2001 BMW 530IA 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 2001 BMW 530IA, 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
- Engine436.4%
- Airbags218.2%
- Electrical218.2%
- Heating & air conditioning19.1%
- Powertrain (other)19.1%
- 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.
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
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT WALMART. LESS THEN 5 MINUTES AFTER WALKING INTO THE STORE THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE.
NO NOTIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURER. FROM READING THE AUTOMOTIVE PRESS I SUSPECTED THAT THERE MAY BE A FAN PROBLEM. UPON TAKING MY WIFE'S BMW TO THE NEILLO BMW IN SACRAMENTO I ASKED THEM TO CHECK. THE CAR WAS DEEMED INOPERABLE, THE FAN WOULD NOT RUN, BUT WAS DRAWING CURRENT CONSTENTLY. THERE SHOULD BE A MANDITORY GOVERNMENT RECALL DECLARED ON THIS VEHICLE. BUT FOR MY INTEREST IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY THIS CONDITION WOULD LIKELY HAVE CAUSED SEVERE INJURY TO PROPERTY AND POSSIBLY INJURY TO MY FAMILY.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 530IA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,000.
ON OCTOBER 31, 2003 AT 9:30PM, AIRBAGS(FRONT, HEAD - DRIVER SIDE/FRONT, SIDE, HEAD - PASSENGER SIDE) DEPLOYED AS DRIVER WAS STARTING THE ENGINE OF A PARKED CAR. THE IMPACT SHATTERED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DRIVER RECEIVED A CONCUSSION. DRIVER IS CURRENTLY SUFFERING FROM HEADACHES, RINGING IN THE EAR, SLEEP-DISORDER, SORE/STIFFNESS. *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
I PARKED MY CAR AND FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD ALMOST CAUGHT FIRE, MELTING THE CARPET AND PLASTIC INTERIOR, GLOVEBOX AND MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND WIRING HARNESS. THE AIRBAGS HAD DEPLOYED AND THERE WAS BLACK SOOT COVERING THE INTERIOR. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS WATER ACCUMULATED BENEATH THE PASSENGER FOOTWELL, WHERE THERE IS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL FUSE PANEL. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN FRONT OF MY HOME AND I'VE HAD TO FIND A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE WIRING HARNESS AND MODULES. ALSO THE SMOKE DAMAGE WOULD PREVENT ME FROM WANTING TO DRIVE THE CAR. IT HAD BEEN RAINING REGULARLY FOR THE PREVIOUS MONTHS DURING WINTER AND I BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT WATER WAS BEING DIVERTED TO THIS AREA WHERE THE MAIN ELECTRICAL FUSES WERE LOCATED. THERE DO NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY PROVISIONS TO KEEP WATER FROM ACCUMULATING OR TO PROTECT THE FUSES FROM WATER INTRUSION. THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE CAR WAS PARKED WAS WITH THE FRONT POINTED UP AT AN INCLINE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES. THIS OCCURRED ON A CITY STREET. THE CAR IS IRREPARABLE AND MUST BE DISPOSED OF.
CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
ON DECEMBER 19, 2004 I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 BMW 530I WITH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER IN THE ON POSITION. I PARKED THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, AND WAS EXITING ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE BACK SUPPORT PORTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAD CAUGHT ON E AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER INTERIOR. IT ALSO SINGED MY WINTER COAT THAT I WAS WEARING AT THE TIME. I PUT OUT THE FIRE AND REALIZED THAT THE SEAT HEATER ELEMENT HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. TO DATE, I'VE BEEN WORKING TO HAVE THE SEAT REPLACED THROUGH BMW AND ITS DEALERSHIP HERB CHAMBERS BMW OF BOSTON, BUT THEY HAVE DELAYED THE REPLACEMENT, EVENTHOUGH THEY HAVE AGREED TO REPLACE THE SAME. NO REASON WAS PROVIDED FOR THE DELAYS.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
2001 BMW 530IA REVERSE?!?! THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED AND ALWAYS SERVICED AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ON BOARD COMPUTER AND OWNERS MANUAL. REVERSE FOR NO REASON STOPPED WORKING AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME!!! IT HAS ENOUGH POWER TO ROLL VERY SLOWLY IF YOU REV THE MOTOR OUT OF A FLAT PARKING SPOT BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY POWER TO BACK UP ANY INCLINE AT ALL. I HAVE NEVER ABUSED THE CAR OR HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT HAS A SEALED TRANSMISSION AND YOU CAN'T CHECK OR ADD FLUID. I GOT STUCK AGAINST A CURB WHILE TRYING TO PERFORM A U-TURN BLOCKING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO REMOVE MY CAR A FEW FEET BACK. I THOUGHT THAT I DID SOMETHING WRONG BUT AFTER RESEARCHING I SEE THAT TONS OF PEOPLE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS SAME DEFECT!! WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RECALLED? IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR COSTING THOUSANDS FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WORKED AT A BMW DEALERSHIP IN SALES AND THE SERVICE PROVIDER I SPOKE TO SAID IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BMW THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR
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
CAR FAILED TO OPERATE IN REVERSE WHEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. *TR
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 .