2003 BMW 7 Series

Routine

Owners filed 8 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seats › front assembly › power adjust. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Wheels1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Tires1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum1
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust1
000
Seat Belts1
000
Engine1
000
Air Bags1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum10V446000
Filed Oct 1, 2010198,352 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Risk. POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.

Seats › Front Assembly › Seat Heater/Cooler04V575000
Filed Dec 6, 200417,905 vehiclesBmw Of North America, Llc

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT HEATING SYSTEMS, UPON ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE, EXCESSIVE CONTACT WITH THE SIDE BOLSTER THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE SEAT'S BACKREST MAY DAMAGE THE HEATING MAT LOCATED IN THIS AREA. IF SUCH DAMAGE WERE TO OCCUR, WITH THE SYSTEM TURNED ON, THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT MAY FEEL EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THIS AREA.

Risk. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HEATING MAT IN THE BACKREST'S SIDE BOLSTER COULD OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE, OR MELT A SMALL HOLE IN, THIS AREA OF THE SEAT COVER. IF THIS HAPPENED, IT COULD LEAD TO AN OCCUPANT BEING BURNED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE SEAT HEATING CIRCUIT. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 3, 2018100,858 milesVA

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.

Air Bags
Filed Nov 3, 2018101,085 milesVA

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.

Seat Belts
Filed May 27, 2015139,000 milesMD

SEAT BELT RESTRAINT TENSIONER FAULTY

Engine
Filed Aug 23, 201399,000 milesNC

CAR DOES NOT START CORRECTLY AND STALLS WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR

Tires
Filed Aug 5, 2011105,000 milesCA

TIRES UNEVEN WEAR. *TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum
Filed Dec 7, 201062,300 milesIL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSISTS: VACUUM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP WAS LEAKING BUT WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT ONLY THE VACUUM LINE HOSE WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND NOT THE PUMP. THE VACUUM PUMP WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID OFFER ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,300. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 02/03/11*JB

Wheels
Filed Dec 30, 200864,500 milesMD

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295S IN WASHINGTON DC AROUND 11:30PM ON DEC 28TH 2008. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE I NOTICED MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A POLICE OFFICER I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRES WITH A SPARE AND ANOTHER TIRE MY FAMILY MEMBER BROUGHT FROM HOME. THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE REAR RIM WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AND THE INSIDE RING WAS RESTING ON THE BREAK ASSEMBLY. THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT RIM HAD SIMILAR DAMAGE IN THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AROUND THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE RIM. *TR

Seats › Front Assembly › Power Adjust
Filed Aug 1, 2003CA

BRAND NEW BMW 760LI , SEAT MEMORY DOES NOT OPERATE AND MOVE THE SEATS PROPERLY WHEN CAR IS REMOTELY UNLOCKED AS PER THE CARS OPERATING MANUAL AND LISTED FEATURES. BMW NORTH AMERICA TOLD US THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER WITH AN UPDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR OVER 14 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHO PAYS THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BE TOLD YOU HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH FOR A SOLUTION, A SIMPLE ONE.*AK

8 of 8 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20122100Routine
20113100Routine
20102200Routine
20099210Routine
200811110Routine
200713200Routine
200629300Routine
20054100Routine
200428410Routine
2003 — this page8200Routine
20024100Routine
20012000Routine
20002000Routine
19992000Routine
19972000Routine
19961000Routine
19952000Routine

Compare every 7 Series year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Oct 1, 2010. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.