1999 BMW 540I Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V004000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,076.

MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR MOVE. I HAD THE TRANS REBUILD AND 2 YEARS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM. THE TRANS HAS LOST GEARS 1-3 AND REVERSE, MULTISTATE REPAIRED THE TRANS AGAIN 2013, IFOR THE SECOND TIME, IT NEVER WORKED AFTER REPAIRS. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, BMW SAYS I NEED NEW TRANS AND ENGINE. WHEN I LOOKED UP RECALLS FOR 540I, IT STATES THE SAME TRANS PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. WHEN I LOOK UP ENGINE THERE ARE KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEMS WITH 540I, NOT MY VIN. I ALSO HAVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES, WHICH HAVE A RECALL ON 540I, BUT NOT MY VIN. ALSO ISSUES WITH COOLANT, WHICH IS ANOTHER KNOWN ISSUE, BUT NOT MY VIN. I HAVE TRIED TO GET BMW TO DIAGNOSE, BUT THEY ONLY RECOMMEND REPLACING ALL PARTS AT MY EXPENSE, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A HISTORY OF THESE TYPE OF ISSUES WITH THE 540I, 1999 CARS....

POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE CAUSING ACCESSORY BELT TO BE THROWN FROM ENGINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING AND POWER. *TR

DURING A DOWN SHIFT, MY CAR SOMETIMES JUMP FORWARD A FOOT OR SO AND MAKES A THUMP DOWN SHIFTING NOISE. THIS FORCES ME TO APPLY THE BREAK QUICKLY. JUST A WEEK AGO, I HIT A CURVE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND THE BOTTOM BUMPER COVER OF THE CAR GOT HIT AND BECAME CRACKED! LUCKILY THIS PROBLEM IS RARE. THIS IS ABOUT 4TH FAILURE IN A SPAN OF 10 MONTHS. FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS, MY CAR ALSO STALLS (ENGINE LOSES POWER) DURING A SLOWDOWN. USUALLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN I SLOW TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. I NEARLY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT FEW TIMES THIS MONTH BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION DURING A TURN. THIS OCCURS ABOUT 0-2 TIMES PER MONTH AND EACH TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, IM INFORMED THAT THEY SEE NO PROBLEMS OR THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. IVE REPORTED THIS COMPLAINT TO BMW CUSTOMER...