Total Complaints
8 filings
BMW 528 · model year
1998 BMW 528
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMW528 carries 8 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, 1 injury, 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 1998 528 is steering with 1 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:power adjust (1) and suspension:front:wheel bearing (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 1998 528. 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20141118AIR BAGS
RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS. *TR
Mileage: 126,000
20040227ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER PULLED OUT OF THE ROAD, OPENED THE HOOD, AND FOUND MANY WIRES WERE MELTED DUE TO ENGINE REACHING HIGH TEMPERATURES. *AK
20010827AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE SWITCHING ON VEHICLE SIDE AIR BAG ON DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON; VEHICLE AT DEALER SHOP.*AK
20000322TIRES
LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT ON HIGHWAY. YH
19990908ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILURE.
19990429SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. *YC
19990409STEERING
STEERING WHEEL FAILED. *YC
19990409SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
POWER SEAT POSITION MEMORY COMPUTER FAILED. *YC
Compare 1998BMW528 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW 528 have?▼
The 1998 BMW 528 has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW 528?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW 528 is STEERING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST and SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING.
Is the 1998 BMW 528 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.