Bmw 528ia problems

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The BMW E28 is the second generation of BMW 5 Series executive cars, which was produced from 1981 to 1988 and replaced the E12 5 Series. Pre-series production began in April 1981 and the car was introduced in the autumn that year.

The E28 was initially produced with straight-four and straight-six petrol engines until 1983, when the 524td model became the first BMW car to be powered by a diesel engine. It was also the first 5 Series with the centre console angled towards the driver and to be available with anti-lock brakes (ABS).

The first BMW M5 was produced during the E28 generation. It was powered by the M88/3 and S38 straight-six engines. The E24 6 Series coupés were built on the E28 platform from 1982 to 1989.

The E28 was replaced by the E34 5 Series in 1988.

photo of Bmw 528ia car production

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Bmw 528ia model years

bmw 528ia 2000 photo
528ia 2000
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bmw 528ia 1998 photo
528ia 1998
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bmw 528ia 1997 photo
528ia 1997
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Common Bmw 528ia problems

Based on the complaints from owners of the BMW 528i cars, common problems with this model include:

  1. Engine Issues:
    • Oil Leaks and Consumption: Some drivers report oil leaks and consumption, leading to potential engine damage if not promptly addressed.
    • Misfires and Rough Idling: Symptoms of engine problems that can affect performance.
    • Timing Chain and Belt Problems: Can cause engine performance issues and even total engine failure in extreme cases.
    • Overheating due to Coolant Leaks: If not addressed promptly, can lead to significant engine damage.
  2. Electrical Problems:
    • Battery Drain and Charging Issues: Can result in a dead battery and stranded drivers.
    • Faulty Sensors and Warning Lights: Difficult to diagnose and can be frustrating for drivers.
    • Power Windows and Door Locks: Known issues that can be inconvenient for drivers.
  3. Suspension and Steering Problems:
    • Worn Out Shocks and Struts: Can cause a rough ride and poor handling.
    • Wheel Alignment and Balance Issues: Result in uneven tire wear and poor performance.
    • Power Steering Pump and Fluid Leaks: Can lead to steering issues.

These issues can vary depending on the year, model, and trim level of the BMW 528i. For example:

  • Early generations like the E12 and E28 may lack modern safety features and have engine and electrical issues.
  • The E39 generation is known for problems with the M52TU and M54 engines.
  • The E60 generation has issues with the N52 and N53 engines.
  • The F10 generation has had problems with the N20 and N52 engines, as well as electrical and steering issues.

It's essential for BMW 528i owners to stay vigilant about these common problems, address them promptly, and consider regular maintenance to prevent potential issues and ensure the longevity of their vehicles.

Bmw 528ia

Is the BMW 528i reliable?

The BMW 528i Reliability Rating is 3.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 13th out of 30 for luxury fullsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $825 which means it has higher than average ownership costs. Repairs are more frequent for the 528i, so you may experience a few more visits to your BMW shop than normal.

What is the most common problem with the BMW 5 Series?

What's wrong with the BMW 5 Series?

  • Airbag leaks.
  • Faulty air lines.
  • Loose or broken electrical connections.
  • Broken compressor.
  • Malfunctioning ride height sensor.
  • Faulty control module.

How long does a BMW 528i last?

A BMW can last 150-200,000 miles with proper care and if you drive the national average of 13,500 miles per year, you can expect to drive your BMW for 10-15 years according to MotorAsk.

Is the 2016 BMW 528i a good car?

Driving. If the 2016 BMW 5 Series were judged on its engines alone, few would question its "Ultimate Driving Machine" status. The 528i's turbocharged inline-4 punches well above its weight class, and the six-cylinder 535i is a paradigm of smoothness.

Percentage distribution of complaints by Bmw 528ia years

We have researched Bmw problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Bmw 528ia cars and compiled the top 3 most problematic Bmw 528ia model years:

Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Bmw 528ia model years.

Distribution of the number of complaints by Bmw 528ia years

We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:

Bmw 528ia car problems categorized by type of issue

After analysing all complaints related to Bmw 528ia , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:

  • Seats problems
  • Air bags problems
  • Power train problems
  • Engine and engine cooling problems
  • Wheels problems

The graph below shows statistics for all Bmw 528ia vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

The NHTSA has received 10 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Bmw 528ia . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Bmw 528ia vehicles.

