U.S. public vehicle records

2002 Bmw 745LI problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

36 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

97,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 36 complaints (27.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	9	25.0%
Engine operation	5	13.9%
Braking behavior	5	13.9%
Fuel system concerns	5	13.9%
Electrical and battery issues	3	8.3%
Steering behavior	1	2.8%

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.

Electrical System

Air Bags

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Fuel System, Gasoline

Engine And Engine Cooling

Fuel/Propulsion System

Seat Belts

Engine

Electrical System: 10; Air Bags: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Fuel System, Gasoline: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3; Seat Belts: 3; Engine: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 1

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 10 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.

2002

2003

2009

2010

2011

2012

2014

2015

2016

2018

2019

2020

2002: 1; 2003: 8; 2009: 5; 2010: 3; 2011: 6; 2012: 2; 2014: 2; 2015: 2; 2016: 2; 2018: 2; 2019: 2; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 5 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 10000614 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)

2002 BMW 745LI HIGH PITCH WHINE FROM TRANSMISSION, SIMILAR TO AIRCRAFT TURBINE ENGINE NOISE, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. BMW, IT'S DEALER AND HEADQUARTERS HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ARE UNABLE TO RESOLVE OR FIX IT. ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IS A SHIMMY FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000614 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10015661 · 2003-04-10 (April 10, 2003)

NAR 04/10/2003 THE CONSUMERS HAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THERE VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID TO A STOP WHEN ACCELERATING ON THE BRAKE, THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS LIGHT COMES ON FOR NO REASON, AND THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND ALLOWS IT TO FUNCTION HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND REPROGRAMMED 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING THIS SITUATION. *CB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015661 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021536 · 2003-06-03 (June 3, 2003)

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE VEHICLES ENGINE SPUTTERED AND SHUT DOWN WHEN STARTED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE ON BOARD COMPUTER WAS THE PROBLEM. *MR *SCC *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021536 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021687 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST COMPLETE POWER. *TT *SCC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021687 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10369242 · 2010-12-05 (December 5, 2010)

RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 10V-446, BMW BRAKE VACUUM PUMP I RECEIVE THE RECALL PAPER FROM BMW IN MAIL. I CALLED TO SCHEDULE THE SERVICE WITH BMW DEALER. THEY DENIED TO QUOTE IF MY CAR THAT WOULD BE DELIVERED ON THE SCHEDULE THEY GIVE ME WOULD BE READY IN 4 HOURS TIME THEY QUOTED OR SAME DAY, AND IF NOT DO THEY PROVIDE ME A LOANER? THEY DENIED ALL MY REQUEST, MEANING COMPLETING THE SERVICE SAME DAY OR PROVIDING ME THE LOANER. I CALLED BMW CENTER AND AMAZINGLY THEY WERE TRYING TO PASS ME TO DEALER, AND THEY WERE INSISTING THAT THIS IS THE DEALER CALL. …

Owner-reported narrative. 112,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10369242 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10021142 · 2003-06-06 (June 6, 2003)

THE TELEMATICS AND OTHER ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE HAVE FAILED OR REPORTED APPARENTLY ERRONEOUS INFORMATION ON MANY OCCASIONS. IN MOST CASES, THESE FAILURES OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN THE MIDST OF TRAVEL, WHICH THEREBY CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BECOME DISTRACTED FROM DRIVING WHILE FOCUSING ON THE SYSTEM FAILURE. THIS POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS IT PREVENTS THE DRIVER FROM DEVOTING THE NEEDED ATTENTION TO OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE. PROBLEMS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:*AK AIRBAG AND SRS WARNING MESSAGES; SERVICE ENGINE MES…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021142 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10447901 · 2012-02-14 (February 14, 2012)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IF THE VEHICLE HAD A HALF TANK OF GAS OR LESS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WHENEVER HE PUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF GASOLINE IN THE TANK USING A GAS CAN, THE VEHICLE WOULD START. THE CONTACT FOUND NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V150000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY) THAT WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP. THE FAILURE COULD OCCUR WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS AT A HALF TANK OR LESS. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS N…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10447901 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10392429 · 2011-03-22 (March 22, 2011)

AFTER PICKING UP MY 2002 BMW 745LI FROM ORANGE COUNTY BMW ON 3/11/11 WITH A BILL OF $1,500.00 DOLLARS FOR NEW BATTERY CABLES AND A B-PILLAR SENSOR. TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE MODE LIGHT CAME ON. DATE 3/15/11; TURN SIGNAL, HORN AS WELL AS THE WIPER BLADES STOP WORKING. PLEASE HELP. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 118,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10392429 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10861168 · 2016-04-25 (April 25, 2016)

I HAVE REPLACED MY ANTENATOR TWICE NOW, WHEN I REPLACED IT THE FIRST TIME MY GENERATOR LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF SO I REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND IT WAS STILL DOING IT, SO I REPLACED IT THE 2ND TIME AND NOW IT DOES NOT LIGHT UP THE GENERATOR LIGHT BUT EVERY OTHER LIGHT COMES ON, LOOKS LIKE A XMAS TREE ON MY DASH...ALSO MY HOOD IS LOCKED AND MY HOOD LIGHT POPS ON OFTEN.I HAD A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED AND REGISTERED AND STILL ACTS UP.EVERY NOW AND AGAIN IN THE MORNINGS MY CAR WONT START HAVE TO JUMP START IT..JUS DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO BMW A LOT…

Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10861168 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11203845 · 2019-04-26 (April 26, 2019)

CAR STALLED AND ALL THE LIGHTS ARE FLASHING ON THE DASH... WILL NOT START BACK UP... ALMOST HAD A SERIOUS WRECK AT 75MPH CAR JUST WENT OFF...HAD NO STEERING AND BARLEY MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD... DAMAGED THE FRONT END AFTER HITTING THE CURB TRYING TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY TO SAFETY... HAD IT TOWED HOME THEN TO A BMW DEALER WHO TOLD ME MY CASS WENT OUT AND THE COMPUTER WAS NOT RESPONDING AND COULD BE MANY THINGS TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME OVER $4K TO FIX THE CAR... I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND IT SITS IN MY BACK YARD NOW AND HAS BEEN SITTING …

Owner-reported narrative. 180,425 miles reported. Look up ODI 11203845 at NHTSA ↗