Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 540 · model year
1997 BMW 540
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997BMW540 carries 9 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 1997 540 is air bags with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (1) and air bags:side/window (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 1997 540. 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.
9
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110415POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 540. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION RING GEAR FAILED AND CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SLIP INTO SAFE MODE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
Mileage: 141,000
20030515AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED BECAUSE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WEIGHT SYSTEM. *NLM
19991110POWER TRAIN
BURNED OUT ODOMETER/TRIP LEDS. SHOWS PARTIAL NUMBERS AND CHARACTERS ONLY. *AK
19990830STRUCTURE:BODY
GLOVE COMPARTMENT LOCK CONTINUALLY FAILING/STICKING, REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTINUES TO STICK. YH
19990823STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE (STRUTS BETWEEN WINDOWS) ARE TOO LARGE CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY. YH
19990312TIRES:SIDEWALL
SIDEWALL FAILURE CAUSED HIGH SPEED BLOW OUT. CONTENENTAL SIZE - 225/55R16, DOT033208.
19970701AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER TURNING ON THE IGNITION. *AK
19970701AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER TURNING ON THE IGNITION. *AK
19970424AIR BAGS
DRIVER FEELS AIRBAGS ARE A PROBLEM FOR SHORT PEOPLE.
Compare 1997BMW540 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 BMW 540 have?▼
The 1997 BMW 540 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW 540?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 BMW 540 is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW.
Is the 1997 BMW 540 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.