List of Bmw 528ia complaints

Bmw 528ia 2000
  • Date Of Incident: 2018-12-27
  • Date Complaint: 2019-01-10
  • VIN: WBADM634XYG
  • Components: AIR BAGS
  • Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 528IA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR AN IMPACT. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 234,040.
Bmw 528ia 1997
  • Date Of Incident: 2016-01-22
  • Date Complaint: 2016-02-11
  • VIN: WBADD6327VB
  • Components: AIR BAGS
  • Summary: I BACKED UP MY CAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND WHEN I PUT IT IN PARK THE DRIVER DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED KNOCKING ME OVER , BRUISING MY LEFT ARM AND I STILL HAVE RINGING IN MY EARS.
Bmw 528ia 2000
  • Date Of Incident: 2010-10-26
  • Date Complaint: 2010-10-27
  • VIN: WBADM6342YG
  • Components: SEATS
  • Summary: WHILE DRIVING I ACTIVATED THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO, I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND THEN STARTED TO FEEL A BURNING SENSATION IN MY LEFT SIDE BY MY PANT POCKET. I REACHED TOWARDS THE AREA AND THE LEATHER SEAT MATERIAL WAS EXTREMELY HOT AND APPEARED TO BE SCORCHING THE LEATHER SEAT MATERIAL. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER AND WILL NOT USE IT AGAIN UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED. THIS SAME SCENARIO HAPPENED ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO TO THE SAME VEHICLE. THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS REPLACED BY MY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PART APPARENTLY FAILS AFTER AN AVERAGE OF FIVE YEARS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS ONE COULD GET BURNED WHILE DRIVING AND NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WHICH COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS CRASH OR FIRE. *TR
Bmw 528ia 2000
  • Date Of Incident: 2005-11-23
  • Date Complaint: 2005-11-26
  • VIN: WBADM6342YG
  • Components: SEATS
  • Summary: NOTICED A BURNING SMELL IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND DETERMINED THAT IT IS ONLY THERE WHEN THE SEAT HEATER IS ON. THERE IS AN ODOR THAT CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS THE SMELL FROM AN OVERHEATED HAIR DRYER. IT IS OBVIOUS SOMETHING IN THE SEAT IS OVERHEATING AND COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I ALSO NOTICED VERY HOT AREAS ON THE SEAT NEAR THE LEFT SIDE WHERE MY LEFT REAR PANT POCKET WOULD REST. NHTSA CAMPAIGN #04V575000 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE ON MODEL YEAR 2004 BMW 5 SERIES CARS, BUT MINE IS A 2000. *NM
Bmw 528ia 1997
  • Date Of Incident: 2005-08-25
  • Date Complaint: 2005-09-12
  • VIN: WBADD6321VB
  • Components: POWER TRAIN
  • Summary: ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING DURING WET CONDITIONS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD SUDDENLY SHIFT FROM "DRIVE" TO "S" WITHOUT ANY OPERATOR INTERVENTION. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE CAR ABRUPTLY SLOWED TO ABOUT 25 MPH AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND THAT SPEED. I WISH TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED CHANGE IN GEAR SELECTION WOULD TAKE PLACE WITHOUT ANY OPERATOR INTERVENTION WHICH RESULTED IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT VISTA BMW IN COCONUT CREEK, FL ON 9/07/05 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH AND THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $583.25. *JB
Bmw 528ia 2000
  • Date Of Incident: 2004-01-13
  • Date Complaint: 2004-02-03
  • Components: SEATS
  • Summary: YESTERDAY I PAID MY BMW DEALER $262.43 TO FIX A PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED DIRECTLY FROM A POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN. SPECIFICALLY, THE CHARGE WAS TO REPLACE THE SWITCH AND FRONT SEAT TRIM COVER WHICH HAD BROKEN, FOR THE FOURTH TIME, DURING NORMAL OPERATION (THE SWITCH SHORTED OUT, BECAME INOPERABLE, AND IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO ADJUST THE SEAT OR STEERING WHEEL FORE/AFT, UP/DOWN, ETC. ). APPARENTLY, BMW IS UNWILLING TO ADMIT TO POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THESE PARTS, PREFERRING INSTEAD TO ATTRIBUTE BREAKAGE TO IMPROPER ENTRY/EXIT