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2001 BMW 530Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 7 owner complaints about the 2001 BMW 530, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 17V-047 the manufacturer reports only 24% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Lowest repair rate 24%Owner complaints75 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Engine and engine cooling

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 20, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 BMW 530 has problems

7 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling21
Electrical system21
Engine11
Equipment10
Exterior lighting10
Fuel/propulsion system11
Service brakes, hydraulic10
Air bags11
Structure10
1 other systems10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2001 BMW 530 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

24%repaired · 2018 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 17V-047 · Jan 20, 2017 · 230,117 vehicles · 55,819 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.

Best & worst years

2001 vs. every other 530 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 530 median. How we score

'75'76'77'78'94'95'97'99'01'02
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What 530 owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. SHE PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE WAS PUT OUT, CAME FROM COOLING FAN AREA. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN, CONSUMER SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION. *AK
Complaint 894044 · Aug 10, 2001
CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND HAD THE RECALL FOR THE AUXILLARY FAN WORKED ON. THE FAN IS EXTREMEMLY NOISY AND WHINES OVER THE SOUND OF THE RADIO. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT FAN WAS LOUDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THERE WAS A SENSOR OR SOME OTHER ITEM…
Complaint 565307 · Apr 22, 2002

Own a 2001 530?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.