2003 Bmw 745LI problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
50 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 37 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 10 of 50 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 32.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 16.0% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 10.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 10.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.0% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 10 |
| Power Train | 6 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Equipment | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
Air Bags: 10; Power Train: 6; Service Brakes: 6; Electrical System: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Engine: 3; Equipment: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 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 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 13 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 13; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 13 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 |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2003: 3; 2004: 4; 2005: 2; 2007: 2; 2009: 2; 2010: 8; 2011: 7; 2012: 6; 2013: 1; 2014: 4; 2015: 2; 2016: 4; 2017: 2; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Engine operation 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 10275346 · 2009-06-30 (June 30, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALARM WOULD ACTIVATE ON ITS OWN. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR NO REASON. THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WOULD FLASH ON AND OFF AS IF THERE WERE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHENEVER HE WOULD STOP THE VEHICLE OR DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER WOULD NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 80,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275346 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10373317 · 2010-12-29 (December 29, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SENT HIM A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST: VACUUM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR BUT A PUMP ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 153,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEA…
Owner-reported narrative. 153,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10373317 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040061 · 2003-09-16 (September 16, 2003)
THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 10-15 MPH THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR STARTED FLASHING AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. *AK *TS *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040061 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10187959 · 2007-04-10 (April 10, 2007)
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 5 MPH SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED; THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 MILES. IN 2006 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED, THE RADIO WAS ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR 4 TO 5 DAYS IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE SOFTWARE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE SHIFT CONTROL FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187959 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079062 · 2004-06-30 (June 30, 2004)
I PURCHASED THE CAR IN KANSAS IN JULY 2003. THE FIRST WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING OUT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS A DESIGN FEATURE. I MOVED OUT OF THE STATE AND CONTACTED A DEALERSHIP IN THE CORPUS CHRISTI, TX AREA ABOUT THE CONTINUING PROBLEM. OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OCCASSIONS WHEN THE STALLING WAS SUCH THAT THE CAR WOULD FAIL AND PLACE ME AND/OR MY FAMILY IN NEAR ACCIDENTS. I MADE VISITS TO THE TEXAS DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER 2003, TWICE IN JANUARY 2004 AN…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079062 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10345069 · 2010-07-24 (July 24, 2010)
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY BMW 74LI 2003 HAS REGISTERED A ENGINE MALFUNCTION AFTER TRAVELING LONG DISTANCE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. THE ENGINE WOULD STALL ON THE LAST TIME THE COMPANY TRY TO STATE THAT IT WAS THE GAS BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE, I HAVE ALWAYS USED HIGH OCTANE PER THE OWNER'S MANUAL. I HAVE COME ACROSS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE 5 SERIES AND 3 SERIES AND I AM SURE THE SAME PROBLEM IS HAPPENING IN THE 7SERIES. THE BMW NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345069 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10200013 · 2007-08-18 (August 18, 2007)
FAMILY & I HAD BEEN IN VANCOUVER BC FOR VACATION. WE BEGAN OUR RETURN TRIP HOME, CROSSED THE CANADIAN PEACE ARCH BORDER INTO THE US @ APPROXIMATELY 9PM WEDSNESDAY EVENING. ABOUT 1AM EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR, FOLLOWED BY OUR VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSING CONTROL & SWERVING IN ALL 3 LANES OF INTERSTATE 5 SOUTHBOUND. WE PULLED OVER ON THE LEFT SHOULDER AS IT WAS THE QUICKEST ROUTE TO SAFETY. WE CALLED FOR HELP, ONCE A STATE TROOPER ARRIVED WE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE & LEARNED OUR RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN, …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10200013 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10515721 · 2013-06-07 (June 7, 2013)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515721 at NHTSA ↗