2003 BMW 745Li

Routine

Owners filed 50 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 2 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
100,000 milesMedian miles at failure

37 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 105,000120,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags10
101
Service Brakes6
000
Vehicle Speed Control4
000
Electrical System4
000
Power Train3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Fuel System, Gasoline2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System2
000
Wheels › Rim1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling03V324000
Filed Aug 26, 20032,400 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE OIL FILTER DRAIN PLUG MAY BE INSUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOOSENING OF THE PLUG CAUSING AN INITIAL OIL SPRAY AND A SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAK.

Risk. IF A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL LOSS OCCURS, ENGINE DAMAGE MAY RESULT. DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE OF THE OIL FILTER DRAIN PLUG AND, IF NECESSARY, RETIGHTEN THE DRAIN PLUG WITH THE CORRECTLY SPECIFIED TORQUE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

Engine and Engine Cooling03V240000
Filed Jul 1, 20035,470 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO A SOFTWARE ERROR, A DESYNCHRONIZATION OF THE VALVETRONIC MOTORS FOR ENGINE BANKS I AND II MAY OCCUR. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE COULD STALL.

Risk. IN THOSE CASES, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF ENGINE ROUGHNESS, OR STALLING, AS WELL AS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND THE DRIVER'S REACTIONS, THIS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 8, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service Brakes
Filed Jul 20, 2022174,500 milesMN

The contact owns a 2003 BMW 745LI. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the brake fluid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with rotors, brake wear sensors, and brake failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 174,500.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 24, 2020115,000 milesMA

IT SHOWED UP ON MY DASH BOARD AND NOW ITS NOT GOING AWAY

Air Bags
Filed Jul 23, 201975,000 milesLA

THE AIRBAG LIGHT AND WARNING NEVER CLEARS WHEN DRIVING THE PASSGNERS AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON , SAYING BRING TO NEAREST BMW DEALER SHIP.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 3, 2017181,000 milesWV

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF STERLING LOCATED IN STERLING, VIRGINIA AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MALFUNCTION WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,000.

Power Train
Filed Mar 18, 2017GA

MY CAR IS HAVING SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT WERE RECALLED ON OTHER CARS OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. ALSO THE PARK LIGHTS WON'T WORK MOST OF THE TIME. THE TRACTION CONTROL AS WELL AS THE ANTILOCK BRAKES GO IN AND OUT. THE STABILITY CONTROL ON THE FEONT PASSENGER SIDE GOES OUT. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING.

Service Brakes
Filed Dec 15, 2016116,000 milesPA

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND ALMOST REAR ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WHERE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AFTER THAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE I WAS TOLD VACUUM BRAKE PUMP, THE LOCK RING SEAL, AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL BMW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED FOR MY VEHICLE AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE TO REPAIR.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Nov 8, 2016CA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 12, 2016202,082 milesVA

TL* 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 202,082.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Feb 29, 2016NY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEN INTO A BUILDING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LEG, BACK, AND NECK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE CRASH SCENE TO A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Electrical System
Filed Dec 10, 201570,000 milesOR

BOUGHT 2003 745LI NEW. MANY PROBLEMS FROM THE START AND OFTEN IN FOR SERVICE. DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR QUIT WORKING A YEAR AGO. LEARNED THIS IS COMMON WITH OTHER BLOGS AND BMW OWNERS. CURRENT MILES ARE ONLY 70,000. OVER THE PAST YEAR THE ENGINE HAS RUN EXTREMELY ROUGH EVEN HAVING TO STOP THE CAR BECAUSE OF IT. OCCASIONALLY HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO RESTART. AFTER THREE WEEKS IN THEIR SERVICE CENTER BMW CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THE CAUSE BUT WANT TO DO $4500 OF WORK IN THE ENGINE WHILE TELLING ME THEY CAN'T BE SURE THAT WHAT THEY DO WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM!?

