BMW 740i
Owners filed 129 complaints across 22 model years of the BMW 740i. The 2001 drew the most (15); the 2025 the fewest (0).
Model years22
Complaints129
Recalls49
Fires4
Deaths0
Every BMW 740i model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2024 | 3 | 5 | — | — | Electronic Stability Control (esc) | Routine | |
| 2023 | 11 | 9 | — | — | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2021 | 1 | 2 | — | — | Lane Departure › Assist | Routine | |
| 2020 | 1 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly | Routine | |
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2016 | 12 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2012 | 4 | 1 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Routine | |
| 2001 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 2 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2000 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 1999 | 8 | 1 | — | 1 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1998 | 8 | 1 | — | 1 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | Routine | |
| 1997 | 3 | 3 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly | Routine | |
| 1996 | 1 | 3 | — | — | Suspension › Front › Springs › Leaf Spring Assembly | Routine | |
| 1995 | 9 | 5 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline | Routine | |
| 1994 | 7 | 2 | — | — | Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine | Routine | |
| 1993 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings | Routine |
Which BMW 740i years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2001 is the weakest year on record, with 15 complaints concentrated in the engine. It carries 4 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.