1998 BMW 5-Series BMW 5-Series 1998

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1998 BMW 5-Series repairs by problem area

Engine (60%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (2%)

Brakes and Traction Control (0%)

Suspension and Steering (19%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (14%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (0%)

Other (5%)

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Chart based on 42 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 1998 BMW 5-Series.

1998 BMW 5-Series repair cost distribution

$2500+ (6%)

$1000 - $2499 (3%)

$500 - $999 (13%)

$100 - $499 (50%)

< $100 (28%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 32 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

1998 BMW 5-Series

Engine not specified

BMW in Wisconsin, United States
Jun 2011 - Apr 2013
Jun 2012

218000 mi

US $126
Oil leak at drain plug after getting oil changed at oil change shop. 
Jan 2013

US $140
Left front lower control arm replaced due to wear. 
BMW in New York, United States
Sep 2011 - Jun 2013
Nov 2011

82300 mi

US $320
Thermostat housing was leaking according to the independent mechanic shop i brought my car too. Thermostat housing was replaced with an aluminum one, original was plastic valve cover gasket appeared to be leaking at 82,000 miles, not sure how well mechanic fixed the issue 
BMW in California, United States
Nov 2011 - Feb 2012
Jan 2012

245000 mi

US $50
Had an oil leak from the vanos line. 
Feb 2012

245000 mi

US $150
a bolt holding the hydraulic tensioner failed. 
BMW in Ontario, Canada
Nov 2011 - Nov 2016
Dec 2011

116560 mi

C $1600
Replace leaking valve cover gaskets Replace front upper control arms. Worn bushings caused front end vibration at speed. Replace broken rear left sway bar drop link. 
Jun 2012

118420 mi
Coolant leak to outside. Replaced leaking gaskets around valley pan and rear coolant accumulator. Also replace all heater hoses and o-rings. Air intake leak causing long cranks to start and occasional rough idle. Replaced intake manifold gaskets and fasteners, rear manifold cover (oil diaphragm), TB gaskets. Clean intake manifold, ICV, MAF, fuel injectors. Replace blower motor resistor (FSU) Power steering fluid leak. Replace hose clamps at PS reservoir. 
Oct 2012

120580 mi

C $600
Replace malfunctioning starter Replace leaking lower oil pan gasket Diagnose rough 2-1 downshift Diagnose slight steering wheel shimmy at speed and under braking 
Jan 2013

122140 mi

C $100
High idle speed condition. Replace accelerator cable and idle control valve. 
May 2013

122140 mi

C $150
Engine oil leak. Replace valve cover gaskets and upper timing cover gaskets. 
Nov 2016

141980 mi
Front thrust arm bushings worn out again. Resulted in vibration through steering wheel while braking hard. 
BMW in North Carolina, United States
Feb 2013 - Mar 2013
Mar 2013

134000 mi

US $120
ignition coil on cylinder 1 malfunctioned, causing misfire. 
BMW in Wisconsin, United States
Nov 2014 - Dec 2014
Dec 2014

210000 mi

US $100
blower motor resistor failed, replaced it after failed repair attempt and no heat blowing 
BMW in Ontario, Canada
Oct 2010 - Jan 2011
Dec 2010

119040 mi

C $800
exhaust manifold has to be replaced. Spark plugs were also replaced 
BMW in Manitoba, Canada
Jun 2016 - Jun 2018
May 2016

112220 mi

C $700
Water pump leaking. Replaced gaskets, pulleys, water pump, hoses, o-rings, rad cap 

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1998 BMW 5-Series 4-door

6-cylinder manual 2WD

BMW in Virginia, United States
Sep 2010 - Jan 2011
Oct 2010

120000 mi

US $3000
My water pump seized (pump was only 3 years old) and fried the accessory drive system, including the entire AC system and thermostat. 
BMW in Nova Scotia, Canada
Nov 2010 - Sep 2013
Feb 2012

202740 mi
Driver side door brake broke when caught by wind gust Residual heat waterpump/valve has intermittent failures, need to replace it, purchased replacement still need to install it. 
Jun 2012

207700 mi

C $200
part 3332677742 RR suspension link replaced due to wear and tear, was getting a bit loose in the joints 
Jul 2012

208940 mi

C $40
Muffler hanger broke, and replaced. 
Mar 2013

213280 mi
Removed Air trapped in system from when entire cooling system was replaced in 2009 (280000 Kkms) 
Jun 2013

215140 mi

C $156
A/C needed recharge only 
Aug 2013

215140 mi

C $10
Starter cable disconnected from its main terminal point at the firewall under the steering column. Reconnected the cable with a new terminal lug. Corrosion and old age caused the copper to be totally disintegrated. 
BMW in North Carolina, United States
Dec 2010 - Jan 2011
Jan 2011

185000 mi

US $162
The engine overheated recently, called the repair facility to schedule an appointment. They replaced the thermostat, thermostat housing, coolant hose and the a/c belt. 

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1998 BMW 5-Series 4-door

6-cylinder automatic 2WD

BMW in New Caledonia
May 2011 - Apr 2013
Nov 2011

67580 mi

$230
Rear rhd window lift failure, (iron cable). Fix it the day, with the replacement of the window lift. 
Dec 2012

76260 mi

$250
Camshaft sensor, wrong signal. First oil service and fuel filter replacement 
BMW in Florida, United States
Sep 2010 - Feb 2011
Oct 2010

109000 mi

US $120
Radiator hose broken. Replace broken hose & another noted old & flush coolant. 
BMW in Belgium
Sep 2010 - Jun 2011
Oct 2010

121520 mi
Dealer had to change the light bulb. Otherwise no problems at all. 
Dec 2010

121520 mi

€200
The dealer had to replace the sensor that permits the working of the crankcase. 
BMW in Florida, United States
Sep 2010 - Jul 2011
Oct 2010

129000 mi

US $600
The vehicle started out with the water temperature gauge malfunctioning which they went away after 10 minutes of driving. The temperature gauge continue to malfunction until the radiator started leaking coolant. Radiator was then replaced. 
May 2011

135000 mi

US $227
Vehicle had three leaks: One Power Steering Leak and Two Oil Leaks. The power steering leak was fixed temporarily but the two oil leaks were too expensive to fix. 
Jul 2011

136000 mi
Oil leaks when sold. 

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1998 BMW 5-Series 2-door

6-cylinder manual 2WD

BMW in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2011 - Dec 2014
Jul 2011

177320 mi

C $11000
clutch fan seized and exploded: new clutch fan installed new fan installed, new radiator installed, new fan shroud installed dent to hood (from exploding fan) not repaired 

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1998 BMW 5-Series Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 1998 BMW 5-Series problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.