Car Problem DataNHTSA records

1994 BMW 740Il

Routine

Owners filed 3 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine › gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline1
000
Engine and Engine Cooling1
000
Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch96V111000
Filed Jul 1, 1996180,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.

Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Nov 5, 2002NY

THE CONSUMER TEST DROVE THIS VEHICLE AND NOTICED ROUGH IDLE, IN WHICH HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SIGN OF IMPENDING FAILURE. THE ENGINE IS PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE BEFORE 100K MILES. THE NAKASIL ENGINE IN BMW'S ARE PRONE TO UNNATURAL CYLINDER WALL EROSION, DUE TO THE GASOLINE CONTAINING SULFUR. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY RELATED TO THE ENGINE LEAK, WITH RESULTS, AND ANY CHANGES TO THE ENGINE. *SCC

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Oct 15, 2002MS

THIS ENGINE IS A NIKASIL ENGINE THAT HAS NOT FAILED YET, BUT WILL FAIL DUE TO THE MATERIAL USED. MR

Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery
Filed Mar 10, 1999PA

NO SUMMARY

3 of 3 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200126210Routine
200020210Routine
19996100Routine
199826100Routine
199719210Routine
199611200Routine
199512410Routine
1994 — this page3100Routine
19939100Routine

Compare every 740Il year →

Other BMW models

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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: Jul 1, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.