2001 BMW 5 SERIES — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
4
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
The 2001 BMW 5 SERIES has received a total of 4 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical System (1 complaint), Exterior Lighting (1 complaint), and Structure (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES, potentially affecting up to 1,199 vehicles.
Recall 19E058000 — STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
| 614 vehicles affected
Defect: ZF Group North America Operations (ZF) is recalling certain Lemförder Steering Center Rods sold as aftermarket parts for 1996-2004 BMW 5-Series (E39) vehicles. The steering center rods may have an insufficient ball pin pull force that may allow the rods to detach from the steering knuckle.
Consequence: If the steering rod detaches from the steerable wheel knuckle, it can cause sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: ZF has notified the parts distributors, instructing them to inform the end customer. ZF will reimburse them for the affected parts. The recall began August 28, 2019.
View full details →Recall 12E029000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
| 585 vehicles affected
Defect: This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the...
Consequence: This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy: Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
4 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
THE HEADLIGHT'S HAVE MANUAL ADJUSTERS ON EACH SIDE, BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS POINT TOWARDS THE GROUND BECAUSE THEY ARE BROKEN, I TRIED TO ADJUST THE BEAM AND BOTH SIDES JUST CLICK. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE AT NIGHT IT LIMITS YOUR VISION AHEAD TO ABOUT 10 TO 20 FEET. I OWN OTHER VEHICLE'S THAT ARE OLDER THAN THIS VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM. I AM A MEMBER OF A FORUM FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL CAR AND MORE THAN HALF, IF NOT EVERY MEMBER HAS ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION FROM MY DEALER WAS TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS FOR A TOTAL OF $1000.00 PLUS. I DON'T THINK A HEADLIGHT SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON A VEHICLE AND THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY IS AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN OF THESE HEADLIGHTS. THE ADJUSTER'S JUST CLICK AND THE HEADLIGHTS ALWAYS POINT TOWARDS THE GROUND, IM PRETTY SURE IT WAS MADE THIS WAS TO INCREASE VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD AND HAZARDS AHEAD BUT IF THE MECHANISM IS BROKEN THEN THE SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT MY VISION AHEAD IS VERY LIMITED, IT PRESENTS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE A BETTER VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU AS OTHER CAR'S HAVE. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BY BMWNA FOR ALL USA OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF HEADLIGHT. *TR
THE HEADLIGHT'S HAVE MANUAL ADJUSTERS ON EACH SIDE, BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS POINT TOWARDS THE GROUND BECAUSE THEY ARE BROKEN, I TRIED TO ADJUST THE BEAM AND BOTH SIDES JUST CLICK. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE AT NIGHT IT LIMITS YOUR VISION AHEAD TO ABOUT 10 TO 20 FEET. I OWN OTHER VEHICLE'S THAT ARE OLDER THAN THIS VEHICLE AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM. I AM A MEMBER OF A FORUM FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL CAR AND MORE THAN HALF, IF NOT EVERY MEMBER HAS ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. THE SOLUTION FROM MY DEALER WAS TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHTS FOR A TOTAL OF $1000.00 PLUS. I DON'T THINK A HEADLIGHT SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ON A VEHICLE AND THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM. THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY IS AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE POOR DESIGN OF THESE HEADLIGHTS. THE ADJUSTER'S JUST CLICK AND THE HEADLIGHTS ALWAYS POINT TOWARDS THE GROUND, IM PRETTY SURE IT WAS MADE THIS WAS TO INCREASE VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD AND HAZARDS AHEAD BUT IF THE MECHANISM IS BROKEN THEN THE SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT MY VISION AHEAD IS VERY LIMITED, IT PRESENTS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE A BETTER VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD OF YOU AS OTHER CAR'S HAVE. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BY BMWNA FOR ALL USA OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF HEADLIGHT. *TR
FAILURE OF THE INFORMATION CLUSTER, MISSING PIXELS)....MILEAGE AND OTHER INFORMATION CAN NOT BE READ.*TR
Safety Rating for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2001 BMW 5 SERIES
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW 5 SERIES
- 1996 BMW 5 SERIES — 0 complaints
- 1997 BMW 5 SERIES — 1 complaint
- 1998 BMW 5 SERIES — 0 complaints
- 1999 BMW 5 SERIES — 2 complaints
- 2000 BMW 5 SERIES — 3 complaints
- 2001 BMW 5 SERIES (current)
- 2002 BMW 5 SERIES — 10 complaints
- 2003 BMW 5 SERIES — 19 complaints
- 2004 BMW 5 SERIES — 89 complaints
- 2005 BMW 5 SERIES — 26 complaints
- 2006 BMW 5 SERIES — 125 complaints