1999 BMW 740i

Routine

Owners filed 8 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags › frontal. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags › Frontal2
100
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission1
000
Engine1
000
Electrical System1
000
Air Bags1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Steering › Linkages › Drag › Link › Connection10E021000
Filed May 27, 2010150 vehiclesFcp Groton, Llc

Defect. FCP GROTON IS RECALLING CERTAIN STEERING CENTER DRAG LINKS, P/N 32 21 1 096 057, SOLD FROM DECEMBER 1, 2009 THROUGH APRIL 9, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 2001 BMW 740I, 740IL, AND 750IL PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SHAFT OF THE STEERING CENTER TIE ROD MAY SHEAR OFF.

Risk. THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT, WITHOUT WARNING, IN IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy. FCP GROTON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE TIE ROD WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JUNE 1, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FCP GROTON TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-634-0063.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Dec 15, 2015WV

BMW E38 HAVE A HIGH TENDENCY FOR THE GUIDES FOR THE CAMSHAFT CHAIN (S) TO FRACTURE AND COME APART. THIS LEADS TO PLASTIC PIECES TO CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, PLASTIC AND METAL SHAVINGS TO BE OBSERVED IN THE LOWER OIL PAN AS WELL AS JUMP IN TIMING FOR THE OWNER WHO HAS TO EITHER PAY$$$ OR JUNK THE CAR. THE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST UTILIZED CARBON FIBER GUIDES. MANY OF THESE FAILURES OCCUR EVEN BEFORE 125K.. I FIND IT INCOMPREHENSIBLE THAT SOMEONE WHO PAYS 70K FOR THIS VEHICLE TO HAVE TO ENDURE SPENDING ANOTHER 5-6K TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN. JUST LOOK AT YOUTUBE.COM AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT I AM REFERRING TO. WISH I'D BOUGHT A USED FORD.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 11, 2012130,000 milesIL

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK APPROXIMATELY 3AM IN THE MORNING AND I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO MY TURN AND I WAS SLOWING DOWN AND I HIT A POT HOLE.. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOY ALMOST CAUSE ME TO WRECK MY CAR... *TR

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Nov 16, 201078,500 milesMD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW 740I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH SLIGHT PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES MOMENTARILY LOCKED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT THEN BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE HAS SINCE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,900.

Tires › Sidewall
Filed Jun 26, 2007NJ

KUHMO TIRES - ZRATED 235/50/18 TIRES ON 1999 BMW 740I - TIRES ONE MONTH OLD. LOW USAGE - SIDEWALL BLOW OUT WITH NO EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO SIDEWALL. DEFECT IN TIRE.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 23, 2005IL

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 99V005000 CONCERNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. ALSO, HE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS PREVIOUSLY. THE DEALER REPAIRED A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

Electrical System
Filed Apr 8, 200336,000 milesOH

TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT ARE ALL INDICATING FAILURE. DEALER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. BRAKES APPEAR TO WORK OK BUT WARNING LIGHTS CAUSE CONCERN. *NLM

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Feb 19, 2003MI

THE VEHICLE HIT A TREE, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB

Air Bags › FrontalCrash
Filed Feb 13, 2003MI

CONSUMER HIT A TREE, AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB

8 of 8 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20250300Routine
20243500Routine
202311900Routine
20211200Routine
20201200Routine
20194100Routine
20185000Routine
20177000Routine
201612000Routine
20151100Routine
20141100Routine
20131100Routine
20124100Routine
200115410Routine
200012210Routine
1999 — this page8100Routine
19988100Routine
19973300Routine
19961300Routine
19959500Routine
19947200Routine
199315220Routine

Compare every 740i 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: May 27, 2010. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.