Car Problem DataNHTSA records

2000 BMW 540It

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › driveline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts › Rear/Other1
000
Power Train › Driveline1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch00V048000
Filed Feb 17, 200017,700 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKE LAMPS IN THESE VEHICLES ARE CONTROLLED BY A SWITCH ACTIVATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS SWITCH COULD FAIL INTERNALLY, CAUSING IT TO REMAIN EITHER IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LAMPS ON" POSITION.

Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LAMPS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LAMP SWITCH WITH AN IMPROVED SWITCH.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts › Rear/Other
Filed Oct 10, 2004IL

BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS HAVE FAILED. THE MECHANISMS HAS NOT ALLOWED THEM TO MOVE IN OR OUT, EFFECTIVELY MAKING THEM USELESS. THE FIRST WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO PARTS WERE IN STOCK AND WE DID NOT LEAVE THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE OTHER SIDE BROKE. WE HAD NOT BEEN USING THE CAR AND FINALLY TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO LEAVE IT FOR TWO WEEKS TO GET PARTS AND HAVE THE SEAT BELTS REPLACED AT A COST > $500. *NM

Power Train › Driveline
Filed Mar 15, 2004WV

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED FROM IN THE REAR. CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT REAR DRIVELINE FAILED. *AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

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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: Feb 17, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.