Table 1 shows one common exterior lighting related problems of the 2002 BMW 540.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Headlights problems |
The plastic covers on on the headlights of my BMW became crazed/frosted. Every BMW of this vintage has the same problem. I showed this to occur in 2010 at 100,000 miles, but in fact it was a steady degradation over several years. It's a safety issue, because the light output is significantly reduced. Causing risk at normal highway speeds. In addition, the crazing/frosting results in additional glare to oncoming traffic. I asked about recalls/replacement program for this defect at my local BMW dealer; the service technician dismissed it as a normal aging issue. I strongly disagree. A car of this price, or any price, should have headlights that last longer than a few years. I'd replace the headlamp covers if they were available, but the only solution is to replace the entire headlamp assembly at a cost of $1238 for each side. Yes, $1238. This was a quite expensive auto, but regardless of cost, this safety issue should result in a recall.