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 2, 2015WV

THE CAR IS BUCKING AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED LIKE IT IS TRYING TO THROW ME OUT THE WINDOW

Electrical System
Filed Dec 10, 2014131,000 milesSC

I HAVE A SERIOUS OIL LEAK MY, LIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING, AIRBAG IN THE SEAT NOT WORKING, BRAKES AND HUD ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Engine
Filed Jul 25, 2014160,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CHIME SOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 21, 2014142,000 milesVA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745L. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG PASSENGER RESTRAINT WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2006 BMW 745LI MODEL VEHICLE BUT NOT THE 2003 MODEL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:13V564000: AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Service Brakes
Filed Jan 23, 2014115,000 milesCA

IN 2011 ROSEVILLE BMW BEGAN WORK ON A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE (RECALL CAMPAIGN 10V- 446.) THE FIRST STEP OF THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED BUT DUE TO A ?VISUAL INSPECTION? IT WAS DEEMED THAT THE REMAINING STEPS WERE NOT NECESSARY. ACCORDING THE RECALL NOTICES THEY DID NOT PROPERLY PERFORM THE RECALL AND WITHIN 18 MONTHS THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND PUMP BEGAN TO FAIL, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING TO BE INOPERABLE. AFTER BRINGING IT TO 2 BMW TECHNICIANS AND THE ROSEVILLE BMW DEALERSHIP IT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY DEEMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE EXACT SAME RESULT OF THE RECALL WITH THE SAME CAUSE. IN FACT, NO ONE HAS DENIED THAT THE PROBLEM I AM NOW EXPERIENCING IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE RECALL PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP AND BMW HAVE BEEN UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO GET APPROVAL TO FINISH THE RECALL CLAIM SINCE THE WORK WAS ALREADY STARTED. I HAVE NOT BEEN FURNISHED WITH ANY OF THE DETAILS FOR DENIALS AND THUS FAR NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR BMW ARE WILLING TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE DENIAL DETAILS, OR INITIAL RECALL WORK THAT WAS CONDUCTED (I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS WORK AT THE TIME AND THOUGHT THEY JUST REPLACED MY BATTERY, WHICH WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE.) IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP? LEGAL ACTION? *TR

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jun 7, 201344,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 760LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE EMISSION FILTER AND FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Nov 21, 2012171,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELTS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE ALSO COULD NOT BE SHIFTED FROM PARK. THE CONTACT HAD TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE ENGAGED IN NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 16, 2012143,000 milesVA

TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR!!!WHILE DRIVING, THIS CAR JUMPS INTO GEAR. FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND WHENEVER I STOP. IT ALSO STARTED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS CAR, I HAVE FOUND OUT THE 745LI MODELS ARE KNOWN FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS,AND LEAKS. THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON IT,BECAUSE APPARENTLY BMW KNOWS THIS,AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY SHOULD MAKE CONSUMERS AWARE THEY HAVE ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. I WENT TO DROP CAR OFF FOR REPAIR,AND THERE WERE 4 OTHER 745LI'S NEEDING SAME REPAIR. BMW SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THESE CARS,AND PAY TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED,OR REIMBURSE US IF WE ALREADY HAD THIS FIXED. *TR

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 1, 2012109,000 milesCA

THE 2003 BMW 745LI HAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.10V-446: BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. TOOK CAR IN TO LOCAL DEALER AND DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL DUE TO VACUUM PUMP LEAKING OIL, AND MUST BE REPLACED FIRST FULL OF CHARGE AT $1300.00USD. WHEN IN RECALL LETTER IT STATES THE PROBLEM TO BE "SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP INTO THE VACUUM HOSE, DEALER CLAIMS THERE ARE TO ONLY REPLACE VACUUM LINE HOSE. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PERFORM THE SERVICE AND THE MOMENT SO NOW I MUST DRIVE VEHICLE WITH FAULTY BRAKES! THANKS BMW USA! *TR

Service Brakes
Filed May 14, 2012114,750 milesMA

PARKING BRAKE FAULT LIGHT ON. STATES NO PARKING BRAKE AVAILABLE USING BUTTON WHEN STATIONARY. *JS

20 of 50 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20080100Routine
20070100Routine
20060100Routine
200525300Routine
200433010Routine
2003 — this page50200Routine
200236200Routine

Compare every 745Li 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: Aug 26, 2003. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.