2002 BMW 530 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2002 BMW 530, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine233.3%
- Body & structure116.7%
- Brakes116.7%
- Electrical116.7%
- Transmission116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPONTANEOUS FIRE THAT BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE-THRU LINE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, BUT WAS STOPPED AT THE "PAY" WINDOW. BEGAN SMELLING BURNING ODOR AND THEN NOTICED LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM GAP BETWEEN HOOD AND FRONT QUARTER PANELS. WHILE AWAITING FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVAL, FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND REACHED A HEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET ABOVE THE HOOD. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE. LAST REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE WAS 6 MONTHS PRIOR THAT CONSISTED OF BODY REPAIR DONE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
CERTAIN BMW ENGINES HAVE AN OIL SEPARATOR VALVE. IT IS PART OF THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM, AND IT IS INTENDED TO ELIMINATE MOISTURE FROM THE OIL. SEVERAL BMW OWNERS ARE NOW REPORTING THAT THIS VALVE CAN FREEZE IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES. WHEN IT FREEZES, EXCESS PRESSURE DEVELOPS IN THE CRANKCASE. VALVE COVER GASKETS OFTEN BLOW OUT, AND OIL OFTEN PUMPED INTO THE INTAKE CREATING HEAVY AMOUNTS OF OIL SMOKE. IN MY CASE THE ENGINE STALLED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE DISABLED VEHICLE CREATED AN OBVIOUS TRAFFIC HAZARD, AS WELL S A SECONDARY RISK OF EXPOSURE TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES. BMW HAS ISSUED AN INTERNAL TECHNICAL NOTE TO ITS DEALERS, AND HAS DEVELOPED A RETROFIT KIT TO REMEDY THE DEFECT. COST FOR DEALER REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $1,800. BMW IS NOT OFFERING TO REIMBURSE OWNERS FOR REPAIRS INCURRED OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPONTANEOUS FIRE THAT BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE-THRU LINE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, BUT WAS STOPPED AT THE "PAY" WINDOW. BEGAN SMELLING BURNING ODOR AND THEN NOTICED LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM GAP BETWEEN HOOD AND FRONT QUARTER PANELS. WHILE AWAITING FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVAL, FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND REACHED A HEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET ABOVE THE HOOD. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE. LAST REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE WAS 6 MONTHS PRIOR THAT CONSISTED OF BODY REPAIR DONE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES APPLY TOO QUICKLY, STOPS SUDDENLY. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
SPONTANEOUS FIRE THAT BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE-THRU LINE AT A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, BUT WAS STOPPED AT THE "PAY" WINDOW. BEGAN SMELLING BURNING ODOR AND THEN NOTICED LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM GAP BETWEEN HOOD AND FRONT QUARTER PANELS. WHILE AWAITING FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVAL, FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND REACHED A HEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET ABOVE THE HOOD. VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY AND SHOWED NO SIGNS OF MALFUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE. LAST REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE WAS 6 MONTHS PRIOR THAT CONSISTED OF BODY REPAIR DONE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
KEY WAS IN ACCESSORY POSITION, SON WAS IN PASSENGER SEAT AND ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEAR SHIFT BUTTON AND TOOK THE CAR OUT OF GEAR, WHILE REACHING TO CHANGE RADIO. CAR ROLLED INTO EMBANKMENT. IF THE KEY IS IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION (MOTOR NOT RUNNING) THE CAR CAN BE PLACED INTO GEAR WITHOUT PLACING THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .