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1999 BMW 540IA

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
10Owner complaints

Model-year median: 0

2Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
12
19973
199810
19998
20007
20012
2002
Compare all 540IA years →

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

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
6Power Train
2Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1

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: 8 of 10 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 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 1 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 reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

1 reports
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106,000 miles · Jan 15, 2006
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I HAD TROUBLES WITH MY ABS MODULE UNIT THAT IS ATTACHED TO MY BMW 1999 540IA. I HAVE BECOME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT DISABLES THE ABS CONTROL OF MY CAR AND MANY OTHER SAME MODEL CARS AS MINE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE PART MYSELF DUE TO NO RECALL OR ACCEPTANCE FROM BMW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY FE…

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I HAD TROUBLES WITH MY ABS MODULE UNIT THAT IS ATTACHED TO MY BMW 1999 540IA. I HAVE BECOME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT DISABLES THE ABS CONTROL OF MY CAR AND MANY OTHER SAME MODEL CARS AS MINE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE PART MYSELF DUE TO NO RECALL OR ACCEPTANCE FROM BMW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY FEATURE ON MY AND MANY OTHER BMW'S SIMILAR TO MINE. THE FAILURE OCCURED OUT OF THE NOWHERE AND THE RESULTING PROBLEM IS THAT THE UNIT WOULD GO OFF AFTER CAR WOULD WARM UP THEN EVENTUALLY OVER TIME THE UNIT COMPLETELY FAILS AND DISABLES THE CARS ANTI BRAKING SYSTEM. THE UNIT WAS REPLACED BY ME AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET BMWNA OR ANYONE FROM BMW TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY UNIT. THE NEW PART COST ME ABOUT $700 AND THE LABOR WAS ABOUT $60 TO GET IT INSTALLED AND PROGRAMMED FROM TEH BMW DEALER AROUND HERE. I HAVE MY OLD PART IF THAT HELPS BUT IT IS OF NO USE. THX MICHAEL D. KARR. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10147799

Official recalls

2

99V004000 · Electrical SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V Battery:cables

Jan 4, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE THICKNESS OF THE MAIN POSITIVE ELECTRICAL CABLE (GENERATOR TO STARTER) INSULATION IS LESS THAN SPECIFIED, MAKING IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING ABRADED OR CUT BY THE CLIP THAT SECURES THE CABLE TO THE GENERATOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE CABLE INSULATION CAN BE WORN AWAY, EXPOSING THE WIRE. THE WIRE COULD CONTACT THE CLIP OR A SHORT CIRCUIT COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL APPLY A THICKNESS OF INSULATING TAPE TO THE CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE CLIP, AND INSTALL A REVISED CLIP.

99V005000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Jan 4, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 5HP24 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. PREMATURE WEAR OF THE RING GEAR CAN OCCUR, LEADING TO THE LOSS OF 1ST, 2ND, 3RD, AND REVERSE GEARS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, THE CAR MAY NO LONGER OPERATE IN REVERSE, 1ST, 2ND, OR 3RD GEARS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.