10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 91,500 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The contact owns a 1999 BMW 528. While traveling 55 mph the contact attempted to activate the headlights, and they began blinking, and the contact smelled smoke coming from the inside of the vehicle. He lifted the hood, and attempted to disconnect the battery cable, but it was too late. The police department was notified, but by the time they arrived the vehicle was on fire. The current mileage iwas 121,000, and failure mileage was 120,000.
- Sylvania, OH, USA
Asc control unit failed. This resulted in failure of anti-lock brakes and traction control and speedometer on my 1999 BMW 528I. BMW has a service bulletin out on this issue for 5 series cars 9/98 to 9/00 (mine was built 10/98). Bulletin info: Vs-23/weintuch baugruppe/group:32 32 01 00 (646). The repair instructions code is ra 24 52 515/ 34 52 516. After unit failed, I was involved in an emergency situation in which I had to brake heavily and all four wheels locked up. There is a large number of vehicle owners currently reporting this same problem on a number of BMW bulletin boards (www.roadfly.com). it is a safety issue that apparently BMW is aware of but not doing anything about it. I understand that my car is not in warranty but I believe this is a safety issue that should be addressed. Eventually, there will be a serious accident from this known part failure. I have also heard that a number of BMW dealers are stocking up higher than usual inventories of this part, apparently in anticipation of large scale failures of the asc control unit (part34-52-6-756-343). My next car will not be a BMW, they don't stand behind their cars. Think & read before you buy BMW! it's expensive to repair.lc
- Diamond Bar, CA, USA
Speedometer stops working. Problem is well documented on vehicle repair forums. Defective module was upgraded by BMW engineering but no recall issued, left to owners to experience failure before getting module replaced. Risk of excessive speed. Risk of overspeed condition while entering posted speed corners. BMW only repair due to programming, cost of $2000, risk of less affluent owners driving with speedometer inoperative.
- Overland Park, KS, USA
- Blue Ridge, GA, USA