2000 BMW 540I Electrical Problems

WIRING HARNESS IN LOOM AT CONNECTION BETWEEN BODY AND TRUNK LID IS SHOWING CRACKED WIRES WHICH CAN LEAD TO A VARIETY OF SYMPTOMS WHEN WIRES SHORT. TRUNK WILL ONLY OPEN MANUALLY WITH KEY. KEY FOB REMOTE AND INSIDE VEHICLE TRUNK RELEASE DO NOT WORK. TRUNK CANNOT BE OPENED WHEN DOORS ARE UNLOCKED USING TRUNK HANDLE. OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE MANY FALSE DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATORS RANGING FROM LOW COOLANT, TRUNK LID NOT CLOSED, ETC. WIRING SHORT COULD BE FIRE HAZARD. MANY EXAMPLE CASES CAN BE FOUND HERE HTTP://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=397245. *TR

NHTSA ID

10488935

Incident

Nov 15, 2012

Mileage

104,000 mi

LIKE 80% OF OWNERS OF BMW 540I, 740I, 740IL, X5 OWNERS FROM YEARS 1999-2003 SUFFER FROM FACTORY DEFECT VARIABLE VALVE TIMING UNITS OR AS BMW CALLS IT VANOS. THE PARTS ON THE INSIDE CAUSE TERRIBLE DIESEL TYPE NOISES. I'VE TALKED TO MANY CERTIFIED MECHANICS WHO HAVE TOLD ME IF AFFECTS HOW THE ENGINE RUNS AND PERFORMS. *TT

NHTSA ID

10432977

Incident

Oct 27, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

ENGINE FIRE: ELECTRONIC THERMOSTAT WIRES OVERHEATED AND CAUSED WIRES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS TO BURN. SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN DEGRADED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10362407

Incident

Oct 8, 2010

Mileage

109,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 540I. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE TRACTION DID NOT HOLD OR CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE ALSO FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN THE ABS FAILED. THE BMW MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

NHTSA ID

10318153

Incident

Feb 8, 2010

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 540I. SHE STATED THAT THE BATTERY CONTINUED TO FAIL ON THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED SEVERAL UNDISCLOSED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NINE TIMES TO CORRECT THE FAULTY BATTERY ISSUE, TO NO AVAIL. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE THE FRONTAL DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHICH CAUSED ALL OF THE WINDOWS TO SHATTER. NO ONE WAS IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE SINCE THE BATTERY WAS PURCHASED FROM A THIRD PARTY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 36,206.

NHTSA ID

10302396

Incident

Oct 10, 2000

Mileage

36,206 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 540I. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IN THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND CALLED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THE INSURANCE COMPANY REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY DAMAGE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO FLAMES. AN ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED BY BMW. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 149,900. UPDATED 12/11/08. *LJ UPDATED 12/11/08

NHTSA ID

10246860

Incident

Jan 10, 2008

Mileage

140,000 mi

I HAVE A 2000 BMW 540I (E39). MY CAR WAS IN A PRISTINE CONDITION, AND ALL OF SUDDEN, THE "ENGINE FAILSAFE PROG" MESSAGE CAME UP, AND THE CAR SHUTDOWN. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP, AND I WAS TOLD THE THERMOSTAT WAS BURNED BADLY, CAUSING THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND DME BURNED AS WELL. I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN FOR THOSE THAT OWN THIS VEHICLE. I WAS QUOTED $3500 TO FIX THIS ISSUE, AND CURRENTLY IT'S BEING REPAIRED AT BMW SEATTLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223331

Incident

Mar 28, 2008

Mileage

103,300 mi

I WAS MOVING MY CAR IN ORDER TO PARK IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE CAR STARTED THEN COMPLETE FAILURE. THE CAR CUT OFF, NO POWER BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING. I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKES VERY HARD TO GET STOPPAGE. THE THERMOSTAT SHORTED OUT AND BURNED OUT THE MAIN COMPUTER. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE MAIN COMPUTER WAS REPLACED, THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BURNED OUT AND SEVERAL OTHER ELECTRONIC PARTS WERE REPLACED. THE ALUMINUM THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS MELTED AND WAS REPLACED! TOTAL OF OVER $5,000 WAS REQUIRED TO FIX. IF A FUSE HAD BEEN THERE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS AND IF THIS HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD AS SPEED IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10209879

Incident

Dec 23, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi