Tl* the contact owned a 2002 bmw 540i. While the contact's vehicle was at a stop sign, it was rear ended by another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000. *bf
The worst 2002 BMW 540I problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical5
- Steering5
- Airbags2
- Engine2
- Fuel system1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical5
- Steering5
- Airbags2
- Engine2
- Fuel system1
- Lights1
Recalls 2
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000-2003 525i Sedan, 530i Sedan, 540i Sedan, 2001-2003 525i Sports Wagon and 540i Sports Wagon vehicles, and 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles. This recall affects certain vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel. The sports steering wheel has a frontal air bag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
- Risk
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417.
Recall number 19V015000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- What is wrong
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1‑800‑525‑7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V‑348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.
Recall number 15V318000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2002 BMW 540I 13
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- Engine will crank but not start
- Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle
- Takata air bag recall-related short-term alternate transportation and consequential repairs
- Takata class action settlement. customer support program. front driver side airbag modules.
- Radio / Navigation / Head Unit Identification Guide
- For the above-referenced vehicles with driver?s side airbag modules, BMW of North America, LLC (?BMW NA?)...
- In an effort to improve the completion rate on Takata air bag recall affected vehicles; BMW NA has...
- Program dme
- Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty. rm
2002 BMW 540I fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14-16 | 19-22 | 16-18 |
What 2002 BMW 540I owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 bmw 540i. The contact stated that it took ten attempts to start the vehicle. The failure occurred at least thirty times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 166,000.
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 bmw 540i. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v318000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. ...updated 09/14/16 *bf updated 10/18/16.
The plastic covers on the headlights of my bmw became crazed/frosted. Every bmw of this vintage has the same problem. I showed this to occur in 2010 at 100,000 miles, but in fact it was a steady degradation over several years. It's a safety issue, because the light output is significantly reduced. Causing risk at normal highway speeds. In addition, the crazing/frosting results in additional glare to oncoming traffic. I asked about recalls/replacement program for this defect at my local bmw dealer; the service technician dismissed it as a normal aging issue. I strongly disagree. A car of this price, or any price, should have headlights that last longer than a few years. I replace the headlamp covers if they were available, but the only solution is to replace the entire headlamp assembly at a cost of $1238 for each side. Yes, $1238. This was a quite expensive auto, but regardless of cost, this safety issue should result in a recall....updated 07/30/15 *bf the dealer informed the consumer it was a normal aging issue. The consumer stated the light output was significantly reduced. Updated 09/01/15.
Power steering pump mounting brackets broke off ( on a power steering pump itself), car thus lost power steering, belt got off, in a turn it would have been a disaster , somehow I was able to steer it clear in a turn. I guess I was lucky.
I was driving and my serpentine belt fell off. After inspection the bracket for my power steering pump broke and caused the belt to fall off. Lost power steering while driving.
After starting up my car, there was a slight whine under the hood. I gave the car a little bit of throttle to see if the whine went away and heard a loud bang. The car was still running but my battery light was on. I needed to get home, and I thought that my car may not start again if I turned it off so I drove home. Immediately I noticed that I didn't have any power steering. As I drove my engine temperature got higher and I barely made it home without overheating. A few days later I looked in the engine compartment and saw that the power steering pump had broken free of the engine - the bracket had sheared off. That in turn caused the belt to fall off which was turning the water pump and alternator. I got on the computer and looked up the problem and found a lot of people experiencing the same problem, some driving during the incident. This is a real defective design and causes me to be concerned about the safety. I hope nothing tragic has to happen to someone for this to be considered a recall.
I was driving in stop and go traffic when I noticed the steering felt a little stiffer than usual. After about 5 miles and better flowing traffic I pulled into a restaurant for dinner when my upper radiator hose exploded. I pulled into a stall and opened the hood to inspect what happened. The hose was very apparent and after further investigation I noticed the power steering pumps pulley at a very sharp angle compared to linear with the serpentine belt. I can only assume that from the bracket on the pump breaking, it caused a chain reaction of events. First the bracket brocket putting the pump at a steep angle n forcing the belt to go off track which then caused all the other accessories to be disabled including the water pump which overheated the car.
Multiple instances of no start. Every time the car was towed to a bmw specialist who over and over again diagnosed completely drained battery, but charging system was ok. I have just found out that bmw has been recalling 2003-2010 models with the exact same defect.
1. Events leading up to failure: I drove the car 5min and parked for 30 minute lunch. When I started the car, the power steering failed immediately and I couldn't turn the wheel. 2. The failure, frequency, consequences: power steering pump mounting brackets fractured near the bolts that retain the part to the chassis. The pump swung loose, allowing the belt to jump. The tensioner pulleys were damaged. My mechanic is unaware of other incidences, though I found documented reports of the same failure with photos at this site: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=323318 fortunately, this steering failure happened at no speed. If I had been driving, the failure could cause loss of steering, which would be especially dangerous before a turn on a mountain road. I commute in the mountains daily. 3. What was done to correct the failure labor service - original checkout 73.00 belts came off pulleys: belts came off pulleys: the power steering pump broke loose from its mounting tabs. The power steering supply and return hoses are leaking, the fan belts are damaged ,and the fan belt tensioner pulleys are noisy. Recommend to replace these items. See quote below. Labor service - power steering pump 1,093.00 labor service - power steering supply and return hoses and fluid flush 534.00 labor service - fan belts 280.00 labor service - tensioner pulleys 618.00.
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Questions about the 2002 BMW 540I
Is the 2002 BMW 540I reliable?
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2002 BMW 540I, close to a typical 540I model year.
What is the 2002 BMW 540I year score?
The 2002 BMW 540I scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the BMW 540I: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 BMW 540I?
Electrical system, with 5 complaints, typically around 105,000 miles. Next is steering (5).
How many recalls does the 2002 BMW 540I have?
2 recalls, covering air bags.
What gas mileage does the 2002 BMW 540I get?
Official estimates for the 2002 BMW 540I range from 16 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.4L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14-16 city and 19-22 highway.
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