NHTSA Data Explorer

BMW 740iL

Data refreshed May 30, 2026

Select a model year to filter results to that year of the BMW 740iL.

Complaints

300

Active records

Recalls

24

Active records

TSBs

198

Active records

Filing history

Monthly totals over the last 20 years. Click a legend item to show or hide that series.

Reported severity

Based on consumer complaints filed since 2000. Recalls and TSBs do not include severity data.

Deaths

0

Injuries

19

Crashes

13

Fires

13

Top reported issues — BMW 740iL

Click a category to expand its values.

Condition issue

83

Operating state

81

Reporting mechanism

50

Safety restraint issue

50

Fluid issue

37

Engine behavior

30

Access/entry issue

29

Thermal issue

27

Noise

25

Transmission/drivetrain behavior

21

Braking behavior

18

Performance issue

14

Safety restraint behavior

12

Vibration/harshness

11

Driver assistance issue

10

Steering behavior

10

Electrical issue

9

Lighting behavior

9

Infotainment behavior

6

Smell

6

Starting behavior

6

Ride/handling behavior

5

Communication/network issue

1

HVAC behavior

1

Powering on/off behavior

1

Wiper/washer behavior

1

Recent filings

The 10 most recent filings for each type.

2000 BMW E38

Filed Nov 23, 2019


1 injured
Fire

DRIVERS SIDE CAUGHT FIRE WHEN TURNING ON SEAT WARMERS FOR FIRST TIME IN SEASON. JACKET CAUGHT FIRE, ALONG WITH INTERNAL CLOTHING WITH MINOR BURNS.

2006 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Jun 24, 2019


1 injured

DOORS DONT ALWAYS LATCH AND A PERSON WAS THROWN FROM CAR, HAVE CALLED DEALER SHIP AND THEY SAID NO RECALL BUT MY CAR IS DOING IT AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM , I NEED MY CAR ADDED TO RECALL LIST ASAP

2001 BMW 740IL

Filed Jun 21, 2019


TAKATA RECALL MY CAR BRAKE LIGHTS JUST STARTED TO STAY ELIMINATED WHEN I AM DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO ADJUSTS ON ITS ON UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE IS WHEN THE VECHILE IS IN MOTION ON ANY HIGHWAY

2012 BMW 7-SERIES

Filed Apr 16, 2019


LOW ENGINE OIL COMES ON EVERY FEW MONTHS AND I HAVE TO ADD OIL AT THAT TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OIL IS GOING BUT LEVEL IS DOWN TO MINIMUM. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR.

2006 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Mar 18, 2019


BLOWS OUT WHILE/BLUISH SMOKE, SHIFTS INTO PARK WHEN IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, WON'T GO FORWARD. TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT ON. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY PUT OIL IN IT. THERE IS NO REASON WHY I SHOULD BE HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS, I SEE THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE OR PURCHASED THIS SAME CAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TRULY BELIEVE BMW NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. IT'S TERRIBLE THAT ONE WOULD PAY SO MANY CH FOR A LUXURY CAR FOR IT TO HAVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS.

2008 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Dec 4, 2018


GETTING ERROR FAULT IN PASS.-RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER. FASTEN AND CONTINUE TO WEAR BELTS. PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST BMW CENTER. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FIXED ON 06 07 BMW 750LI BY RECALL WHAT MAKES 08 DIFFERENT?

2003 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Nov 3, 2018


WITHOUT WARNING, THE HOOD LATCH UNLOCKED AND CAUSED THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING , HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE 2017/1/23. DEALERSHIP HAS TO SEE IT HAPPEN IN ORDER TO FIX. MILEAGE 100858 AT TIME I FIRST NOTICE IT.

2003 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Nov 3, 2018


THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE TENSION SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,082.

2007 BMW 7 SERIES

Filed Oct 5, 2018


AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WARNING STATES FAULT IN PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING THE AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER THIS WARNING ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE ON 9/30/2018. THERE WAS NO ONE SITTING THE IN PASSENGER SEAT AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO COLLISIONS.

2001 BMW 740IL

Filed Sep 9, 2018


I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULES IN THE BMW 7 SERIES FROM MODEL YEAR 1995 TO 2001 HAVE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULES THAT ARE FAILING AT A VERY HIGH RATE, LEAVING OWNERS WITHOUT AIRBAGS AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON. THE NEW MODULE FROM BMW IS $1400. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY TO CARS IN COLD CLIMATES.

Data sourced from NHTSA's public datasets. Issue classifications are generated by Repair Surge. About this data.

Updated May 30, 2026. Refreshed nightly.