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2003 BMW 530iProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 46 owner complaints about the 2003 BMW 530i, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-015 the manufacturer reports only 23% of affected cars repaired.

51
CarFlaw IndexSolid year4% below the 530i median · #5 of 13 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 23%Owner complaints469 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage80kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 14, 2019. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 BMW 530i has problems

46 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
Air bags171
Electrical system83
Vehicle speed control62
Power train60
Seats41
Engine33
Suspension30
Service brakes, hydraulic32
Engine and engine cooling21
6 other systems81

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

2 recalls

2003 BMW 530i 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.

23%repaired · 2020 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 19V-015 · Jan 14, 2019 · 157,549 vehicles · 36,035 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

32%repaired · 2017 Q4

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 15V-318 · May 28, 2015 · 419,235 vehicles · 133,934 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

2003 vs. every other 530i 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 530i median. How we score

'78'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What 530i owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TAKATA RECALL..RECEIVED NOTIFICATION 6 MONTHS AGO. I HAVE CALLED BMW TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT AND HAVE BEEN TOLD I WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN PARTS ARRIVE. THUS WAS 6 MONTHS AGO
Complaint 10937291 · Dec 23, 2016
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 BMW 530I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE…
Complaint 10913795 · Oct 4, 2016
"TAKATA RECALL" - MY 2003 BMW DRIVER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG MODULE (15V-318) WAS RECALLED IN JULY 2015 AND I CAN'T GET ANY INFO FROM BMW IF THEY WILL EVER FIX IT. I HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR ONE YEAR ON THIS, AS I WAS INSTRUCTED TO DO BY BMW, AND THEY STILL WILL PROVIDE ME WITH NO INFORMATION AS TO IF OR…
Complaint 10884418 · Jul 12, 2016 · 70,000 miles

Own a 2003 530i?

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