1997 BMW 540 Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 2about this part
- Share
- 29%of 7 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 141,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 2 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1997 BMW 540, 29% of the 7 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 141,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The contact owns a 1997 Bmw 540. The contact stated that the transmission failed and the vehicle inspected by the dealer who advised that the transmission ring gear failed and cause the transmission to slip into safe mode. The manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not under recall and the vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 141,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10396026, filed 2011-04, 141,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2 | 29% |
Other parts of the 1997 BMW 540
← All problems reported for the 1997 BMW 540
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology