1998 BMW 528i Recalls

No recalls on record Updated July 2026

No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1998 BMW 528i. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 6, 2026.

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS
4
STEERING
3
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
2
1crashes1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
2
POWER TRAIN
2
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
1
Total complaints39

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“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.”

SEATS · reported 2018-02-25

“-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…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2016-11-28

“-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…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2016-11-28

“-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…”

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · reported 2016-11-28

“-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…”

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL · reported 2016-11-28

“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…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2014-11-15

“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…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2010-10-15

“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…”

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION · reported 2010-03-03
Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 BMW 528i as of July 6, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.