2003 BMW 540I
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2003 BMW 540I. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2003 BMW 540I. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
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 occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
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.
Owner complaints
7 complaints
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
Air bag light coming on and off intermittently. Known recall affecting bmw 540 models around this vin number. BMW says this particular vin not affected, but if NHTSA adds vin to list, they will fix.
- Service brakes, air › Antilock › Abs warning light
See attached document for complaint
- Air bags
Takata recall - the BMW 2003 540I that I own, has a driver's side airbag and a passenger side airbag. I complied with the BMW recall for the takata airbag replacement system that to my dissatisfaction, replaced only the driver's side airbag. I am registering this complaint to notify nhtsa that…
Takata recall - the BMW 2003 540I that I own, has a driver's side airbag and a passenger side airbag. I complied with the BMW recall for the takata airbag replacement system that to my dissatisfaction, replaced only the driver's side airbag. I am registering this complaint to notify nhtsa that BMW did not replace the passenger side airbag with this recall. This non-replacement of the passenger side airbag IS concerning to me as the passenger IS at risk for the problems that takata airbags produce whether driver's side or the passenger side. It IS anathema to proper good faith performance of BMW and takata to not replace the passenger side airbag in the same manner as the driver's side airbag was replaced by the recall initiated due to the poor performance of the takata airbag. I was disappointed to learn that the passenger side airbag was not being replaced at the same time as the driver's side airbag replacement. nhtsa - please work with BMW to have the replacement of the passenger side airbag performed under the previous recall, or through a new recall announcement so that the passenger in vehicles with the takata airbag under the previous recall, are recalled and, then safe with a new airbag system. I was in anticipation of the recall for the passenger side by the nhtsa. However, since the replacement of the driver's side airbag that occurred in the 2017 time frame, has not occurred, I am registering this complaint with the nhtsa. To reiterate, since a recall for the passenger side has not been initiated by BMW, I am raising this issue for nhtsa to be informed and to pursue a recall being initiated by BMW.
- Tires
Driver's side, rear tire exploded, while driving on highway 5 in california, causing $5,500 damage to the rear body of the car. Both the repair facility and discount tire found the other 3 tires to have defects rendering them unsafe to drive. *tr
- Engine · Steering
Started the car and began to drive out of driveway when I heard a noise in the engine. shut down engine and popped the hood- found drive belt shredded because power steering pump snapped and let loose into tension pulley- luckily I was not at speed and belt did not fail- otherwise catastrophic engine failure would occur along with loss of power steering. *tr
- Electrical system
BMW E39 540I possible defective blower motor resistor (climate control fan resistor) with heatsink.. Affects "auto" fan.. Very noticeable in the long run.. Known problem.. Many do not last past 50,000km.. See http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143393 for replacement.. *tr
- Power train · Steering
Driving home one evening, I noticed a binding feeling being transmitted through the drive-train, drive-ability did not seem too affected, other than the odd bind being felt. the next morning upon start-up, the car began making a loud, rpm sensitive whining noise. I shut the car off and drove one…
Driving home one evening, I noticed a binding feeling being transmitted through the drive-train, drive-ability did not seem too affected, other than the odd bind being felt. the next morning upon start-up, the car began making a loud, rpm sensitive whining noise. I shut the car off and drove one of my others. when I opened the hood it was obvious that the serpentine belt was not aligned correctly. through further observation, it was clear that the power steering pump mounts were broken. the broken mounts caused the pump to push forward and not be aligned. the belt was being chewed up in the process. while removing the pump I noticed that the bolts holding it in place were loose. these loose bolts were alarming and could have resulted in the power steering pump loosening even further cause the belt to jump. in my opinion, it IS completely unacceptable for this to have happened. the fact that a molded piece of aluminum would fracture and break IS alarming, and the loose bolts IS even worse. it IS very possible that the belt could have jumped (has happened to fellow 540I drivers) which would have resulted in no power steering. *Tr
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10249437The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10247567Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE
- 10245422Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicles equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror does not briefly flash every 2 seconds, indicating the alarm is armed.
- 10160287TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL-RELATED SHORT-TERM ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSEQUENTIAL REPAIRS This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B01 31 18 dated October 2018.
- 10160244TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL-RELATED SHORT-TERM ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSEQUENTIAL REPAIRS This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B01 31 18 dated October 2018.
- 10154816In an effort to improve the completion rate on Takata air bag recall affected vehicles; BMW NA has expanded the BMW Ultimate Rewards platform to include a new Recall Support page. This page will allow IRFs to check their customers VINs for open Takata recalls; and get rewarded for helping us with completing repairs.
- 10153726Takata class action settlement. Customer support program. Front driver side airbag modules.
- 10152674Radio / Navigation / Head Unit Identification Guide
- 10149557For the above-referenced vehicles with driver?s side airbag modules, BMW of North America, LLC (?BMW NA?) will provide a Customer Support Program as outlined in the Takata Settlement Customer Support Program Overview attachment. This ?component-specific? customer support program applies only if there is a defect in materials or workmanship of the Takata driver?s side airbag module in a listed vehicle.
- 10135028SERVICE ACTION: PROGRAM DME: The incorrect dataset could be programmed into DME 5.2.1 control module.
Every BMW 540I model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.