2001 BMW 540 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2001 BMW 540, and owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2001 BMW 540
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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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall…
5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2001 BMW 540 have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 75,500 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Dealership in concord california has been trying to delay repairing my vehicle AIRBAG even after appointment. Did not even start fixing my vehicle after waiting 5 plus hours.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 22, 2017 · Air bags
“I was driving along and i heard a "pang" sound followed by a loss of power steering, a moment later my battery light came on. I was able to get the car to a safe stopping place to be towed before the”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 2, 2012 · Steering
Compare BMW 540 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 540 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 BMW 540 | 0 | 2 |
| 1995 BMW 540 | 0 | 6 |
| 1997 BMW 540 | 0 | 7 |
| 1999 BMW 540 | 0 | 3 |
| 2001 BMW 540 | 1 | 5 |
| 2002 BMW 540 | 1 | 0 |
Checking a specific 2001 BMW 540
How do I know if my 2001 BMW 540 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 2001 BMW 540; 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 17V047000).
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.