2001 Bmw 740IL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
26 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 26 complaints (11.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 11.5% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 11.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 11.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 7.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 7.7% |
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 | 3 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
Air Bags: 3; Electrical System: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Power Train: 2; Steering: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Air Bags:Side/Window: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 5 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 4 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 8 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 5; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 8; 150,000 and above: 2
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 7 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 |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2001: 1; 2002: 3; 2007: 2; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 4; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10191434 · 2007-05-22 (May 22, 2007)
IN MARCH 2007 LOW COOLANT WARNING CAUSED ME OPEN HOOD AND ADD COOLANT THREE TIMES BEFORE I TOOK CAR TO BMW DEALER ,WHO DIAGNOSED CRACKED PLASTIC RESERVOIR IN RADIATOR AND SEPARATE COOLANT TANK. EACH TIME ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED DUE TO A LOT OF PRESSURE UNDER RADIATOR COOLANT CAP. NEEDED MUCH TIME WAITING BEFORE OPENING TO ADD COOLANT. THIS WAS DEFECTIVE MATERIALS AND NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BREAKDOWN. EVERY PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE BY BOOK ON THIS BMW. MANUFACTURER DISCLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY AS CAR OUT OF WARRANTY BY FEW MONTHS. C…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10191434 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10211786 · 2007-12-13 (December 13, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740IL. THE VEHICLE WAS TUNED UP ON OCTOBER 6, 2007 AND NOVEMBER 28, 2007. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING AND THE ADD ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE QUICKEST THE ADD ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT HAS EVER ILLUMINATED FOLLOWING A TUNE UP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 102,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10239940 · 2008-08-27 (August 27, 2008)
PURCHASED PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED CAR IN APRIL 06, STARTING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS: WINDOW MOTORS, GPS SYSTEM/MONITOR, CAR KEPT DYEING WHILE STOPPED AND DRIVING, ENGINE SHUTDOWN/FAILSAFE MODE, BRAKE LIGHTS BLOWING ALL THE TIME, FUSES AND IGNITION SWITCH GOING OUT ALL THE TIME. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE ABOUT 18 TIMES IN THE LAST 26 MONTHS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AND WE FOUND OUT THE "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY WE BOUGHT IS NOT BUMPER TO BUMPER BUT LISTED PARTS, WHATEVER THAT MEANS; AFTER CONTACTING BMW NORTH AMERICA FOUND OUT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10239940 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10245625 · 2008-10-15 (October 15, 2008)
MY GAS TANK IS SLOWLY IMPLODING...APPARENTLY, BMW IS QUITE AWARE OF THE CONDITION AS A BULLETIN WAS PRODUCED ON 11-9-2003 BASED ON A DEFECT IN ENGINEERING DESIGN OR THE HARDWARE CHOSEN. IN THE MEANTIME, MY CAR IS A FUEL TIMEBOMB - THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 66,172 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245625 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10247467 · 2008-11-02 (November 2, 2008)
WHILE RETURNING FROM CHURCH TODAY MY LEFT BUTTOCKS GOT HOT...HAD THE A/C ON SINCE IT WAS WARM OUTSIDE. REACHED BACK AND IT WAS VERY HOT...THEN SMELLED SMOKE. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AND STOP CAR. THE LEATHER SEAT WAS SMOKING AND HAD BURNED A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A NICKEL AND THROUGH TO MY PANTS. DISCOVERED THE SEAT HEATER WAS ON HIGH...HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT GOT TURNED ON. NICE HOLE IN PANTS AND LEATHER SEAT. ANY REPORTS OF THIS FROM OTHER BMW OWNERS? *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247467 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10254676 · 2009-01-12 (January 12, 2009)
IN APRIL 2008 LOW COOLANT WARNING CAUSED ME OPEN HOOD AND ADD COOLANT. THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS PERFECT BUT I STILL ADDED MORE. THE LIGHT FOR LOW COOLANT WAS STILL APPEARING EVERY TIME I DROVE THE CAR. EVERY PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE BY BOOK ON THIS BMW. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AFTER THIS LOW COOLANT LIGHT BUT NOT FOR THE COOLANT RELATED SERVICE. THEY COULD HAVE CHECKED THIS AND ADVISED ME OF POTENTIAL PROBLEM. CAR HAS 65,000 MILES. PLASTIC WAS FOUND HARDENED BY HEAT AND BRITTLENESS CRACKED THE SAME. 385 OTHER BMW 740IL OW…
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10254676 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10283851 · 2009-09-14 (September 14, 2009)
APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO I STARTED SMELLING MILD GASOLINE FUMES EMANATING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE CAUSED BY SOME SPILLAGE WHEN REFUELING. OVER TIME THE ODOR HAS BECOME STRONGER. UPON INSPECTION BY THE BMW DEALERSHIP IT WAS ASCERTAINED THAT A CRACK EXISTED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK AND SIGNIFICANT RUST WAS PRESENT. THESE DEFECTS ALLOW GAS TO SEEP OUT AND DRIP TO THE GROUND. THE AUTOMOBILE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND THE DEALER VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO ROAD/ACCIDENT DAMAGE TO THE AREA. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283851 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10289250 · 2009-10-21 (October 21, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740IL. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE PREVIOUSLY ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS IN REVERSE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED DUE TO THE HIGH MILEAGE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 150,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10289250 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
01V001000 · Tires:Sidewall
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