Recalls: BMW E34 5-Series Touring
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: BMW E34 5-Series Touring
- In July 1996, a recall was issued for certain E34 5-Series vehicles due to a fault in the brake light switch which could result in the brake lights not cancelling after the vehicle has stopped braking, or not illuminating at all (PRA 1996/2870).
- In November 1998, a recall was issued for certain E34 5-Series vehicles due to a defective radiator cap (PRA 1998/3726).
- In November 2006, a recall was issued for E34 5-Series Touring vehicles that were manufactured from 2 May 1995 to 4 June 1996. In these vehicles, the control cam of the steering wheel lock may break (PRA 2006/8885).
Problems and faults: BMW E34 5-Series Touring
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
E34 525i: M50B25 engine
- Overheating may be caused by a defective water pump or thermostat –
- For the water pump, the plastic impellor can become brittle and crack. To prevent this, a water pump with a metal impellor can be installed. For later pumps, BMW used a higher-grade plastic; and,
- The plastic thermostat housing can become brittle and crack. aluminium thermostat housings are available as a replacement.
- The hydraulic lifters can wear out, producing noisy and inefficient valvetrain operation. This can be detected by a ‘ticking’ noise from the engine.
- On high mileage engines, the timing chain can stretch, causing poor running and a ‘clagging’ noise. Replacement of the timing chain tensioner may fix this issue and alleviate the noise.
Problems and faults: BMW E34 5-Series Touring
- Using the air conditioning may cause small flakes to be emitted from the vents or an unpleasant odour – a redesigned evaporator was subsequently released to fix these problems.
- The climate control system may not work due to fuse #20 repeatedly blowing; BMW has approved replacing the original 10-amp fuse with a 15-amp fuse.
- The hazard warning lights may start flashing or the turn signals may flash at double their normal speed due to condensation shorting out the circuit board.
- If the central locking system unlocks itself after being locked or locks itself after being unlocked, the actuators could be defective or the boot lock may need to be adjusted.
- The starter may fail due to a sticking ignition switch which prevents it from switching off after the engine has started. To fix, both the lock and switch must be replaced.
- For automatic transmissions, the transmission may slip and/or the ‘check engine’ light may illuminate due to the torque converter clutch (TCC) slipping and/or TCC solenoid failure.
