1999 Bmw 540i Complaints

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED (55-60MPH) AND A LOUD METALLIC 'THUNK' NOISE WAS HEARD AS IF SOMETHING STRUCK OR BOUNCED OFF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. THE SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE COME OFF THE DRIVE PULLEYS, AND UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS DISCOVERED TO BE LOOSE. THE UPPER MOUNTING EAR WAS BROKEN, AND THE LOWER MOUNTING BOLT WAS MISSING ENTIRELY. IT APPEARS THE BREAK IN THE UPPER MOUNTING EAR CAUSE THE LOWER BOLT TO VIBRATE LOOSE, AND IN TURN THE SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT WAS DISLODGED. THE RESULT WAS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING THAT NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN AT LOW SPEED DUE TO SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN STEERING EFFORT.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 540I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

STARTED MY CAR AND HEARD A THUMPING NOISE AND FOUND OUT IT WAS MY BELT BEING CHEWED UP BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING PUMP BRACKETS BROKE. *TR

MY 1999 BMW 540I HAS HAD INTERMITTENT DOOR UNLOCKING FAILURES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE ANY OF THE FOUR DOORS MAY SUDDENLY BECOME DOUBLE LOCKED SO THAT NEITHER THE ELECTRONIC BUTTONS OR ANY MANUAL EFFORTS WILL UNLOCK/OPEN THE DOORS. FORTUNATELY NOT ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, SO OCCUPANTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CLIMB OVER AND BETWEEN SEATS TO EGRESS THE CAR. MECHANICS SAY THAT THE PROBLEM IS RELAYS IN THE GENERAL MODULE (GM III) WHICH CONTROLS ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS. IN THE PAST THE PROBLEM WOULD SELF-CORRECT IN A FEW HOURS OR DAYS. TWO WEEKS AGO, ONE BACK DOOR FOLLOWED BY THE OTHER A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER LOCKED AND WON'T UNLOCK. APPARENTLY, THE CRASH SENSOR WHICH TELLS THE GM TO UNLOCK THE DOORS IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH WILL NOT WORK. THIS FAILURE TRAPS OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR. *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 75K MILES THE BOSCH ABS/TRACTION CONTROL UNIT FAILED ON MY 1999 BMW 540I. A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS TO BE TRUE. A NEW UNIT WAS INSTALLED AT THE APPROX COST OF $600. WHAT IS TROUBLING IS THAT EVERY OWNER OF A BMW 5-SERIES FROM 1999-2000 SEEMS TO HAVE HAD THIS PART FAIL ON THEM. ACTUALLY, I HAVE YET TO MEET OWNER WHO STILL HAS THEIR ORIGINAL PART. BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WAS LESS THAN HELPFUL AND DENIED A WARRANTY CLAIM (CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY) AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THIS INTEGRAL CONTROL UNIT SHOULD BE RECALLED DESPITE STATISTICS THAT SHOW OTHERWISE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN SINCE THIS FAILURE LEAVES THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS SUDDENLY INOPERATIVE. *TR