2019 BMW 540I
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2019 BMW 540I. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2019 BMW 540I. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Owner complaints
12 complaints2 involved a crash
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Lane departure › Assist · Lane departure › Warning · Wheels
In March of 2026 I decided to make use of the vehicles lane keeping assistant and set the lane keeping assistant to maximum safety settings. Within 2 months I noticed the car began to slip l/shudder at the front end while taking highway exit ramps. After this happened a few times I pulled over…
In March of 2026 I decided to make use of the vehicles lane keeping assistant and set the lane keeping assistant to maximum safety settings. Within 2 months I noticed the car began to slip l/shudder at the front end while taking highway exit ramps. After this happened a few times I pulled over and checked the front tires because I thought maybe I drove through asphalt oil or something that made the tires slick. Both front tires displayed excessive wear on outside tire edges, almost like someone took a Dewalt power sander and ground the tires down along the entire outer edge that is supposed to grip the pavement. There were no changes to the vehicles suspension or mechanical components leading up to this problem, so I disabled the lane keeping assistant and it appears to have stopped the lose of material on those tires. I have enclosed two photos one clearly shows excess wear on the outer edge. The other pictures of a normal wear and tear of the same tire not used during auto steer or lane keeping and the other photo is of the inside edge of the same worn front tire.
- Vehicle speed control
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i. The contact stated that while slowly driving into the driveway the vehicle erroneously accelerated forward at a high rate of speed and crashed into the garage door. The contact indicated that during the incident the brake pedal was being pressed but the vehicle did…
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i. The contact stated that while slowly driving into the driveway the vehicle erroneously accelerated forward at a high rate of speed and crashed into the garage door. The contact indicated that during the incident the brake pedal was being pressed but the vehicle did not immediately stop. During the incident the front end of the vehicle was damaged but no air bags deployed. No injuries were reported but the contact experienced emotional stress from the incident. The contact also indicated that the failure had once occurred while the husband was driving the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 31,000.
- Engine
I own a 2019 BMW 540 with B58 engine and I have begun noticing abnormal rattling noise from the engine area, which may indicate early stage failure of the oil pump assembly. There are widespread reports from other owners of failure of the oil pump rotor housing/adjusting ring due to heat-related…
I own a 2019 BMW 540 with B58 engine and I have begun noticing abnormal rattling noise from the engine area, which may indicate early stage failure of the oil pump assembly. There are widespread reports from other owners of failure of the oil pump rotor housing/adjusting ring due to heat-related degradation of plastic components. Failure of this component can lead to sudden loss of oil pressure, drivetrain malfunction warnings, and ultimately engine seizure while driving. Sudden engine failure at speed presents a significant safety hazard due to loss of propulsion and potential inability to maneuver out of traffic. BMW has reportedly updated the oil pump design to an all-metal version around mid-2020, suggesting awareness of a design failure. I am submitting this report as a potential early indicator before catastrophic failure occurs.
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices › Exterior
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i Sedan. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the peripheral rear-view mirror detached and collided with the passenger's window. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,000.
- Unknown or other
Radiator Grill does not open when running. It remains in the close position. It started with the engine symbol that appeared on the dash.
- Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540I. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact pressed the button on the gear shifter and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into NEUTRAL. The contact then shifted back into DRIVE. The contact continued driving with no further issues. However, the contact…
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540I. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the contact pressed the button on the gear shifter and the vehicle inadvertently shifted into NEUTRAL. The contact then shifted back into DRIVE. The contact continued driving with no further issues. However, the contact concern was that there should be no reason for the gear shifter to change gear with little to no pressure on the gear shifter from an inadvertent touch of the button on the gear shifter. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer to be inspected however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 43,500.
- Air bags · Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the failure recurred. The contact continuously depressed the accelerator…
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 540i. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the failure recurred. The contact continuously depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle lunged forward and collided with a barrier and crashed into his neighbor's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. The contact was not treated for any injuries. A police report was not filed. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who discovered that the lower section of the accelerator pedal was fractured. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to pay for a portion of the repair. The contact received a letter that stated that the manufacturer agreed to pay for the accelerator pedal replacement however, by accepting the payment, the manufacturer would absolve themselves of any responsibility for any damages caused by the defective accelerator pedal. The contact had not agreed to the terms of the agreement of the letter. The vehicle was repaired out of pocket. The failure mileage was 18,000.
