Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1979 528i.
The 1979 BMW 528i carries a dataset record of just one owner complaint, categorized as “Unknown Or Other,” alongside zero recalls, an exceptionally sparse reliability footprint. Measured against the broader model-line history tracked from 1997 to 2015—a span whose lowest annual complaint count is three in 2001 and whose peak reaches 198 complaints in 2011—that single 1979 entry sits below even the later floor. That placement indicates the 1979 model year generated the fewest documented owner complaints of any point in the available record.
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the 528i of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 528 528i Sedan 2.8L I-6 | 9.30 sec | 16.60 sec | 169 hp | RWD |
| 1980 | 528 528i Sedan 2.8L I-6 | 8.20 sec | 16.30 sec | 169 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1979 BMW 528i shows only one recorded complaint in the federal record, categorized solely as "Unknown Or Other," with zero crash or fire complaints. However, the provided year-by-year federal record spans from 1997 to 2015, meaning there is no comparative data for the years immediately before or after the 1979 model year. Consequently, it is impossible to describe a complaint or recall trend across the generation because the dataset skips the entire 1979 production era. The single complaint listed for the target year does not specify a root cause, leaving potential mechanical issues undefined by this data. Ultimately, buyers cannot rely on this federal record to determine if this is a good year to buy due to the absence of relevant generation data.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| B510819 | 2024-01-16 | Electrical System | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.