2001 Bmw 530

Do not drive

Owners filed 7 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › cooling system › fan. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan2
011
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Engine1
010
Electrical System1
000
Air Bags1
101

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Driver Side › Inflator Module17V047000Do not drive
Filed Jan 20, 2017230,117 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

What owners reported

Newest filings
EngineFire
Filed Aug 25, 2012124,000 milesCA

CAR HAD EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE OVERHEATING. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENTS THE OVERHEATING WAS A MYSTERY, UNTIL AFTER INCIDENT WAS THAT IT WAS LEARNED THAT THESE VEHICLES DISPLAY PROBLEMS WITH AUXILIARY FAN WHICH CAUSES ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND DEVELOP IRREPARABLE DAMAGES. AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DEVELOP IN ENGINE BAY WHICH DESTROY ALL WIRING, FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION. ALSO, THE BLOCK (WHICH IS ALLOY OR WEAK ALUMINUM) WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIRED. HEADS WERE REPLACED AND IT WAS HEN THAT I LEARNED BLOCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. AS A RESULT, ENTIRE ENGINE WAS SWAPPED, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED. I CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA VIA EMAIL AND TELEPHONE TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALLS REGARDING THIS MATTER. THERE ARE RECALLS ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED FACTORY DEFECTS, BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. I ALREADY SPENT AROUND $8,000.00 IN REPAIRS BECAUSE BMW CLAIM MY VEHICLES IS NOT COVERED. WHY IS IT NOT COVERED WHEN IT IS PRESENTING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE CARS COVERED BY RECALL. ALSO, BECAUSE OF BMW NEGLECT IN INCLUDING MY VEHICLES, I ALREADY SPENT THOUSAND OF DOLLARS AND THE LIVES OF HUMANS BEING WERE PUT IN JEOPARDY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AUXILIARY FAN IN Y 5 SERIES IS STILL NOT WORKING AND IT COST BETWEEN 3-5 HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDING LABOR. WHY DO I HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY WHEN BMW SHOULD HAVE BUILT AN EXCELLENT QUALITY CAR FOR THE MONEY THAT THIS VEHICLE COST. THE ENGINE BLOCK MATERIAL IS OF BAD QUALITY AND ITS ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OF EXTREMELY BAD QUALITY AND B

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Dec 20, 2011118,000 milesCA

THE ABS ELECTRONIC MODULE FAILS. IN THIS CASE IT LASTED A LONG TIME BUT WHEN IT FAILS, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) AND DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC) WON'T FUNCTION. BASED ON WEB FORUMS THIS PART SEEMS TO HAVE A HIGH FAILURE RATE (AND NOT JUST IN BMW'S) BUT IF WE DON'T REPORT THE PROBLEM HERE, THE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT WILL NEVER KNOW. *TR

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Oct 29, 2002CA

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WOULD FALL AND SCRAPE THE FREEWAY, PAVEMENT, OR ROAD. ON ONE INCIDENT, WHEN THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD FELL, THE BUMBER HAD LOST A SCREW THAT MADE THE BUMPER HANG DOWN ABOUT 4 INCHES. *SCC

Electrical System
Filed Aug 19, 2002CA

VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO LOSS OF POWER, CRUISE CONTROL AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILURE, AND OTHER SWITCHES WILL GO OUT ON THEIR OWN. DEALERSHIP IS UNABLE TO ACTUALLY CORRECT THE ERRATIC PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Fan
Filed Apr 22, 2002CA

CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND HAD THE RECALL FOR THE AUXILLARY FAN WORKED ON. THE FAN IS EXTREMEMLY NOISY AND WHINES OVER THE SOUND OF THE RADIO. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT FAN WAS LOUDER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER, THERE WAS A SENSOR OR SOME OTHER ITEM STICKING UP IN THE VENT DUCTS.(2001 BMW 530I) *JG

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 20, 2001FL

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › FanFire1 injured
Filed Aug 10, 2001OR

WHILE DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE. SHE PULLED OVER AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE WAS PUT OUT, CAME FROM COOLING FAN AREA. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN, CONSUMER SUFFERED SMOKE INHALATION. *AK

7 of 7 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20024110Do not drive
2001 — this page7120Do not drive
19991000Routine
19971000Routine
19953000Routine
19945000Routine

Compare every 530 year →

Reading this record

NHTSA has issued a do-not-drive warning for a recall on this vehicle.

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: Jan 20, 2017. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.