B510819
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
1996 BMW 540I
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
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.
0
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.
0
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 no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 BMW 540I. 10 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.
Safety recalls
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
No owner complaints recorded for this model year
Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
B122917
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
SERVICE ACTION: PROGRAM DME: The incorrect dataset could be programmed into DME 5.2.1 control module.
65 04 98
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
CONDITION WITH DSP AMPLIFIER DRAINS BATTERY.*YC
62 01 98
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS
CONDITION WITH BRAKE PAD WARNING STAYS ILLUMINATED AFTER BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT. *YC
34 01 98
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
EXPERIENCING AN INTERMITTENT MOMENTARY EVENT WHERE THE BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT IMMEDIATLELY RETURN. MODELS BUILT PRIOR TO 3/97 *DB*YC
16 04 97
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
NEW EVAPORATIVE (CHARCOAL) CANISTER PURGE LINE. ALL E38 AND E39 MODELE INTRODUCED INTO PRODUCTION APPROXIMATELY 3/97 *DB*YC
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
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 2021 | 8 | 5 | 1 | — |
| 2020 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 52.2 |
| 2018 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 55.4 |
| 2017 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 44.8 |
| 2003 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 44.3 |
| 2001 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 56.6 |
| 2000 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 51.3 |
| 1999 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 36.1 |
| 1998 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 38.8 |
| 1997 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 38.2 |
| 1996Viewing | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 50.2 |
| 1994 | 8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
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.