1995 BMW 540 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 1995 BMW 540, 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
- Engine337.5%
- Brakes112.5%
- Heating & air conditioning112.5%
- Electrical112.5%
- Interior & seats112.5%
- Visibility112.5%
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
ENGINE CYLINDER WALL CORROSION, KNOWN AS NICKEL CELL CORROSION, CAUSED BY FUEL CONTACTING CYLINDER WALL. EVENTUALLY THE CORROSION CREATES A HOLE IN THE CYLINDER WALL, LEAKS AND LOSS OF COMPRESSION. CONTINUES TO GET WORSE OVER TIME. MECHANIC SAYS ITS A KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT, BMW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 6 YEARS AND 100000 MILES BECAUSE OF IT. IS THE MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS DEFECT? HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED? WHEN DID BMW EXTEND THE WARRANTY? WHY WEREN'T EXISTING OWNERS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM? ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TS *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS****760777
THERE'S A HOLE IN CYLINDER, WHICH MAKES VEHICLE HARD TO DRIVE.*AK
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
THERE'S A HOLE IN CYLINDER, WHICH MAKES VEHICLE HARD TO DRIVE.*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
ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. *DH
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
DRIVING THROUGH THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL HEADING INTO MANHATTAN THE BLOWER MOTOR IN MY CAR FAILED. I WAS DRIVING IN THE TUNNEL WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEAT IN MY CAR, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. I TURNED OFF THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY. THE SMOKE BEGAN FILLING THE CABIN, SO I OPENED ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR AND OPENED THE MOONROOF. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND STOPPED AT THE EXIT OF THE TUNNEL IN MANHATTAN. I THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. ONE OF THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL OFFICERS SAW ME GET OUT OF THE CAR AND SEES THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE CAR. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS SURROUNDED IN FLAMES FALLING FROM WHERE THE BLOWER MOTOR IS LOCATED ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE CARPET SURROUNDING THE THESE PEDALS. THE OFFICERS PUT OUT THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THEY ALSO SPRAYED FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL IN THE AREA THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WAS FALLING FROM. THE OFFICERS THEN SEEING THE SMOKE RISING OUT THE AIR VENTS SPRAYED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO AIR VENTS. THE FDNY SHORTLY SHOWED UP AT THE SCENE AND SPRAYED THE ENGINE BAY WITH THE WATER HOSE FROM THE FIRE TRUCK, AND SPRAYED MORE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO THE AIR VENTS, AND THEN DISCONNECTED THE CAR BATTERY. THE BLOWER MOTOR BECAME SO HOT IT IGNITED THE CABIN FILTER AND THE LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES THAT THE CABIN FILTER WAS FILTERING FROM THE FRESH AIR INLET. THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR DID NOT BREAK UNTIL THE AREA THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS IN BECAME SO HOT, THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES LOCATED AROUND THE BLOWER MOTOR. BECAUSE THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES MELTED NOT ONLY DID THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR BREAK, BUT FIVE OTHER FUSES BROKE AS WELL. THERE IS AN INCIDENT REPORT ON FILE WITH THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH ON ITS RAILS AND FEELS LOOSE. SEAT BELT IS ANCHORED TO SEAT. SEEMS LIKE SEAT ASSEMBLY MIGHT COME OFF IN AN ACCIDENT. ALSO VERY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING THROUGH THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL HEADING INTO MANHATTAN THE BLOWER MOTOR IN MY CAR FAILED. I WAS DRIVING IN THE TUNNEL WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEAT IN MY CAR, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. I TURNED OFF THE HEAT IMMEDIATELY. THE SMOKE BEGAN FILLING THE CABIN, SO I OPENED ALL OF THE WINDOWS IN THE CAR AND OPENED THE MOONROOF. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND STOPPED AT THE EXIT OF THE TUNNEL IN MANHATTAN. I THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. ONE OF THE BROOKLYN BATTERY TUNNEL OFFICERS SAW ME GET OUT OF THE CAR AND SEES THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE CAR. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS SURROUNDED IN FLAMES FALLING FROM WHERE THE BLOWER MOTOR IS LOCATED ONTO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE CARPET SURROUNDING THE THESE PEDALS. THE OFFICERS PUT OUT THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THEY ALSO SPRAYED FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL IN THE AREA THE MELTING PLASTIC THAT WAS ON FIRE WAS FALLING FROM. THE OFFICERS THEN SEEING THE SMOKE RISING OUT THE AIR VENTS SPRAYED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO AIR VENTS. THE FDNY SHORTLY SHOWED UP AT THE SCENE AND SPRAYED THE ENGINE BAY WITH THE WATER HOSE FROM THE FIRE TRUCK, AND SPRAYED MORE FIRE EXTINGUISHER MATERIAL INTO THE AIR VENTS, AND THEN DISCONNECTED THE CAR BATTERY. THE BLOWER MOTOR BECAME SO HOT IT IGNITED THE CABIN FILTER AND THE LEAVES AND PINE NEEDLES THAT THE CABIN FILTER WAS FILTERING FROM THE FRESH AIR INLET. THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR DID NOT BREAK UNTIL THE AREA THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS IN BECAME SO HOT, THAT IT MELTED THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES LOCATED AROUND THE BLOWER MOTOR. BECAUSE THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES MELTED NOT ONLY DID THE FUSE FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR BREAK, BUT FIVE OTHER FUSES BROKE AS WELL. THERE IS AN INCIDENT REPORT ON FILE WITH THE TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY. *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 .