- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 M340i, M340i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, X3 M40i, 2020-2021 X4 M40i, 745Le xDrive, 2019-2021 Z4 M40i, and 2020-2021 Toyota Supra vehicles. During engine start, the engine management software may cause loss of braking assist. Full mechanical braking (without assist) remains available.
- The risk
- Loss of braking assist can increase the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will update the engine management software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Vehicle safety record
2020 BMW 540I Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 2020 BMW 540I have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in August 2021 for the engine.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical 540I year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
2020 BMW 540I recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- The risk
- If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 530i xDrive, 540i xDrive and 2021 740Li xDrive vehicles. The output shafts (left/right) which transfer power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels may break due to a heat treatment error during supplier production.
- The risk
- A broken output shaft can lead to a loss of drive power or a rollaway condition in a parked vehicle (if the parking brake is not engaged), increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the output shaft(s), free of charge. The recall began March 24, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 X3 sDrive 30i, X3 xDrive 30i, X3M 40i, X3 xDrive 30e, X4 xDrive 30i, X4M 40i, 530i, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 550e, 550e xDrive, and 550e iPerformance vehicles. A small portion of the rearview image may be slightly obscured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- The risk
- If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, program the rearview camera with updated software. The recall began November 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
- The problem
- BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
- The risk
- The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 2020 BMW 540I yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
BMW 540I: every year compared
All 540I years2020 BMW 540I vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 BMW 540I | 0 | 5 | F | |
| 2020 BMW 3 Series | 53 | 0 | D | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 5 Series | 16 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 2 Series | 4 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran | 4 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 4 Series | 3 | 0 | B | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 4 Series Gran | 3 | 0 | - | Compare |
| 2020 BMW 530E | 3 | 3 | C | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2020 BMW 540I
Does the 2020 BMW 540I have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2020 BMW 540I: engine (August 2021); camera (February 2021); driveshaft (February 2021); camera (September 2020) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 2020 BMW 540I had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 2020 BMW 540I a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 13 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical BMW 540I year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which BMW 540I years have the most complaints?
1997 (27), 1998 (26), 1999 (22). See every BMW 540I year compared.
What should I do if my 2020 BMW 540I has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data