NHTSA reviews defect petition on 2022 BMW 540I: Driveshaft to rear differential connection failure
On September 14, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Defect Petition (DP26009) into 2022 BMW 540I, concerning the power train. A Defect Petition is a request, usually from a vehicle owner, asking NHTSA to open a defect investigation; ODI reviews it and then grants or denies it. As of NHTSA’s latest data it is still open.
- Action
- DP26009 (Defect Petition)
- Status
- Open
- Component
- Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft
- Listed
- 1 make/model/year entry in NHTSA’s file
Vehicles under investigation
| Make | BMW |
|---|---|
| Model | 540I |
| Model years | 2022 |
As listed in NHTSA’s investigation file. Not every vehicle of a listed model is necessarily affected.
What ODI says
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received on September 1, 2026 a defect petition dated August 5, 2026, requesting an investigation into an alleged defect in BMW rear differential assemblies. The petitioner alleges Model year (MY) 2022 BMW 540i vehicles are experiencing a sudden mechanical failure that severs the drive connection between the driveshaft and the rear wheels. This defect petition has been opened to evaluate the issue and determine whether to grant or deny the petition. BMW filed Safety Recall 26V525 on August 12, 2026. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11761650.
Official summary by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for DP26009, quoted in full (U.S. government work, public domain).
What owners have reported
Owners filed 6 complaints with NHTSA about the model years in this investigation, reporting 1 crashes, 1 injuries. These are all complaints on file for those vehicles, about any problem, not only this one; complaints are unverified owner reports.
| Vehicle | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 540I | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Recalls and problems for these vehicles
Timeline
- ODI opens defect petition DP26009
- OpenNo closing date yet
What this means for owners
- An investigation is not a recall. NHTSA has not made a defect finding here, and owners are not asked to do anything yet. If a safety defect is confirmed, the manufacturer recalls the vehicles and the repair is free.
- Check your vehicle for open recalls with a free VIN recall check.
- Had this problem? File a complaint with NHTSA. Owner complaints are the evidence ODI uses to open and expand investigations.
Official record: search DP26009 or your vehicle at NHTSA.gov/recalls, which lists investigations alongside recalls. Data: NHTSA ODI investigations file, updated daily. All NHTSA investigations.