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking
Vehicle was travelling at 50 mph, clear dry weather, no traffic in front or in rear and collision avoidance braking system activated without cause
- Fuel/propulsion system · Vehicle speed control
On friday, 11/20/20, driving on interstate at about 60-65 miles speed, suddenly within few seconds, the speed dropped down to 35-40 miles without any braking action by me. It scared the hack out of me. I barely managed to get off the driving lane. While in my car, bww sos on-call ( don't know exact…
On friday, 11/20/20, driving on interstate at about 60-65 miles speed, suddenly within few seconds, the speed dropped down to 35-40 miles without any braking action by me. It scared the hack out of me. I barely managed to get off the driving lane. While in my car, bww sos on-call ( don't know exact name) called, and asked me if I was ok. Then, the operator got roadside assistance or their mechanic online; he tried to diagnose the problem. He said it would need to be towed in to the dealership. The operator arranged for the towing truck; the car was towed in to 'global imports BMW' dealership. the service man tested the car the next day, and mentioned that his test did not reveal anything but thought that this was an unique situation that required bmw's engineer's assessment. Then the dealership wanted/ kept the car overnight, drove, and tested it the next day. That's when they found that the throttle body actuator was faulty. They replaced. I had a similar problem, on a smaller scale, early this year. I had taken the car to the same dealership back then. They didn't find anything unusual at that time. the service advisor mentioned that very likely that problem in early 2020 may also be due to faulty throttle body actuator.
- Electrical system · Power train
My check engine light came on for chassis stabilization and drivetrain malfunction. I took it to the dealership and they told me they repair would not be covered under warranty. Dealership alleges a rodent gnawed on a engine wiring harness. From what I gather from the dealership this occurs…
My check engine light came on for chassis stabilization and drivetrain malfunction. I took it to the dealership and they told me they repair would not be covered under warranty. Dealership alleges a rodent gnawed on a engine wiring harness. From what I gather from the dealership this occurs frequently. The manufacturer IS aware of this problem but has failed to make necessary design changes to make these wiring harnesses inaccessible to rodents. My case IS not the worse case scenario but a fire could have started, my vehicle could have become inoperable and cause an accident while operating the vehicle. I would like to request fmvss be updated to address these product design defects. A wiring harness that can potential disable regular functions of the vehicle could result in death should not be easily disabled by a rodent. *tr
- Unknown or other
I purchased four (4) michelin pilot alpin PA4 tires in 245/35/20 for the front and 275/30/20 for the rear. I subsequently hit a pothole and had the front driver's side tire blow out. I then had the tire replaced. a couple months later, I hit a pothole on the highway with the front drivers side…
I purchased four (4) michelin pilot alpin PA4 tires in 245/35/20 for the front and 275/30/20 for the rear. I subsequently hit a pothole and had the front driver's side tire blow out. I then had the tire replaced. a couple months later, I hit a pothole on the highway with the front drivers side tire, which again caused the tire to blow, but this time damaged the wheel beyond repair. The passenger side tire was also found to have two bubbles in the sidewall even without having been struck by a pothole. I have hit potholes with the same car with different tires and have never had a blowout or wheel damage. Considering this has happened twice, I believe these tires are defective and unsafe. I have attached photos of the second blowout. I have also attached the invoices from the two incidents. The totals do not include the total damage as indicated in the itemized breakdown, as I did not yet replace the cracked control arms at $1,005.76. *tr
- Unknown or other
This car IS currently subject to a ntsb ordered recall related to the back up camera and the lighting level (night vision) of the rear safety camera. after my BMW dealer "fixed" it last week, it IS noticeably darker than when the car was new and hence less safe under nighttime driving conditions.…
This car IS currently subject to a ntsb ordered recall related to the back up camera and the lighting level (night vision) of the rear safety camera. after my BMW dealer "fixed" it last week, it IS noticeably darker than when the car was new and hence less safe under nighttime driving conditions. I have taken the car back and the service manager has indicated this IS the dictated fix; I do not believe this IS (a) safe or (b) sager than when the car was new in october 2018, but IS less safe. I suggest a ntsb investigation and additional fix. this occurs at night, in a dark area and while the car IS both stationary and slowly backing up. the date below IS the most recent date taken to the BMW dealer in bala cynwyd, pa 19004 - BMW of the main line.
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.
- 11000579Evap system purge (vent) valve ext ltd wty (elw) 15/150
- 10252038Check Control message (CCM) indicates: (ID 213): Stop, exercising due care. Voltage supply The Service Engine Soon light is on with the following DME Fault Code: 21B209 - Starter alternator / belt for 48V system (OSA_RIEMEN_RISS): Belt betweenCombustion engine and starter generator torn And/or one or more of the following other issues are also occurring: Noise in the area of the belt drive. Odor from the engine compartment. Smoke formation in the area of the belt drive. Drive belt damaged or prematurely worn. Torn drive belt.
- 10252031One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored.
- 10249437The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249032The Central Information Display goes black intermittently due to resets of the Head Unit (HU-H3). FaultB7F8F9 HU-H: Reset will be stored in the HU-H3.
- 10249027The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints.
- 10249018At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21.
