1999 BMW 5 Series

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › control unit/module. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails

Component	Reports		Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module	1		0	0	0
Service Brakes, Air › Antilock › Control Unit/Module	1		0	0	0

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports

Steering › Linkages › Rod › Relay › Connecting19E058000

Filed Aug 28, 2019614 vehiclesZf North America, Inc.

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.

Risk. 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.

What owners reported

Newest filings

Service Brakes, Air › Antilock › Control Unit/Module

Filed Jul 9, 200582,200 milesLA

I HAVE A 1999 BMW 528I WITH INTERMITTENT ABS CONTROLLER ISSUE, WHICH ACTIVATES AT LOW RATE OF SPEED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE ABS SENSOR. THE NEXT DAY IT ACTIVATED AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THE ABS REPAIR KIT IS BAD. I ASKED WHAT IS THAT AND THEY STATED IT CONTROLS THE ABS SYSTEM ON MY CAR AND THE PART IS $1000. I AM A MEMBER OF ROADFLY.ORG, WHICH IS A NETWORK CONSISTING OF BMW OWNERS SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT ISSUES AND TIPS. MY CONCERN IS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE BMW (E39). I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER TO CHECK THE WWW.ROADFLY.ORG MESSAGE BOARD ON THE BMW E39 1997-2001.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip › Control Unit/Module

Filed Jan 9, 200593,000 milesNC

ABS CONTROLLER FAILURE. VERY HIGH FAILURE RATE DURING THIS PRODUCTION PERIOD. SOME REPORTS OF UNCONTROLLED APPLICATION OF BRAKES AT HIGH SPEEDS. BMWNA SALES OF THE ABS MODULATOR AND/OR REPAIR UNIT WILL REFLECT THIS CLAIM.*AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Fires	Assessment
2023	0	1	0	Routine
2012	10	0	0	Routine
2011	81	4	2	Routine
2010	6	5	0	Routine
2009	8	4	0	Routine
2008	105	4	3	Routine
2007	13	4	0	Routine
2006	85	8	2	Routine
2005	21	5	1	Routine
2004	64	8	9	Routine
2003	15	2	1	Routine
2002	7	2	1	Routine
2001	3	2	0	Routine
2000	2	2	0	Routine
1999 — this page	2	1	0	Routine
1998	0	2	0	Routine
1997	1	3	0	Routine
1996	0	3	0	Routine
1995	3	3	0	Routine
1994	0	3	0	Routine
1993	0	3	0	Routine
1992	0	3	0	Routine
1991	0	2	0	Routine
1990	0	2	0	Routine

Compare every 5 Series year →

Other BMW models

All BMW models →

X5 3,129 328i 2,576 X3 1,986 325i 1,368 Z4 1,280 3 Series 842 528i 830 330i 813 335i 809 X1 666

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 28, 2019. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.