TECHNIQUE BY THE CUSTOMER. AFTER IT BROKE THE FIRST TIME, AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, MY SERVICE MANAGER WARNED ME THAT BMW IS RELUCTANT TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR MORE THAN ONCE, AND HE INSTRUCTED ME ON THE PROPER TECHNIQUE OF EXITING THE VEHICLE SO AS TO PRECLUDE A RECURRENCE OF THE PROBLEM. AFTER OVER SIXTY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT SUCCESSFULLY ENTERING AND EXITING A VARIETY OF VEHICLES, WITHOUT EVER PREVIOUSLY BREAKING ANY PART OF A SEAT, I WAS OFFENDED THAT BMWS SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM WAS TO ABROGATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN AND TO BLAME ME FOR NOT KNOWING HOW TO GET OUT OF A CAR. THOSE OF US WITH BAD KNEES (THAT INCLUDES MY WIFE, ME, AND MANY PEOPLE MY AGE) SIMPLY ARE NOT ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY EXECUTE THE ACROBATICS NECESSARY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT PUTTING ANY PRESSURE ON THE OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE SEAT AND CONSEQUENTLY, I EXPECT THAT WE WILL, FROM TIME TO TIME, BREAK A SEAT WHICH IS DESIGNED TO BREAK DURING THE NORMAL OPERATION OF PUTTING WEIGHT ON THE EDGE - A CLEAR VIOLATION OF GOOD ENGINEERING DESIGN. *AK
Bmw 528ia 1998
  • Date Of Incident: 2003-04-15
  • Date Complaint: 2003-04-30
  • Components: WHEELS
  • Summary: LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 50,000 MILES
Bmw 528ia 1997
  • Date Of Incident: 2001-09-13
  • Date Complaint: 2001-09-18
  • VIN: WBADD6324VB
  • Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN
  • Summary: VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING TO AN INTERSECTION, THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER, DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN, IT WAS THE OXYGEN SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE STALLING.*AK CONSUMER STATES THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT VEHICLE STALLED, ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, AS A RESULT OF PROBLEM WITH DRIVESHAFT.*JB
Bmw 528ia 2000
  • Date Of Incident: 2001-05-02
  • Date Complaint: 2001-05-10
  • VIN: WBADM634XYG
  • Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
  • Summary: CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH CRUISE CONTROL. HE CAN BE RIDING ALONG AND WANTS TO ACCELERATE A LITTLE WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, AND AFTER ACCELERATION, SPEED SOMETIMES DOES NOT RETURN TO ORIGINAL SPEED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SPEED MAY DROP FROM 3-10 MPH BELOW THE PRESENT SPEED, AND THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN BACK TO THE PRESET SPEED, THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB
Bmw 528ia 1998
  • Date Of Incident: 1999-04-22
  • Date Complaint: 1999-12-13
  • VIN: WBADD6325WB
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: THE RIGHT MIRROR AUTOMATICALLY TIPS DOWN WHEN THE CAR IS IN RESERVE TO AID IN SEEING THE CURB - THE MIRROR HAS MALFUNCTIONED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BY NOT READJUSTING TO THE CORRECT POSITION - THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED ON AT LEAST 15 SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THE MIRRORS MEMORY - IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROBERLY. *AK

Recalls Bmw 528ia

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the Bmw 528ia.You can explore the year of the Volkswagen Jetta you are interested in by selecting it from the list.

  • Model: Bmw 528ia 1998
  • Report Received Date: 1998-06-22
  • Manufacturer: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE
  • Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
  • Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEALING MATERIAL OF THE SWITCH CAN DEVELOP LEAKS AND ALLOW WATER ENTRY.
  • Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN EVENTUALLY RESULT IN AN INCORRECT INDICATION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION, WHICH COULD ALSO CAUSE THE CAR NOT TO START, OR ALLOW IT TO START IN A DRIVE GEAR, SUCH AS 'DRIVE' OR 'REVERSE.'
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION SWITCH.

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