- 10249017SITUATION Unusual noises occur only when operating the steering column in the axial direction. 1. A one-time thump sound at the start of movement Shortly after the steering column starts moving, retracting, or extending, a one-time thump noise is heard. See attached video V32 03 23 2. Humming noise while steering column extends in the axial direction. The sound is only heard when the steering column is extended, not when the steering column is retracted. When the steering column starts to move in the extended direction, the humming noise can be heard. See attached video V32 04 23
- 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.
- 10245367Check Control message (CCM) indicates: (ID 213): Stop, exercising due care. Voltage supply The Service Engine Soon light is on with the following DME Fault Code: 21B209 - Starter alternator / belt for 48V system (OSA_RIEMEN_RISS): Belt betweenCombustion engine and starter generator torn And/or one or more of the following other issues are also occurring: Noise in the area of the belt drive. Odor from the engine compartment. Smoke formation in the area of the belt drive. Drive belt damaged or prematurely worn. Torn drive belt.
- 10245365Pressure control valve (pcv) extended ltd wty 15 years/150,000 miles
- 10242698?The sunroof will not operate in either direction.
- 10242694?The front seat will not calibrate/initialize, and the stored faults cannot be deleted.
- 10242691?Unusual noises occur only when operating the steering column in the axial direction.
- 10239614The air conditioning cycles from cold to warm air while driving or while at a stand still. The vent outlet temperatures vary by 25 degrees Fahrenheit or more (38 F to 60 F +) without changing any climate control settings.
- 10239611Headlight check control (CC) message 128 "High beam headlight failure" is displayed. The following fault codes are stored during a vehicle test: 80419A - Left high-beam headlight: Short circuit and/or 8041A5 - light outputs: Number of permitted short circuit cycles exceeded
- 10239604A groaning type noise is heard during the height adjustment.
- 10239602A vehicle arrives at your center to be diagnosed for a micro-leak in the fuel evaporative (EVAP) system (NVLD natural vacuum leak detection). For this condition, the following fault is stored in the DME: 190302 - fuel tank ventilation and scavenging air system, micro-leak: leakage more than 0.5 mm.
- 10239601BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop effective June 6, 2023 on certain Model Year 2023 - 2024 BMW vehicles that were produced between October 26, 2022 and May 8, 2023.
- 10239599With the introduction of the BMW Remote Software Upgrade, all Service Pack 18 vehicles and partial Service Pack 15 vehicles may receive new functionality or modifications in their features.
- 10239595Radiator Grille Upper and Lower Active Air Flaps limited warranty for defects in materials or workmanship has been extended to 15 years/150,000 miles as determined from the original in-service date.
- 10238090After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails.
- 10238083Due to a software error, the vehicle sporadically does not achieve sleep mode. As a result, the 12-volt battery becomes discharged and may cause a no-start condition.
- 10238081Upon opening and closing the tailgate, a creaking/groaning sound can be heard from tailgate actuator.
- 10236236Issues with the various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (KAFAS system) can possibly lead to following customer complaints: KAFAS camera system deactivates itself, due to system restrictions that are not clear to the customer KAFAS camera system cannot be activated due to system restrictions that are not clear to the customer Road signs are sporadically not detected.
- 10235206Customer is shown an incorrect GPS location in the vehicle (i.e., Nav Map, coordinates).
- 10235205The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice control of the vehicle and all other telephone (paired mobile devices) functions are not affected. Emergency call location data is unaffected.
- 10235203Customer states there is no audio playback (telephony, navigation, radio) and system sounds (PDC, turn indicators, acoustic signals) may also have failed.
- 10235200One or more of the LED daytime running lights are dim or discolored.
- 10235191Due to a software error, the vehicle sporadically does not achieve sleep mode. As a result, the 12-volt battery becomes discharged and may cause a no-start condition.
- 10235181A groaning type noise is heard during the height adjustment.
- 10235179There is a howling or whistling noise from under the vehicle at 30 -37 mph (50 -60 km/h) when driving after a cold start, when the outside temperature is 32 F (0 C) or lower.
- 10235178BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop: Due to a software failure, there is the possibility that the transmission does not go into "sleep mode" if the car is turned off.
- 10233157There is a howling or whistling noise from under the vehicle at 30 -37 mph (50 -60 km/h) when driving after a cold start, when the outside temperature is 32 F (0 C) or lower. The noise goes away as the vehicle/driveline reaches operating temperature.
- 10230740Customer is shown an incorrect GPS location in the vehicle (i.e., Nav Map, coordinates).
- 10230734Due to a software error, Remote Software Upgrade (RSU) and Remote Support are currently not possible. Additionally, the Integrated Owner's Handbook cannot be displayed.
- 10230732The saved steering column positions, vertical and horizontal, are not stored long term.
- 10230726There is a howling or whistling noise from under the vehicle at 30 -37 mph (50 -60 km/h) when driving after a cold start, when the outside temperature is 32F (0C) or lower.
- 10230725A cracking, metallic noise from under the center of the vehicle.
Every BMW 540I model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.