Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 5-SERIES · model year
1999 BMW 5-SERIES
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999BMW5-SERIES carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 5-SERIES is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, air:antilock:control unit/module (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1999 5-SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050709SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
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.
Mileage: 82,200
20050109SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
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
Mileage: 93,000
Compare 1999BMW5-SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 BMW 5-SERIES have?▼
The 1999 BMW 5-SERIES has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW 5-SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 BMW 5-SERIES is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE.
Is the 1999 BMW 5-SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.