Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 528E · model year
1983 BMW 528E
4 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1983BMW528E carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1983 528E is engine and engine cooling:cooling system with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (1) and visibility:power window devices and controls (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1983 528E. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051229FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1983 528E CAUGHT ON FIRE DESTROYING VEHICLE. *TS *JB
20050718FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
1983 BMW 528E CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASH.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY OTHER PROBLEM THE VEHICLE HAD WAS AN INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC WINDOW. *JB
20050718FireVISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1983 BMW 528E CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE DASH.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY OTHER PROBLEM THE VEHICLE HAD WAS AN INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC WINDOW. *JB
20020523ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
AE 1983 MODEL, VEHICLE OVERHEATED CAUSING PRESSURE IN THE HEATER SYSTEM BLOWING THE HEATER CORE.*JBJG
Compare 1983BMW528E to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1983 BMW 528E have?▼
The 1983 BMW 528E has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1983 BMW 528E?▼
The most-complained component for the 1983 BMW 528E is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1983 BMW 528E 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1983 BMW 528E; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.