2002 BMW 540I: recalls and complaints

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

1. 19V015000Received 14 Jan 2019. 157,549 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i Sedan, 530i Sedan, 540i Sedan, 2001-2003 525i Sports Wagon and 540i Sports Wagon vehicles, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel. The sports steering wheel has a frontal air bag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

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

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 14 Mar 2019.

2. 15V318000Received 28 May 2015. 419,235 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   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 occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 Aug 2016.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

Complaints that report a crash

1

Complaints that report a fire

0

Injuries in the complaints

0

Deaths in the complaints

0

Date of the newest complaint

23 Jan 2018

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

1. 19891
2. 19901
3. 19911
4. 19921
5. 19931
6. 19944
7. 19952
8. 19970
9. 19981
10. 19991
11. 20002
12. 20014
13. 20022
14. 20032
15. 20171
16. 20182
17. 20191
18. 20205
19. 20216
20. 20221
21. 20231
22. 20241

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• BMW 540I: all model years
• BMW: 250 model lines

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• NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
• NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
• NHTSA page of the 2002 BMW 540IThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2002 BMW 540I?

576,784 units in 2 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the BMW 540I have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 23 recall campaigns for the BMW 540I, model years 1989 to 2024. 2 of them name the 2002 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 2002 BMW 540I name most often?

Electrical System: 5 of 17 component mentions.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2002 BMW 540I open?

The NHTSA investigation file has no investigation that names this model year.