Model year record
1998 BMW 528i recalls & problems
The 1998 BMW 528i has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 33 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 1998 BMW 528i.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
528i
| City / highway | 17 / 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.8 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,350/year to fuel
528i
| City / highway | 16 / 24 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Air bagsSide/window | 6 | 80,000 mi |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission; Manual transmission | 4 | — |
| StructureBody › Trunk lid; Body › Door | 4 | — |
| SteeringSteering wheel/handle bar | 4 | — |
| Vehicle speed controlLinkages | 3 | — |
| Latches/locks/linkagesDoors › Latch | 3 | — |
| Electrical systemWiring › Interior/under dash | 3 | — |
| Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Cooling system › Radiator assembly | 2 | — |
| Exterior lightingTail lights; Brake lights › Switch | 2 | — |
| Unknown or other | 1 | — |
| Fuel system, gasolineStorage › Tank assembly | 1 | — |
| Wheels | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED FIVE YEARS AGO. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE A CODE READER TO DIAGNOSE THE DEFECT, BUT NO CODE WAS DISCOVERED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
- Seats
THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT ONLY TILTS FORWARD AND BACKWARD A LITTLE AND THE OTHER SIDE STAYS STATIONARY. ALL OTHER SEAT FUNCTIONS WORK EXCEPT THAT.
- Service brakes
-TAKATA -ABS MODULE MALFUNCTION DUE TO MODULE BEING FRIED BY EXCESSIVELY ENGINE HEAT -DSC SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO POOR WIRING AND HEAT FROM POOR PLACEMENT IN ENGINE BAY THIS HAS CAUSED MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH DRIVE ABILITY AND SAFETY I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING FOR QUITE AWHILE THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN HAVING SAFETY ISSUES AND BMW IGNORES ME AND MY COMPLAINTS. *TR
- Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 528I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER ENGINE START UP, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSORS NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
- Electrical system
THE WIRING HARNESS THAT ENTERS THE TRUNK LID THAT SUPPLIES THE LIGHTS FOR THE REAR LICENSE PLATE AND THE TRUNK LID RELEASE HAS FRAYED AT THE EXACT POINT WHERE THE HARNESS ENTERS THE TRUNK LID. THE WIRING COMES IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SHARP EDGE AT THE OPENING IN THE TRUNK LID, AND SEVERAL OF THE WIRES HAVE BROKEN AT THIS POINT, RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR SHOWS THAT THE TRUNK LID IS OPEN EVEN THOUGH IT'S LOCKED. I PERFORMED AN INTERNET SEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL BMW MODELS.
- Power train › Manual transmission
MY 1998 BMW 5-SERIES 528I STARTED ACCELERATING ON IT'S OWN WHEN I WAS DRIVING, AND I HAD TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ALMOST RAN A FEW RED LIGHTS. WHEN I PARKED MY CAR I HAD TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TURN IT OFF AND I TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN (WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE) AND IT ACCELERATED W/OUT BEING IN DRIVE. NOW MY CAR JERKS EVERY TIME I'M DRIVING SLOW AND IT FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY ANY MORE. *TR
- Power train
NO REVERSE GEAR. THE REVERSE GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. *TR
- Power train › Automatic transmission
TWO MAJOR COMPLAINTS: 1. TRANSMISSION OF THE CAR BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY WITHIN 82,000 MILES. I HAD TO SPEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. 2. POWER STEERING OF THE CAR HAD EXPERIENCED LEAK SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. STILL AFTER SO MANY YEARS THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY RECTIFIED DESPITE THE FACT THAT I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER. 3. AFTER I GAVE MY CAR TO THE ANN ARBOR BMW DEALER, ONCE THEY REPLACED SOME UNRELATED MECHANICAL COMPONENTS THAT COST ME OVER $600. HOWEVER, AFTER PAYING THE MONEY WHEN I SHOWED THAT THE PROBLEM DID NOT SOLVE, THE MECHANICS ADDED SOME BRAKE FLUID AND THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY DISAPPEARED. THE DEALER DID NOT REIMBURSE THE MONEY…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.