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1998 BMW 528I

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 BMW 528I do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 46.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 18 of 33 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Structure complaints

4 reports
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138,000 miles · Oct 11, 2007
Exterior LightingStructureFire

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 528I. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT FOR THE WINDOW BURNED THROUGH THE HOUSING AND FELL INTO THE TRUNK. THE BULB LANDED BY THE FUEL TANK. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. FURTHERMORE, TH…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 528I. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT FOR THE WINDOW BURNED THROUGH THE HOUSING AND FELL INTO THE TRUNK. THE BULB LANDED BY THE FUEL TANK. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AND THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. FURTHERMORE, THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE HANDLES FAILED TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DOORS WOULD ONLY OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,000.

NHTSA ODI #10205426

8,321 miles · May 11, 2004
Structure

THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE INSIDE PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN TO USE THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK BMW CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART/TRIM AND DID NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE DRIVER D…

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THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE INSIDE PLASTIC DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN TO USE THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK BMW CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM TO BE AN INTEGRAL PART/TRIM AND DID NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. THE DRIVER DOOR SQUEAKED UPON OPENING AND CLOSING AND THERE WAS A SQUEAK COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD GO UP TO 35 MPH IN WHICH THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10065194

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Structure

TRUNK MOTOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #609059

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Structure

ELECTRONIC TRUNK RELEASE FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ODI #607172

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.