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2001 BMW 540Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 5 owner complaints about the 2001 BMW 540, most often about the air bags. 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 complaints50 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage87kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 22, 2017. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2001 BMW 540 has problems

5 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 bags20
Engine and engine cooling10
Steering10
Vehicle speed control10

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

1 recall

2001 BMW 540 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 540 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 540 median. How we score

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

What 540 owners report

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

DEALERSHIP IN CONCORD CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN TRYING TO DELAY REPAIRING MY VEHICLE AIRBAG EVEN AFTER APPOINTMENT. DID NOT EVEN START FIXING MY VEHICLE AFTER WAITING 5 PLUS HOURS.
Complaint 11025102 · Sep 22, 2017
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A ROUND ROCK OF 4-5 INCHES IN DIAMETER WAS DROVE OVER AND STRUCK THE FRONT AIR DAM RIGHT OF THE CENTER. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND THE DRIVER SIDE HEAD PROTECTION AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND THE CONTACT IS WAITING…
Complaint 10157708 · May 17, 2006 · 87,000 miles

Own a 2001 540?

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