2003 BMW 5 Series
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2003 BMW 5 Series. 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 5 Series. Newest first.
ZF Group North America Operations (ZF) is recalling certain Lemförder Steering Center Rods sold as aftermarket parts for 1996-2004 BMW 5-Series (E39) vehicles. The steering center rods may have an insufficient ball pin pull force that may allow the rods to detach from the steering knuckle.
Risk and remedy
Risk
If the steering rod detaches from the steerable wheel knuckle, it can cause sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
ZF has notified the parts distributors, instructing them to inform the end customer. ZF will reimburse them for the affected parts. The recall began August 28, 2019.
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may…
Risk and remedy
Risk
This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
Owner complaints
15 complaints1 involved a crash1 involved a fire1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
Takata recall. More than a year ago, I received information in the form of a warning that my car had airbags that should be replaced. I contacted the BMW center on s.dixie highway near 160 street in miami and was told that they will get back to me. after a long enough wait, I called again and…
Takata recall. More than a year ago, I received information in the form of a warning that my car had airbags that should be replaced. I contacted the BMW center on s.dixie highway near 160 street in miami and was told that they will get back to me. after a long enough wait, I called again and was told the same thing. after another period of time, I took my car to them. they told me that the airbag had been ordered and that I will be notified as soon as it comes in. after another long wait, I called and later went back with my car but still got the same run-around. it has been almost 2 years since I contacted BMW. I am lucky that nothing bad has happened to me while driving my car. what else am I supposed to do in order to get the service that I need? thank you for your help. *tr
- Air bags
I'm getting the run around about replacing the driver's airbag in my car. I received the initial notice over 6 months ago and was told the air bags were released over a month ago but I still haven't gotten a second notice. The BMW dealership says there isn't an issue with the BMW it's just precautionary but they still don't have the airbags in.
- Air bags
Takata recall - I recently found out that my vehicle, which has been mine since it was new in 2003, IS part of the takata recall and has been since almost a year ago. I never received a single notification in the mail. I have lived at the same address since 2003, so there seems to be absolutely…
Takata recall - I recently found out that my vehicle, which has been mine since it was new in 2003, IS part of the takata recall and has been since almost a year ago. I never received a single notification in the mail. I have lived at the same address since 2003, so there seems to be absolutely no excuse for this. when I called my BMW dealership to find out what to do about the recall, I was told there IS no current remedy but that someone would call me back about my options. it has been almost two weeks and no one has called me. I then sent an e-mail to BMW, which resulted in a form return message. what are the options for someone with this recall and no remedy? I can't say that I feel at all safe driving my car, especially not with my children in it, but I apparently have no alternative as I'm not in a position to purchase a new vehicle or to rent a vehicle.
- Engine · Service brakes · Steering
I was driving appx 40mph while on a local road slightly uphill, engine shut off without warning, lost power steering and brake assist. Luckily no cars around me so I was able to barely roll over to the roadside. Car would not start again, was towed to dealership. Replaced ecu for a total cost of $2K. *tr
- Power train · Suspension
I backed my 2003 BMW M5 out of the drive way and heard a terrible sound, I attempted to drive the car forward, and the noise got worse. I returned the car to the drive way and put it on jacks and stands to find the noise. I discovered that the rear subframe was broken (i have pictures and will be…
I backed my 2003 BMW M5 out of the drive way and heard a terrible sound, I attempted to drive the car forward, and the noise got worse. I returned the car to the drive way and put it on jacks and stands to find the noise. I discovered that the rear subframe was broken (i have pictures and will be getting the original parts back for testing) from the mount holding it to the frame. I have researched forums for 1999-2004 BMW 5 series cars and have located 14 more people that have suffered the same fate (IS has happened in 528, 540, and M5 models from 1999-2004). The repair IS costing me approximately $4000.00. If this break had occurred at highway speed the drive shaft and differential would have separated and would been free to fly around and cause severe damage to the car and anyone in it. *tr
- Electrical system
Car shut down while driving appx 35mph without warning, nearly crash due to loss of steering assist and instrument. Dealer replaced both dme and battery which was suspicious since two unrelated component failed at same time? Extremely dangerous when it happened in traffic, endangering both my passengers and other drivers nearby. Recall to the dme and battery should be issued. Repair cost $2500. *tr
- Electrical system
