1994 BMW 540I — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
12
Owner Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1994 BMW 540I
The 1994 BMW 540I has received a total of 12 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. The most commonly reported problems involve the Power Trainautomatic Transmission (4 complaints), Engine And Engine Coolingengine (2 complaints), and Engine And Engine Cooling (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 1994 BMW 540I
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 1994 BMW 540I, potentially affecting up to 931,400 vehicles.
Recall 98V178000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
| 340,000 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD...
Consequence: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
View full details →Recall 97V131000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 410,000 vehicles affected
Defect: THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL...
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
View full details →Recall 96V111000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
| 180,000 vehicles affected
Defect: THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
View full details →Recall 94V017000 — VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
| 1,400 vehicles affected
Defect: THE REMOTE ACTIVATION DEVICE CAN CLOSE WINDOWS AND SUNROOF FROM A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE MAXIMUM (6 METERS) PERMITTED BY FMVSS NO.118, "POWER OPERATED WINDOW SYSTEMS."
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THIS COULD ALLOW WINDOWS OR SUNROOFS TO BE CLOSED ON AN ARM OR NECK OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHEN THE REMOTE DEVICE OPERATOR IS NOT WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY.
Remedy: REPLACE THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHICH HAS THE ACTIVATION RECEIVER WITH ONE WHOSE RECEIVER WILL CONTROL THE DOOR LOCKING AND THEFT ALARM, BUT WILL NOT PERMIT REMOTE OPERATION OF THE WINDOWS AND SUNROOF.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1994 BMW 540I
12 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1994 BMW 540I. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Trainautomatic Transmission | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingengine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seatsfront Assemblypower Adjust | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seatsfront Assemblyrecliner | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HESITATION BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN. HESITATION TIME IS INCREASING. ALSO, WHEN STEPPING ON PEDAL FOR AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION OR PASSING, VEHICLE HESITATES, THEN "CLUNKS" VIOLENTLY INTO GEAR. MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY SEE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION(PARTS COST $5000.00).NOTHING DONE YET TO REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO INCREDIBLE COST. ALSO, SHIFT LEVER SAFETY BUTTON NO LONGER WORKS, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO BE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVING GEAR INTO OTHER GEARS. MECHANIC STATED THAT INTERNAL PIN BROKE AND THE WHOLE SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A PARTS COST OF $300.00. OTHER PROBLEMS: ; POWER SEAT CONTROLS FAIL CONTINUOUSLY, DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS NOT WORKING, ... *NM
WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HESITATION BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN. HESITATION TIME IS INCREASING. ALSO, WHEN STEPPING ON PEDAL FOR AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION OR PASSING, VEHICLE HESITATES, THEN "CLUNKS" VIOLENTLY INTO GEAR. MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY SEE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION(PARTS COST $5000.00).NOTHING DONE YET TO REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO INCREDIBLE COST. ALSO, SHIFT LEVER SAFETY BUTTON NO LONGER WORKS, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO BE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVING GEAR INTO OTHER GEARS. MECHANIC STATED THAT INTERNAL PIN BROKE AND THE WHOLE SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A PARTS COST OF $300.00. OTHER PROBLEMS: ; POWER SEAT CONTROLS FAIL CONTINUOUSLY, DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS NOT WORKING, ... *NM
WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HESITATION BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN. HESITATION TIME IS INCREASING. ALSO, WHEN STEPPING ON PEDAL FOR AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION OR PASSING, VEHICLE HESITATES, THEN "CLUNKS" VIOLENTLY INTO GEAR. MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY SEE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION(PARTS COST $5000.00).NOTHING DONE YET TO REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO INCREDIBLE COST. ALSO, SHIFT LEVER SAFETY BUTTON NO LONGER WORKS, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO BE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVING GEAR INTO OTHER GEARS. MECHANIC STATED THAT INTERNAL PIN BROKE AND THE WHOLE SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A PARTS COST OF $300.00. OTHER PROBLEMS: ; POWER SEAT CONTROLS FAIL CONTINUOUSLY, DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS NOT WORKING, ... *NM
WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THERE IS A HESITATION BEFORE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS IN. HESITATION TIME IS INCREASING. ALSO, WHEN STEPPING ON PEDAL FOR AGGRESSIVE ACCELERATION OR PASSING, VEHICLE HESITATES, THEN "CLUNKS" VIOLENTLY INTO GEAR. MECHANICS HAVE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY SEE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND TRANSMISSION. SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE WITH A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION(PARTS COST $5000.00).NOTHING DONE YET TO REMEDY PROBLEM DUE TO INCREDIBLE COST. ALSO, SHIFT LEVER SAFETY BUTTON NO LONGER WORKS, ALLOWING VEHICLE TO BE ACCIDENTALLY SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVING GEAR INTO OTHER GEARS. MECHANIC STATED THAT INTERNAL PIN BROKE AND THE WHOLE SHIFT LEVER HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A PARTS COST OF $300.00. OTHER PROBLEMS: ; POWER SEAT CONTROLS FAIL CONTINUOUSLY, DASH DISPLAY LIGHTS NOT WORKING, ... *NM
I BOUGHT A BMW 540I IN 1996 USED AT 45,000 MILES FROM A DEALERSHIP. WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE DELAYED TEMPORARILY BEFORE ENGAGING. NOW I WAS NOT INFORM THE OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND DUE TO POOR TRANSMISSION FLUID, NOW AT 90,000 MILES THIS CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE , SHIFTER WOULD SLIDE, AND CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. NOW THERE IS A IDENTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH AN OTHER CONSUMER CASE# 889281 WITH THE NHTSA. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR OTHER RECALLS NOW I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THEY FAILED TO DO THERE PART AND IN MAKING SURE THAT THE TRANSMISSON PROBLEM FLUID OR OTHER TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WAS TO BE TAKEN CAR OF BY THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE IT BECAME AN ISSUE. *AK
Safety Rating for the 1994 BMW 540I
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1994 BMW 540I in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1994 BMW 540I
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1994 BMW 540I
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW 540I
- 1989 BMW 540I — 0 complaints
- 1990 BMW 540I — 0 complaints
- 1991 BMW 540I — 0 complaints
- 1992 BMW 540I — 0 complaints
- 1993 BMW 540I — 0 complaints
- 1994 BMW 540I (current)
- 1995 BMW 540I — 15 complaints
- 1997 BMW 540I — 31 complaints
- 1998 BMW 540I — 28 complaints
- 1999 BMW 540I — 29 complaints