# 1999 BMW 540I — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `465711` · 2004-04-13 · BMW of North America, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BMW
- **Model:** 540I
- **Year:** 1999
- **Manufacturer:** BMW of North America, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 54,000
- **Speed:** 10 mph
## Narrative
DURING A DOWN SHIFT, MY CAR SOMETIMES JUMP FORWARD A FOOT OR SO AND MAKES A THUMP DOWN SHIFTING NOISE.  THIS FORCES ME TO APPLY THE BREAK QUICKLY.  JUST A WEEK AGO, I HIT A CURVE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND THE BOTTOM BUMPER COVER OF THE CAR GOT HIT AND BECAME CRACKED!  LUCKILY THIS PROBLEM IS RARE.  THIS IS ABOUT 4TH FAILURE IN A SPAN OF 10 MONTHS.      FOR ABOUT 10 MONTHS, MY CAR ALSO STALLS (ENGINE LOSES POWER) DURING A SLOWDOWN.  USUALLY THIS HAPPENS WHEN I SLOW TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN.  I NEARLY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT FEW TIMES THIS MONTH BECAUSE MY CAR STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION DURING A TURN.  THIS OCCURS ABOUT 0-2 TIMES PER MONTH AND EACH TIME I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER, IM INFORMED THAT THEY SEE NO PROBLEMS OR THE PROBLEM IS FIXED.  IVE REPORTED THIS COMPLAINT TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ASKED IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.  THEYVE TOLD ME NO.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*