2001 Bmw 740I: complaints, problems and recalls

DRIVER'S WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED/BROKE WITH WINDOW IN DOWN POSITION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT PARTICULAR REGULATOR HAS FAILED. LAST YEAR, THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED - I WAS ABLE TO RAISE THAT WINDOW MANUALLY. IF THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE MOTOR WILL CONTINUE TO RUN UNTIL THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IS SELECTED ON THE SWITCH. BOTH FAILURES WERE ACCOMPANIED BY A SOUND SIMILAR TO BREAKING GLASS. I NOTED TODAY WHEN OPERATING THE LEFT REAR WINDOW (TO MINIMIZE THE BUFFETING AT SPEED BECAUSE OF THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW WHIC…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,105 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107703 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION. A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION AREA. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS AND SWAY BAR LINKS. A MONTH LATER A SIMILAR NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CENTER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY, TIE ROD ENDS, AND IDLER ARM FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE MECHANIC SHOP WAITING FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THIS PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144150 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, CLEAR WEATHER, AVERAGE TRAFFIC, AND DURING A LANE CHANGE THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL FEEL TO THE STEERING RESPONSE. I SLOWED AND MOVED TO THE LEFT, SHIMMIED THE CAR GENTLY SIDE-SIDE. MAYBE A TIRE LOSING PRESSURE, I THOUGHT. I TOOL THE FIRST EXIT, GOT OUT AND FOUND NO OBVIOUS PROBLEM. I STARTED OUT AGAIN BUT AS I TURNED BACK TO GO STRAIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT ALIGN WITH ITS USUAL 'STRAIGHT' POSITION. I PARKED IT AND CALLED FOR A TOW. AGAIN NOTHING OBVIOUS UNTIL WE LOWERED THE CAR OFF THE FLATBED. THE LEFT REAR TIRE TU…

Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10152895 at NHTSA ↗

SMOKE FROM ENGINE AND BURNING WIRES AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS AT THE PLUG TO THE ENGINE COOLING THERMOSTAT SMALL FIRE EXTINGUISHED WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217561 at NHTSA ↗

2001 BMW 740I - THE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT ANY WARNING JUST STOPPED GOING IN REVERSE. AFTER RESEARCH I FIND OUT THIS IS AN ISSUE RAMPANT AMONG BMW'S AND OWNERS WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. PLEASE HELP - IT SEEMS AS IF BMW IS AWARE BUT REFUSES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THEY HAVE EVEN DEVELOPED A RING FIX TO REPLACE PRODUCTION PARTS THAT FAIL - HOWEVER WILL STILL NOT STAND BEHIND AN OBVIOUS AND UNSAFE SITUATION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 84,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246118 at NHTSA ↗

BURNED HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THERMOSTAT. FORTUNATELY THE BURNED WIRES WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 INCHES PAST THE CONNECTOR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297455 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2001 BMW THAT I PURCHASED FROM MY FATHER. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT AND HE WAS THE ONLY OWN. THE BACK SEAT BELTS WERE ALMOST NEVER USED UNTIL I TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. WITHIN THE PAST THREE MONTHS I HAVE NOTICE THAT WHEN MY TWIN 4 YEAR OLDS ARE BUCKLED IN THEIR BOOSTER SEATS THE SEAT BELTS SPONTANEOUSLY UNBUCKLE. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW DIRECTLY AND A LOCAL BMW DEALER. BMW SAYS THAT IT COULD BE WEAR AND TEAR OF THE MECHANISM AND THE DEALER SAID MAYBE IT IS JUST THE AGE OF THE MECHANISM C…

Owner-reported narrative. 143,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322983 at NHTSA ↗

MY DAUGHTER WITH MYSELF AND MY 4 YEAR OLD,RIDING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVING ON MALLARD CREEK ROAD, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HEAR THIS LOUD 'KABOOM' NOISE THIS CAUSED (FOR SOME REASON) THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ON THE DOOR (THE SIDE AIRBAG) TO DEPLOY. WHEN IT DEPLOYED, IT TORE AND THE DOOR FELL APART IN THE INSIDE A STRIP OF DECORATIVE METAL ON THE INTERIOR. THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 2-3 FEET LONG AND HAD BETWEEN 3 AND 5 1" BOLTS PROTRUDING FROM IT. THE METAL STRIP HIT THE DRIVER ON THE ARM AND CAUSED AN ABRASION. WE WERE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FOR TW…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10398228 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2001-01-04 (January 4, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 18-INCH TIRES. (18-INCH TIRES ARE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE M5 AND OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT ON THE 7-SERIES MODELS). THE MACHINE USED TO MOUNT AND INFLATE THE TIRES ON THE WHEELS AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE SIDEWALL OF ONE OR MORE TIRES. THE DAMAGED AREA COULD WEAKEN TO THE POINT WHERE A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE COULD OCCUR.

Consequence: HANDLING AND CONTROL WOULD BE DRASTICALLY AFFECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TIRES AND IF DAMAGE FROM THE MOUNTING MACHINE IS FOUND, THE TIRE WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

Reported: 2001-06-21 (June 21, 2001)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, ENGINE OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. IN ADDITION, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY TO CAUSE A FIRE IN THE FAN CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FAN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 28, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.

Reported: 2002-05-16 (May 16, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE AUXILIARY/COOLING FAN OPERATION, INCLUDING VARIABLE SPEED, IS ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED. FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR CAN CAUSE THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY OF THE FAN CONTROL UNIT TO OVERLOAD AND FAIL, CAUSING THE FAN TO STOP OPERATING.

Consequence: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, ENGINE OVERHEATING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE DAMAGE COULD RESULT. IN ADDITION, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY TO CAUSE A FIRE IN THE FAN CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FAN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 28, 2001. THIS IS A SUPPLEMENT TO A RECALL THAT BEGAN DURING SEPTEMBER 2001 (SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V206). OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.