2003 BMW 7 Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 BMW 7 Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags112.5%
- Brakes112.5%
- Engine112.5%
- Fuel system112.5%
- Interior & seats112.5%
- Other / unspecified112.5%
- Seat belts112.5%
- Tires & wheels112.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE TENSION SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,082.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSISTS: VACUUM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP WAS LEAKING BUT WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT ONLY THE VACUUM LINE HOSE WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND NOT THE PUMP. THE VACUUM PUMP WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID OFFER ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,300. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 02/03/11*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR DOES NOT START CORRECTLY AND STALLS WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR DOES NOT START CORRECTLY AND STALLS WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAND NEW BMW 760LI , SEAT MEMORY DOES NOT OPERATE AND MOVE THE SEATS PROPERLY WHEN CAR IS REMOTELY UNLOCKED AS PER THE CARS OPERATING MANUAL AND LISTED FEATURES. BMW NORTH AMERICA TOLD US THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER WITH AN UPDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR OVER 14 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHO PAYS THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BE TOLD YOU HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH FOR A SOLUTION, A SIMPLE ONE.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295S IN WASHINGTON DC AROUND 11:30PM ON DEC 28TH 2008. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE I NOTICED MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A POLICE OFFICER I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRES WITH A SPARE AND ANOTHER TIRE MY FAMILY MEMBER BROUGHT FROM HOME. THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE REAR RIM WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AND THE INSIDE RING WAS RESTING ON THE BREAK ASSEMBLY. THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT RIM HAD SIMILAR DAMAGE IN THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AROUND THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE RIM. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SEAT BELT RESTRAINT TENSIONER FAULTY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRES UNEVEN WEAR. *TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .