CAMSHAFT SENSOR UNDER WARRANTY.
Official recalls
198V142000 · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
Jun 22, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE DIFFERENTIAL PINION SHAFT WITHIN THE DIFFERENTIAL CASE ASSEMBLY WAS PRODUCED WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE SURFACE HARDENING. THIS CAN RESULT IN THE SHAFT EXPERIENCING PREMATURE WEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION WILL CAUSE A NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AND, ULTIMATELY, FAILURE OF THE SHAFT AND LOSS OF DRIVE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY.
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.