1997 BMW 5 Series Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 BMW 5 Series, and owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 BMW 5 Series
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Suspension: front
On certain passenger vehicles, due to long exposures to certain environmental and operating conditions, the material structure of the front spring strut plate could be affected. In some cases, the strut plate could begin to crack, and eventually it could break. If this occurred, the plate could contact the tire.
Remedy: Dealers will install a retaining clip to the underside of the front spring strut plates. The recall began may 17, 2004. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
1 owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 BMW 5 Series have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 158,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2014 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“While starting the car the drivers side air bag deployed. *tr”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 21, 2014 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 BMW 5 Series (528i, 540i). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 16–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 14–18 / 22–26 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 2.8/4.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Automatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare BMW 5 Series model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 5 Series model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 3 |
| 1996 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 1 |
| 1999 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2000 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 7 |
| 2003 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 15 |
| 2004 BMW 5 Series | 6 | 64 |
| 2005 BMW 5 Series | 4 | 21 |
| 2006 BMW 5 Series | 7 | 85 |
| 2007 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 13 |
| 2008 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 105 |
| 2009 BMW 5 Series | 3 | 8 |
| 2010 BMW 5 Series | 5 | 6 |
| 2011 BMW 5 Series | 4 | 81 |
| 2012 BMW 5 Series | 0 | 10 |
| 2023 BMW 5 Series | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 1997 BMW 5 Series
How do I know if my 1997 BMW 5 Series has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 BMW 5 Series; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V183000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.