Total Complaints
3 filings
BMW 540IA · model year
2002 BMW 540IA
3 NHTSA complaints, and 1 recall campaign listed for this cohort. 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 2002BMW540IA carries 3 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 2002 540IA is power train:automatic transmission with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and seats (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 1 NHTSA recall campaign listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2002 540IA. 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.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recalls (1)
01V35200026/11/2001
TIRES:SIDEWALL
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: DURING THE TIRE MOUNTING PROCESS ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH STANDARD (NON-SPORT) SUSPENSION AND EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTITOURINGCONTACT CH95 ECOPLUS TIRES, SIZE 225/65R16 95H, HAVING DOT CODES 4001, 4101, OR 4201, THE OUTER SIDEWALL SURFACE OF THE TIRES MAY
Recent Complaints
20120824FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I WENT OUT TO MY BMW 540I AND FOUND THE DRIVER'S POWER SEAT ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION. I DID NOT LEAVE IT THIS WAY, SO THIS WAS CONFUSING TO ME. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE IT BACK UPRIGHT INTO A COMFORTABLE DRIVING POSITION, IT DID NOT RESPOND- THE SEAT WAS DEAD. I COULD NOT MOVE IT MANUALLY, EITHER. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE CAR A SHORT DISTANCE TO DROP MY SON OFF AT AN ACTIVITY, SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT AND LEAN FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. MY PLAN WAS TO TAKE THE CAR TO MY LOCAL BMW MECHANIC LATER THAT NIGHT AND DROP IT OFF TO BE REPAIRED. MY SON AND I WERE ONLY TWO MINUTES INTO OUR DRIVE, I WAS LEANING FORWARD, AND HE SAID "DO YOU SMELL SMOKE?" I DID SMELL IT, AND WAS LOOKING AROUND TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. THEN MY SON SAID "DAD, YOUR SEAT IS ON FIRE!" I LOOKED DOWN, AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER MY SEAT. WE PULLED THE CAR OVER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH HIS WATER BOTTLE. THE HEATED SEATS WERE NOT BEING USED, THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 19TH, DURING THE SUMM
Mileage: 90,000
20120824FireSEATS
I WENT OUT TO MY BMW 540I AND FOUND THE DRIVER'S POWER SEAT ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION. I DID NOT LEAVE IT THIS WAY, SO THIS WAS CONFUSING TO ME. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE IT BACK UPRIGHT INTO A COMFORTABLE DRIVING POSITION, IT DID NOT RESPOND- THE SEAT WAS DEAD. I COULD NOT MOVE IT MANUALLY, EITHER. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE CAR A SHORT DISTANCE TO DROP MY SON OFF AT AN ACTIVITY, SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT AND LEAN FORWARD WHILE DRIVING. MY PLAN WAS TO TAKE THE CAR TO MY LOCAL BMW MECHANIC LATER THAT NIGHT AND DROP IT OFF TO BE REPAIRED. MY SON AND I WERE ONLY TWO MINUTES INTO OUR DRIVE, I WAS LEANING FORWARD, AND HE SAID "DO YOU SMELL SMOKE?" I DID SMELL IT, AND WAS LOOKING AROUND TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. THEN MY SON SAID "DAD, YOUR SEAT IS ON FIRE!" I LOOKED DOWN, AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER MY SEAT. WE PULLED THE CAR OVER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH HIS WATER BOTTLE. THE HEATED SEATS WERE NOT BEING USED, THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 19TH, DURING THE SUMM
Mileage: 90,000
20080721FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON 7/19/2008, MY 2002 BMW 540I WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAUGHT FIRE WHILE MYSELF AND MY WIFE DRIVING TOWARD AN EVENING PARTY. AT FIRST I SMELL SOMETHING IS BURNING THEN SEE A TINY BIT OF SMOKE. I PARKED THE CAR IN A BANK OF AMERICA PARKING LOT AND MY WIFE WENT OUT TO CHECK THE CAR, AND SHE SAW FIRE STARTED TO BURST. WE CALL 911 AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, THE FRONT END OF THE CAR IS IN FLAME. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME THE PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE CAR IS NOW BEEN TOW TO A LOCAL SHOP AND WILL BE MOVED TO THE "TOTAL LOT" OF MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I DID A QUICK SEARCH ON THE INTERNET, AND FOUND OUT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE. I HOPE BMW CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT CAUSE THE FIRE AND FIX THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND I ARE LUCKY SINCE WE GOT OUT OF CAR SOON ENOUGH. THIS IS NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR BMW SUCH A LUXURY BRAND. SINCERELY, STEVE HUNG *TR
Mileage: 109,834
Compare 2002BMW540IA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 BMW 540IA have?▼
The 2002 BMW 540IA has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 BMW 540IA?▼
Yes, the 2002 BMW 540IA has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is TIRES:SIDEWALL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 BMW 540IA?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 BMW 540IA is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and SEATS.
Is the 2002 BMW 540IA 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 2002 BMW 540IA; 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.