1998 Bmw 740IL problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
25 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
106,935 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 20 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 6 of 25 complaints (24.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 6 | 24.0% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 16.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 12.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 12.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 4 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 2 |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
Electrical System: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly: 4; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 3; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 2; Exterior Lighting: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 7 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 7; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 6
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
2000: 1; 2002: 3; 2003: 2; 2004: 1; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2008: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 4; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2015: 3
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 6 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10120642 · 2005-06-07 (June 7, 2005)
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS AGO THE CLUSTER ON THE DASH WENT OUT THE TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. MONDAY, MAY 9, THE VEHICLE STARTED CHUGGING, AS IF RUNNING OUT OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT SEARCHED THE VEHICLE BUT HE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL TANK. *NM *SB THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10120642 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10219753 · 2008-02-29 (February 29, 2008)
NOTICE A BUMPING SOUND FOR REAR OF CAR WHEN STOPPED AND RUNNING. FUEL TANK IS IMPLODING!! ALSO, NOTICED THAT GAS TANK MAKES A WHOOSING/SUCKING SOUND WHINE THE GAS CAP IS REMOVED. HEAVY GAS FUMES WHEN THE CAR IS SITTING. NOTICED VERY STRONG GAS FUMES.....GAS TANK IS NOW LEAKING! I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AM AWAITING TO HERE BACK FORM THEM. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A NORMAL ISSUE WITH THE 740IL. WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE TANK REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT. QUITE COSTLY!!! WAS TOLD THAT BMW HAS A SERVICE B…
Owner-reported narrative. 199,562 miles reported. Look up ODI 10219753 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10314873 · 2010-02-27 (February 27, 2010)
THIS IS ABOUT MY 1998 740IL BMW. TWO TIMES SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE THE ENGINE REVEVED UP WHEN I WAS PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL. I FOUND THE PROBLEM. COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS MERCEDES BENZ, THE ACCELARATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE CLOSER TOGETHER. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL OF THE BMW COMPRESSES FURTHER DOWN THAT WITH ANY OTHER CAR. AS A RESULT, IF MY FOOT WAS ONLY ON THE EDGE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT EXTENDED OVER ONTO THE GAS PEDAL. THE HARDER I PRESSED THE BRAKE, THE MORE GAS I WAS GIVING THE EN…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10314873 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10321543 · 2010-03-23 (March 23, 2010)
ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH PROCEEDING NORTH ON STATE ROUTE 3 IN VIRGINIA WHEN THE AUTO STARTED TO ACCELERATE. TAPPED THE BRAKE NO EFFECT. TURNED OF THE CRUISE CONTROL NO EFFECT. BY THIS TIME I AM DOING 90 MPH SO I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THAT HAD AN EFFECT. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOT OUT RAISED THE HOOD COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. GOT IN THE AUTO AND STARTED IT UP. RPM WENT SHOOTING UP SHUT THE AUTO OFF. CHECKED THE LINKAGE TO THE THROTTLE COULD SEE NO PROBLEMS. WORKED THE LINKAGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS BINDING NO BINDING. DROVE …
Owner-reported narrative. 142,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10321543 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10059250 · 2004-02-18 (February 18, 2004)
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED A LIGHT COMES ON THE DASH WARNING ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAIL SAFE PROGRAM. WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 80,210 miles reported. Look up ODI 10059250 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10249908 · 2008-11-26 (November 26, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 740IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE WORDS "FAILSAFE MODE" ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD BE NEEDED AT THE COST OF $6,000. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V005000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VIN. THE C…
Owner-reported narrative. 91,690 miles reported. Look up ODI 10249908 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10704840 · 2015-04-09 (April 9, 2015)
THE ALARM SYSTEM RUNS DOWN THE BATTERY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BLANKS CONSTANTLY WHILE CAR IS RUNNING ALSO BACK TAILLIGHT GOES OFF ON ON ON PASSAGE SIDE . *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 97,386 miles reported. Look up ODI 10704840 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 762083 · 2002-05-20 (May 20, 2002)
WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGWAY AND TAKING A TURN OVER A CURVED PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY I FOUND THE POWER IN THE STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD. WHE I TRIED TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE THE BRAKE WAS ALSO QUITE HARD. THE CAR HAD THEN TO BE TOWED TO A BMW DEALERSHI, AND THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED AND FIXED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE BELTS TO BREAK, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER IN THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. THIS WAS QUITE A DISTURBING EXPERIENCE WHIEL DRIVING THIS CAR ON …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 762083 at NHTSA ↗