My 2003 BMW 530I sedan caught fire due to an electrical fault while parked in new haven, connecticut. the fire department and police were called. Case #[xxx] was assigned by officer [xxx] of the new haven pd. The car, too badly damaged to repair, was hauled away for eventual scrapping. I was…
My 2003 BMW 530I sedan caught fire due to an electrical fault while parked in new haven, connecticut. the fire department and police were called. Case #[xxx] was assigned by officer [xxx] of the new haven pd. The car, too badly damaged to repair, was hauled away for eventual scrapping. I was close to the car when the fire started. flames were erupting from the dash, where the climate control switches are located. I tried smothering the flames with a sweater. This did not interrupt the progress of the fire. There was no personal injury or property damage other than to the car and its contents. Items situated in the front seat area were not recovered, due to the intensity of the fire. the apparent cause of the fire was an electrical fault. In 2010 new country BMW in hartford twice replaced the climate control fan final stage resistor, once in april and again in october, at no charge for the second replacement. in the days before the fire the climate control was again acting erratically, and the evidence indicates the final stage resistor was failing once again. BMW north america inspected the car and confirmed that the fire was caused by an electrical fault in the area behind the dash where the final stage resistor IS located. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(B)(6).*tr
- Electrical system
While driving, the car suddenly shut down and lost all power. Had to pull over to the side of the road quickly to avoid an accident; had this been at high speed, the situation might have been worse. subsequently when trying to start, the car shows a myriad of warning lights and faults. A fuse for…
While driving, the car suddenly shut down and lost all power. Had to pull over to the side of the road quickly to avoid an accident; had this been at high speed, the situation might have been worse. subsequently when trying to start, the car shows a myriad of warning lights and faults. A fuse for the main computer (dme) had blown, due to a wiring short between the electronic thermostat and the main computer. Replacing the fuse IS not a permanent fix, as it blows shortly after each time the car IS started, rendering the car undriveable. This fix to replace shorted wiring IS in the thousands of dollars. The car had been meticulously maintained and had never suffered any related issue before. There IS a poor connection, faulty wiring, design flaw, or the like in this system. *tr
- Tires
Installed two new bridgestone potenza pole position re 960as in july 2010(purchased from thetire rack),on my 2003 BMW 540i(at bridgestone tire dealer).rear,275r1835.two months later while driving 40mph on a very well maintained road(lake shore drive,in chicago),loud bang was herd from the back and…
Installed two new bridgestone potenza pole position re 960as in july 2010(purchased from thetire rack),on my 2003 BMW 540i(at bridgestone tire dealer).rear,275r1835.two months later while driving 40mph on a very well maintained road(lake shore drive,in chicago),loud bang was herd from the back and got flat without running over any debris on the road.claimed through the seller(the tirerack),the tire was sent to the manufacturer for inspection(since the cut and the disintegration seemed consistent with material detect) but received a cold shoulder from them citing that the blown tire did not have a defect. The seller refused to honor my warranty(the tire was registered for that). What to do? *Tr
- Steering
The 2003 BMW 540I power steering pump spool valve was found (disassembled and judged by BMW technician) to jam at lower rpm thus causing complete loss of power steering assist, especially in reduced rpm turns off highways. On several occasions I nearly crashed into the median-wall because of it. I…
The 2003 BMW 540I power steering pump spool valve was found (disassembled and judged by BMW technician) to jam at lower rpm thus causing complete loss of power steering assist, especially in reduced rpm turns off highways. On several occasions I nearly crashed into the median-wall because of it. I sent a letter to BMW but all they told me IS that it would be forwarded but that I would never hear back from them again. I consider this a material/part flaw that BMW has to consider as serious and offer some form of repair/replace plan or customer-directed action as it can lead to serious crashes during turning maneuvers! *Tr
- Electrical system · Engine and engine cooling
Intermittent engine shut-down. Engine shuts off while vehicle IS in motion at any speed. "Engine failsafe" warning light comes on. Vehicle must be stopped, key turned off and re-started. This IS a serious safety issue that BMW IS aware of and has issued a related tsb. $2000 plus repair bill for a new "engine wiring harness". BMW should be recalling these vehicles. *Tr
- Latches/locks/linkages
BMW 530I 2003. Driver door will not unlock, either electronically or manually. Door lock actuator failure. No manual override. Forced to crawl over console and exit from another door. *Tr
- Air bags
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 BMW 540. while the contact's daughter was driving approximately 30 mph, she heard a loud noise. the front driver's side door air bag and rear door air bags deployed, injuring her left arm and leg. the vehicle was driven to a BMW dealer. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 68,000.
- Fuel system, other › Storage › Fuel gauge system
Fuel guage failed, indicated half tank gas when tank was empty, and car ran out of gas on freeway. *ak
- Latches/locks/linkages
My 2003 BMW 5 series car was stopped in traffic and rear-ended. the collision pushed the contents of the trunk into the back seat area by breaking the latches that hold the fold-down seats. anyone in the back seat would have been pushed forward by the seat backs, and simultaneously held in place by the seatbelts.*ak
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.
- 10244242Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer complaints.
- 10145306NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
- 10143564NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
- 10135028SERVICE ACTION: PROGRAM DME: The incorrect dataset could be programmed into DME 5.2.1 control module.
- 10051519BMW: the high-voltage (hv) battery cells could be damaged if the vehicle IS prevented from entering sleep mode for an extended period of time. Updated 03/11/2013
- 10051439BMW: intermittently goes into park during a msa engine start. The transmission can intermittently go into the park position (p) when msa engine start IS occurring. A drive gear can be selected in order to drive away, and no relevant faults are stored.
- 10044024BMW: wipers lights and front power windows are inoperative. This situation may start and lead to a permanent fault. Also included model F07 (5 series gran turismo) model years up to march 2012.
- 10043714BMW: steering column switch center contains one or more faults: internal control, steering wheel lock range exceeded, wiper angle defective. Various check control messages appear with airbag warning lamp illuminated.
- 10040853BMW: a grinding noise IS coming from the differential during slow cornering. When turning a slip/stick effect IS created on the lining and steel discs incorporated in the differential clutch causes a grinding noise.
- 10040852BMW: the service engine soon light IS on. There are trouble codes stored for the crankshaft sensor. No driveability issues.
- 10040057BMW: wiring on the headlights may have deteriorated due to environmental conditions and the cover not being secured properly. E60/e92. Updated 9/30/11.
- 10040046BMW: when outside temp IS below freezing the outside doors will not close or are difficult to open. A door cable has moisture intrusion and freezes.
- 10040045BMW: a new technical support process has been created regarding transmission concerns.
- 10037025BMW: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty.
- 10037010BMW: six different models equipped with the M54 engine could have valve covers break in cold weather and ruin the engine. This IS due to moisture accumulation.
- 10036979BMW: a new technical process has been created for BMW to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models.
- 10035246BMW vehicles: replaced seat occupancy sensor mat will not enable. After replacing a cis (capacitive sensing passenger occupancy mat), the new mat will not enable when using ista/p. However, ista/p shows that the acsm (active crash safety module) was coded correctly. The following faults are stored in the acsm control module:9309ed, 9309f4 and 930a23. Adsm coding
- 10035244BMW vehicle: adaptive headlights. A check control (cc) message IS displayed for the adaptive headlights. The headlamps no longer turn with steering wheel movement. Fault code 800fc6 IS entered in the footwell module (FRM3). A second turn signal request IS made at the exact moment when the steering wheel IS automatically cancelling from a previous turn signal request. F07 (5 series), F01, F02, F07 (7 series).
- 10033130BMW vehicles: fuel level sensor repairs. Where it IS necessary to replace the right or the left side fuel level sensor due to a failure, the entire pump and housing or delivery unit (suction jet assembly) do not need to be replaced as well. In some cases, epc does not show that the repair kit IS available separately in the illustration, but it IS available in the parts description. All models. No model years listed.
- 10032987BMW: instrument cluster-failure of displays/functions. Total or partial failure of displays or functions in the instrument cluster. The displays or functions start working again after the vehicle has been parked (sleep mode). Internal error in the processing of incoming messages from the k can bus. There may be various can message errors stored in the fault memory.
