Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
7
Latest Aug 25, 2012
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Aug 10, 2001
What this page shows
Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 BMW 530. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–7 of 7
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Aug 25, 2012
Fire reported
CAR HAD EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE OVERHEATING. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENTS THE OVERHEATING WAS A MYSTERY, UNTIL AFTER INCIDENT WAS THAT IT WAS LEARNED THAT THESE VEHICLES DISPLAY PROBLEMS WITH AUXILIARY FAN WHICH CAUSES ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND DEVELOP IRREPARABLE DAMAGES. AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DEVELOP IN ENGINE BAY WHICH DESTROY ALL WIRING, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION. ALSO, THE BLOCK (WHICH IS ALLOY OR WEAK ALUMINUM) WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIRED. HEADS WERE REPLACED AND IT WAS HEN THAT I LEARNED BLOCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. AS A RESULT, ENTIRE ENGINE WAS SWAPPED, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED. I CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA VIA EMAIL AND TELEPHONE TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLS REGARDING THIS MATTER. THERE ARE RECALLS ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FACTORY DEFECTS, BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. I ALREADY SPENT AROUND $8,000.00 IN REPAIRS BECAUSE BMW CLAIM MY VEHICLES IS NOT COVERED. WHY IS IT NOT COVERED WHEN IT IS PRESENTING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE CARS COVERED BY RECALL. ALSO, BECAUSE OF BMW NEGLECT IN INCLUDING MY VEHICLES, I ALREADY SPENT THOUSAND OF DOLLARS AND THE LIVES OF HUMANS BEING WERE PUT IN JEOPARDY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AUXILIARY FAN IN Y 5 SERIES IS STILL NOT WORKING AND IT COST BETWEEN 3-5 HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDING LABOR. WHY DO I HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY WHEN BMW SHOULD HAVE BUILT AN EXCELLENT QUALITY CAR FOR THE MONEY THAT THIS VEHICLE COST. THE ENGINE BLOCK MATERIAL IS OF BAD QUALITY AND ITS ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OF EXTREMELY BAD QUALITY AND BMW DOES NOT WANT TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT ND STILL CLAIM TO BE, "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" A CHEAP CELICA OR COROLLA IS OF BETTER QUALITY FOR FAR LESS MONEY. *TR
NHTSA ID
10472443
Incident
Jun 1, 2011
Mileage
124,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Dec 20, 2011
THE ABS ELECTRONIC MODULE FAILS. IN THIS CASE IT LASTED A LONG TIME BUT WHEN IT FAILS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) AND DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC) WON'T FUNCTION. BASED ON WEB FORUMS THIS PART SEEMS TO HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE (AND NOT JUST IN BMW'S) BUT IF WE DON'T REPORT THE PROBLEM HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT WILL NEVER KNOW. *TR
NHTSA ID
10440640
Incident
Nov 30, 2011
Mileage
118,000 mi
Body & structureHeating & air conditioningExterior lighting
Filed Oct 29, 2002
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WOULD FALL AND SCRAPE THE FREEWAY, PAVEMENT, OR ROAD. ON ONE INCIDENT, WHEN THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD FELL, THE BUMBER HAD LOST A SCREW THAT MADE THE BUMPER HANG DOWN ABOUT 4 INCHES. *SCC
NHTSA ID
567825
Incident
Nov 7, 2001
Electrical
Filed Aug 19, 2002
VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO LOSS OF POWER, CRUISE CONTROL AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE, AND OTHER SWITCHES WILL GO OUT ON THEIR OWN. DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO ACTUALLY CORRECT THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
8016663
Engine
Filed Apr 22, 2002
CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND HAD THE RECALL FOR THE AUXILLARY FAN WORKED ON. THE FAN IS EXTREMEMLY NOISY AND WHINES OVER THE SOUND OF THE RADIO. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT FAN WAS LOUDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THERE WAS A SENSOR OR SOME OTHER ITEM STICKING UP IN THE VENT DUCTS.(2001 BMW 530I) *JG
NHTSA ID
565307
Airbags
Filed Nov 20, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
754750
Incident
Nov 19, 2001
Engine
Filed Aug 10, 2001
Fire reported1 injury reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. SHE PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE WAS PUT OUT, CAME FROM COOLING FAN AREA. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN, CONSUMER SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
894044
Incident
Aug 9, 2001
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.