RoadVitals

1994 BMW 530I

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
9
Latest May 15, 2009
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Aug 4, 1998
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 9 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 BMW 530I, most frequently naming the engine, electrical and interior & seats categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine545.5%
  • Electrical218.2%
  • Interior & seats218.2%
  • Driver assistance19.1%
  • Transmission19.1%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
98V178000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Aug 4, 1998
340,000 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
The risk: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov
97V131000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Aug 19, 1997
410,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
The risk: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov
96V111000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

Jul 1, 1996
180,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
The risk: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 9
Engine
Filed May 15, 2009

1994 BMW 530I ENGINE'S FAN CLUTCH SEIZED CAUSING THE FAN TO SHATTER VIOLENTLY. *NJ THE FAILURE OF THE FAN CLUTCH CAUSED EXTENSIVE AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE TO MANY COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE BAY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10269249
Incident
Mar 28, 2009
Electrical
Filed Aug 16, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT BOUGHT A BMW. SHE COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ON 4-26-05 SHE GOT INTO THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR AND IT STARTED SMOKING. SHE COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR. SOMEONE GOT IT STARTED. WHEN SHE ARRIVED HOME SHE TURNED IT OFF. WHEN SHE TURNED IT BACK ON VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AGAIN. SHE CALLED THE DEALER, AND HE PROMISED FIX I, BUT IT NEVER WAS FIXED. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO BMW. IT TOOK BMW 4 WEEKS TO CHECK THE CAR. SHE WAS TOLD BY BMW THE CAR WAS ONLY WORTH $1,500 AND THERE WAS $8,000 IN MINOR DAMAGES , AND OVER $10,000 IN MAJOR DAMAGES. SHE EVENTUALLY HAD TO GIVE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER. SHE CLAIMED THE DEALER WAS TRYING TO SELL THE CAR TO SOMEONE ELSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10133043
Incident
Aug 16, 2005
Mileage
12,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 12, 2001

ENGINE BLOCK FAILS ON ALL M60 BMW V8'S FROM 1993-1995 CONTACT ME FOR DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
742309
Incident
Jan 1, 1994
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 19, 2000

SEAT ROCKS ON RAILS NOTICEABLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
718962
Incident
Sep 21, 1998
Engine
Filed Feb 2, 2000

WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. ALSO, THERMOSTAT WAS CAUSING THE RADIATOR TO OVERHEAT. ALSO NEEDED A RADIATOR CAP. *AK

NHTSA ID
856080
Incident
Jun 30, 1999
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jan 10, 2000

BMW WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WHERE SULPHER FROM US FUELS WAS CAUSING THE CYLINDER WALLS OF THE M60 V8 MOTOR TO DETERIORATE. APPARENTLY THEY USED A NEW METAL CALLED NIKASIL (ALUMINUM IMPREGNATED WITH NICKEL AND SILICONE). ONCE THE CYLINDER WALLS BECOME DAMAGED, THE PISTON RINGS CAN NO LONGER SEAL PROPERLY, CAUSING "LEAKDOWN" OR AIR TO ESCAPE PAST THE PISTON AS IT ATTEMPTS TO COMPRESS AIR INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. ALTHOUGH BMW KNEW OF THE DEFECT, THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED. THROUGH REASEARCH, AND TALKS WITH BMW MECHANICS, I FOUND THAT BMW HAS REPLACED THOUSANDS OF THE EFFECTED MOTORS. BMW EVEN EXTENDED THE WARRANTY PERIOD ON THE ENGINE TO 100K MILES. I OWN A BMW 530I WITH THE 3.0 LITRE M60 NIKASIL MOTOR. IT BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS AT AROUND 96K MILES. I NOW HAVE 109K MILES. THE CAR RAN FINE, BUT HAD A ROUGH IDLE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A SYPTOM OF THE "LEAKDOWN" PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO GIRARD BMW TO HAVE IT TESTED. THEY CONFIRMED THE ENGINE HAD THE PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE BLOCK. HOWEVER, WHEN I GOT MY CAR BACK, IT RAN VERY POORLY. BEFORE LEAVING THE DEALER, I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS RUNNING WORST THEN WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THEM. THEY INDICATED IT WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK PROBLEM. I INFORMED THEM I WAS CONCERNED TAKING THE CAR FOR FEAR I WOULD GET STUCK SOMEWHERE. THEY ASSURED ME I WOULD NOT. TWO DAYS LATER, MY CAR WOULD NOT START. GIRARD HAD A TOW TRUCK PICK UP MY CAR. I HAVE RECEIPTS FROM A LOCAL GARAGE SHOWING THAT THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM WHILE IT WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE TIME, I WAS UNAWARE THAT BMW HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY, OR THAT THERE WAS ANY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR, AS I RECEIVED NOTHING FROM BMW INDICATING SUCH. I DID RECEIVE OTHER RECALL INFORMATION ON THE CAR HOWEVER NOTHING REGARDING POTENTIAL ENGINE PROBLEMS. MY CAR IS NOW BARELY OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD (9K MILES) AND BMW WILL NOT FIX IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
717162
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Electrical
Filed Mar 31, 1999

WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL, THE FUSE WOULD BLOW. NO INTERIOR LIGHTING OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS, IF RAINING. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WOULD BE OUT. TAKEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING WRONG THE FIRST 2 TIMES. FINALLY, THE 3RD TIME, THE PROBLEM (ELECTRICAL) WAS FOUND & REPAIRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
836336
Incident
Aug 9, 1998
EngineTransmission
Filed Oct 16, 1997

ENGINE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
604560

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

SIB662419

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. Note: Opening, closing and starting via the BMW Digital Key or the Digital Key Card are not affected.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 530I by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025140—
2024136063.9
2023220—
2022840—
2021178058.4
2020950—
2019151057.7
2018252044.2
2017181156.6
2016001—
2015001—
2014001—
2013000—
2012000—
2011010—
2010010—
2009010—
2008010—
2007732049.7
2006843048.8
2005580241.7
20041290148.0
2003462050.2
2002294055.5
2001254052.5
2000010—
1995520—
1994Viewing930—
1993010—
1992010—
1991010—
1990010—
1989010—
1978010—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.