Tl* the contact owns a 1997 bmw 528i. The contact stated that he traveled over a road bump at an unknown speed when the vehicle released an abnormal noise. The contact inspected the vehicle and found that one of the struts failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact inquired of the federal safety agency campaign number: 04v183000 (suspension) but he was advised that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall because the recall repairs was a preventative measure and the failure had already occurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000. The VIN was unavailable.
1997 BMW 528I suspension problems
12 complaints (29% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 112,520. 4 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 12
- of this car's complaints
- 29%
- typical mileage
- 112,520
- crashes
- 4
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front: macpherson strut6
- Front3
- Front: springs: air suspension system1
- Front: control arm: lower arm1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
BMW 528I suspension problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 1997 BMW 528I owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 bmw 528i. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a clunking noise and noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle dropped to the ground and the steering wheel began to vibrate badly. He pulled to the side of the road and could not control the vehicle. He crashed into the guardrail and the front and rear passenger side doors were dented inwards. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to his residence and he noticed that the front spring strut plate failed on the passenger side. The dealer stated that he would be responsible for the repair costs because the vehicle was too old. The vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number 04v183000 (suspension:front). The failure mileage was 205,730.
Bmw customer states that strut plate failed in feb 2007 and discovered there had been a recall on this vehicle for exactly this defect**cc
While driving at night on interstate 5, southbound north of los angeles in vicinity of sun valley, my 1997 bmw 528i struck a large (30 gallon) plastic barrel in the roadway, impacting the lower front center/right of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. Damage was extensive enough that the insurance company considers it a total loss (exceeding $12,000). There is a the federal safety agency recall outstanding on the 1997 bmw 5 series (recall number 04v183000) regarding defective front suspension/strut components, but my call to bmw at 800‑831‑1117 did not result in any assistance with regard to my vehicle. They were only able to confirm two other recall services that had been performed. My insurance company is offering me a settlement for total loss, but I would prefer that the car be repaired and that bmw bear their share of the cost for the substantial portion of damage due to the known defect.
A rattling noise can be heard while driving at any speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the front struts needed to be replaced. *ak the front right strut collapsed and caused damage to the tire. *sc
Consumer had already fixed the federal safety agency recall campaign #4v183000. Original invoice was send to the manufacturer in may 2004. And still waiting for the reimbursement. Manufacturer call the consumer and indicated they wont honoring the recall because independent shop repaired the vehicle. Please provide further information.
On july 1, 2004 consumer received a recall letter, prior to having the strut the federal safety agency recall campaign 04v183000 repairs performed. The defect occurred. This resulted in a collision on june 25, 2004 while driving at 35 MPH. Consumer lost control, and the right tire broke. As result, vehicle went into a ditch.
Consumer received recall 04 v 183 000 concerning front spring strut plate. Consumer received this recall notice, and unable to get dealer to honor the recall because the previous owner owned the dealer money.
While driving at 30 MPH, the consumer heard an explosion, sounding like a tire blowout. While examining the flat tire, the consumer discovered that the right front strut broke, piercing the tire. Several months later, the exact same thing happened on the opposite side of the vehicle. *ak *sc
While backing out of a parking a space the flexible ball joint housing came apart. This caused the consumer to lose control of the vehicle, and the steering wheel turned completely around. *ak the flex joint housing bolt went out. The flex joint housing bolts needed to be replaced and the slip ring was damaged to the wheel spring. *scc
Questions about the 1997 BMW 528I suspension
Does the 1997 BMW 528I have suspension problems?
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the suspension of the 1997 BMW 528I, 29% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 1997 BMW 528I suspension problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 112,520 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 BMW 528I suspension?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
Other 1997 BMW 528I problems
Airbags 5Brakes 5Transmission 5Body 3Engine 3Electrical 2Fuel system 2Acceleration 1Lights 1Locks 1Seat belts 1Steering 1Tires 1Visibility 1
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