2004 Bmw 745I problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
24 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
84,230 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 24 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 29.2% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 3 | 12.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 8.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.2% |
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 | 9 |
| Power Train | 8 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 |
Electrical System: 9; Power Train: 8; Engine: 6; Service Brakes: 3; Air Bags: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 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 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2011: 1; 2012: 10; 2014: 6; 2015: 4; 2016: 1; 2020: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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 10442427 · 2012-01-04 (January 4, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DECREASED HIS DRIVABILITY. IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER, NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 94,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442427 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10450593 · 2012-03-07 (March 7, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THE GEAR SHIFTED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS BUT THE DIAGNOSTIC FAILED TO PRODUCE ANY FAILURE CODES. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING IN …
Owner-reported narrative. 119,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10450593 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10427185 · 2011-09-26 (September 26, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY DECELERATED TO A STOP AS THE CONTACT APPLIED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER HOME AND PARKED WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 149,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10427185 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10472469 · 2012-08-25 (August 25, 2012)
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2004 BMW 745I. I RECEIVED A LETTER IN NOVEMBER 2010 FROM BMW STATING THAT THERE WAS RECALL ON BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. ON NOVEMBER 11 2010 BEFORE RECEIVING THIS RECALL LETTER. I HAD REPAIRS DONE TO MY BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. WHEN I CALLED BMW TO GET MY MONEY REFUNDED THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME "IT WAS DIFFERENT." I WAS CHARGED OVER 6,000 DOLLARS FOR THIS SERVICE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND WAS GIVEN DIFFERENT NUMBERS TO TRY TO GET MY MONEY BACK AND HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. I ALSO NOTICED ON A FEBRUARY 2011 ST. PETE TIMES ISSUE BMW …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10472469 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10574335 · 2014-03-24 (March 24, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 7451. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V344000 (ENGINE) AND 03V240000 (POWER TRAIN). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 117,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10574335 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683789 · 2015-02-17 (February 17, 2015)
LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. HAPPENS WHEN YOU ACCELERATE QUICKLY SPECIALLY WHILE CHANGING THE LANE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK, THEN I NEED TO PULL OVER SHUT THE CAR AND RESTART. WHEN THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT, BASED ON THE DTC CODE, HE FIRST RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE BATTERY, WHICH I DID. THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME, AND BASED ON THE DTC CODE CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR. AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. BMW REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THEY SAY THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR. I DON'T EXPECT T…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683789 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560824 · 2014-01-21 (January 21, 2014)
MY VEHICLE IS DISPLAYING THE EXACT SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN YOUR PREVIOUS RECALLS (04V344000 AND 03V240000). THE CAR STALLS AND WON'T RESTART, CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS GO CRAZY, TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE AND STABILITY CONTROL WARNINGS COME ON, VALVETRONIC DESYNCHRONIZATION, ECT. WENT TO A BMW DEALER AND THEY DENIED EITHER OF THESE RECALLS EXISTED. CALLED BMW CORPORATE AND THEY SAID MY CAR IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALLS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY NOT TRUE CONSIDERING THE PROBLEMS IT HAS AND THE UNCANNY RESEMBLANCE TO YOUR RECALL DESCRIPTIONS. BMW HAS OFFERED NO AS…
Owner-reported narrative. 84,230 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560824 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10464455 · 2012-07-06 (July 6, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE DYNAMIC DRIVE INACTIVE SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THIS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE…
Owner-reported narrative. 129,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10464455 at NHTSA ↗