- 10032849BMW vehicle: dsc disabling function. Due to revised dme, dsc and ccc software, the mdm (m dynamic mode) button located in the center console switch cluster (szm) now has triple functionality-default state-dsc on; short press-mdm on (green mdm indicator displayed in the cluster); press and hold-dsc off (yellow dsc indicator displayed in the cluster; message appears in the control display). No model years listed.
- 10032825BMW vehicle: sport transmission paddle shifters inoperative-diagnosis. The direct communication input line between the paddle shifters and the egs transmission control module IS interrupted. No model years listed.
- 10032809BMW vehicle: N54 turbocharger waste gate control noises and operation. After turning off engine, a slight rattle noise IS heard from the engine compartment. This noise IS similar to a mechanical typewriter. In addition, the complaints of a slight reduction of power similar to an increased turbo lag. The vacuum supply to the waste gates may be restricted or blocked. No model years listed.
- 10032781BMW vehicle: driveability complaints due to cooling fan relay failure. The customer may complain of intermittent driveability problems, described as-engine IS lacking power when accelerating uphill; transmission will not upshift under heavy acceleration; distinct hesitation when accelerating from 30-45mph. No model years listed.
- 10032780BMW vehicle: service engine soon light illuminated: s85-various vanos related faults stored. (E60 (5series), E63 & E64 (6series). No model years listed.
- 10032779BMW vehicle: the service engine soon (mil) lamp IS illuminated and a power reduction IS clearly perceptible. This situation may occur after driving for some time with the engine already at full operating temperature. If the ignition IS cycled, the engine then usually performs normally. Updated 2/7/11. Updated on 06/09/2011. Updated 8/10/11. Updated 1/11/13.
- 10032650BMW: service engine soon lamp illuminated-fc 23F4 map thermostat. In some vehicles have insufficient heat. E90, E91 (3 series), E60, E61 (5 series) 3/06 and E83 (X3 series) 9/08.
- 10031684BMW: complaints that the engine management system has entered the engine failsafe mode and that the turbocharger boost IS reduced. E82, E88, E90, E92, E93, E60, E61, and E71. All models with nay engines. No model years listed. Updated 09/30/11.
- 10029684BMW: service engine soon lamp or the check gas cap warnings are illuminated while driving. When diagnosed, the dme has stored faults for small leak, micro leak, super fine leak, or large leak in relation to the tank ventilation or evaporative system updated 10/27/09.
- 10029605BMW service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. The airbag warning lamp (awl) IS illuminated, together with the passenger airbag status lamp (pol). The problem may be intermittent. Microcracks in the OC3 seat mat. Updated 9/30/11.
- 10029444BMW: vehicle has a check control message self leveling suspension failed/malfunctioning displayed. At least one of the following fault codes IS stored and IS currently present in the ehc control unit: 5F98 control time fault lifting rear left; 5F99 control time fault lifting rear right; 5F9A control time fault lifting. Model years unknown. Updated 11/17/10.
- 10029257BMW: all instrument dials are inoperative and the illumination of the information display in the instrument cluster IS very bright.
- 10029025BMW: small number of vehicles experience problems ranging from leaking oil filler caps, leaking or broken valve covers, to complete engine failure in extremely cold climate conditions. Moisture accumulating in engine crankcase ventilation valve or hoses can freeze due to low ambient temperatures.
- 10026205BMW: replace the chain tensioning rail bearing bolt that could come loose and cause damage to the engine. Models E60 (5 series), E70 (X5 series), E83 (X3 series), E9X (3 series).
- 10025983BMW: headlamp moisture: fault diagnostics. Water or condensation in one or both headlamps. Models 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, X5, X6, 1 series, and 3 series. Model years 2000-20008.
- 10025584N54 rattle noise from turbocharger area. Models E90, E92 and E93 (3 series) 335I and 335xi; E60 and E61 (5 series) 535I and 535xi, all with N54 engine from the start of production to january 17, 2008 production.
- 10025573N52 edk throttle jamming faults 2D09, 2CED and 2CEC. Model E90 and E91 (3 series) and E60 and E61 (5 series), all models up to 11/2005 with N52 engine.
Every BMW 5 Series model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.