15 problems related to radiator have been reported for the 1997 BMW 540. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The radiator neck broke off while driving at highway speed on my 1997 540i. It is a common problem with BMW by all accounts, owners, technicians and even my own previously experienced it with an 1988 735i. Plastic parts on the radiator is unacceptable, dangerous and costly. This has been a problem for more than 10 years on these expensive luxury vehicles with no resolution by BMW.
(1) replaced water pump and accessory belts. On a forum that I read, many suggest replacing the radiator when replacing the water pump, as preventive maintenance due to the radiator's high and frequent failure. Replace the radiator as preventive maintenance?!? I would rather not. A radiator is not an oil or air filter. (2) upper neck on the radiator broke and released more than a gallon of coolant, in less than 50 feet, in the form of liquid and steam. The steam obscured vision on the drivers side of the vehicle. Luckily I was making a right-hand turn into a parking lot. (3) no repair as of yet. The failure of the radiator occurred at approximately 11:00 am. I made it home at 12:05 p. M. I called the local BMW parts department (one hour and thirty minutes away) to arrange to pay for the radiator by credit card and then have the part left with one of the salespersons, because the parts department closes at 1:00 p. M. But they no longer accept credit card purchases over the phone from in-state customers, even after practically begging. Very poor practice unless they want to loose customers. Actually immediately after I submit this I will go on-line and try to find an after-market radiator. Probably of better quality anyway. Sad but true. I encourage the release of the information contained in this questionnaire to the manufacturer of my vehicle.
My 1997 BMW 540i 6-speed had a radiator failure at 77,500 miles. The plastic radiator connection point for the top hose snapped off. This appears to be a well know issue after speaking with BMW service techs and searching BMW internet sites. I believe that the manufacture should take care of this issue.
1997 BMW 540ia radiator failure. Upper hose connection cracked off unexpectedly, causing catastrophic dump of engine coolant. Vehicle was immediately disabled.
I own a 1997 BMW 540i. Radiator broke at plastic attachment point. Coolant leaked all over the windshield and engine. This seems to be a well known defect among owners of this car due to the plastic attachment point at the junction of the hose and the radiator.
My 1997 BMW 540i6 radiator broke on me while driving on a highway on 5/30/03.
1997, BMW, 540i radiator failure @ 77,500 miles (detected by BMW dealer during routine service inspection); radiator replaced at my cost.
At the precise moment I fully depressed the accelerator to pass a slow-moving vehicle, causing the automatic transmission to down shift, the radiator upper neck broke off, causing complete loss of coolant. Significant steam was generated from the leak and caused a cloud behind my car that could have blocked the view of a following vehicle. I was traveling at highway speeds which minimized the steam's ability to block my view, but at lower speeds the steam may have completely blocked my view. Considering I was passing a vehicle, there was a risk that if my view was obstructed, an accident with either the vehicle being passed or oncoming traffic could have resulted. I was stranded until my temporary repairs allowed me to limp to the nearest repair facility. I understand that this is a common failure mode for this vehicle, and request an investigation be initiated.
The radiator hose connection at the top of the radiator failed completely. It is made of plastic, and split under cool weather conditions. This resulted in replacement of entire radiator, and replacement of radiator overflow container. It would appear that the use of plastic in this application resulted in heat stress over time, eventually resulting in complete failure without warning. Possible engine damage still being assessed at this time. I understand that this problem has occurred too many customers, however, the factory replacement parts appear to be exactly the same as original. Therefore, I can expect total coolant failure again in the future. This seems imprudent, and I have no response from BMW on this issue.
A faulty radiator design (plastic neck?) caused my 97 BMW 540ia to break down on the freeway during rush hour.
Radiator/overflow tank on my 1997 Bmws 540ia cracked and needed replacement at 85,000 miles. The radiators in Bmws are known as a weakness and continually fail on owners. This situation should be remedied!.
Radiator failure on BMW 540i with only 51k miles, causing loss of traction and almost a wreck.
The upper radiator hose unexpectly separated from the radiator. Inspection showed that the plastic radiator had broken at the hose fitting. The resulting steam cloud and water deposits on windshield abruptly obscured vision, leading to a very dangerous situation. Non-reinforced plastic is an unsafe material for use in this application.
While driving on the highway, steam started coming from the engine, obstructing consumers vision. Consumer pulled over and check under the hood, and observed that the connection between the engine and the radiator had broke. The dealership replaced radiator, and indicated that this is a common problem. Ts.
The radiator in my 1997 BMW 540i has failed twice since I have owned it. I see this as a safety issue.