1993 BMW 740I 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 1993 BMW 740I, 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
- Engine635.3%
- Interior & seats317.6%
- Electrical211.8%
- Airbags211.8%
- Fuel system211.8%
- Brakes15.9%
- Transmission15.9%
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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED ON MY 1994 BMW 740I. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MODEL YEAR HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM RELATED TO THE SULPHUR CONTENT IN AMERICA GASOLINE. PLEASE INFORM ME OR ANY RECALL OR RECOURSE I MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE REGARDING THIS MATTER. DEMETRIUS BRANDON (505) 265-1130
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT DUPLICATED. CONSUMER TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT WIRES, AND OTHER PARTS TO THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. AK
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
DRIVER'S SEAT ON MY 1993 BMW 740I RECLINED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SEAT BACK WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WILL NOT MOVE. THIS MADE ME LOSE PARTIAL CONTROL OF CAR, LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH OUT CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WOULD ADJUST AND DROP TO THE FULL RECLINE POSITION, WITH THE LOWER PART MOVING TO THE EXTREME FOWARD POSITON, CONSUMER STATES ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT COMPLETELY, FULLY RECLINED WHICH COULD NOT BE STOPPED OR ADJUSTED WITH THE CONTROLS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL OVER, DEALER IS STATING THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND TO REPLACE THE MODULE ELECTRONICS WHICH CONSUMER FEELS IS THE DEFECTIVE PART AND ALSO MAKES A CLICKING NOISE, THE DEALER STATES IT WOULD COSTS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THE COMPUTER CHIPS CONTROL COULD NOT BE ROUTINELT TESTES.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
VEHICLE CAUGT FIRE AND BURNED COMPLETELY UP WITH IN MINUTES AFTER LEAVING BMW DEALERSHIP.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM REAR TIRE, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO FAULTY MODULE.*JB
THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON IN MY VEHICLE AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIRBAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AT A SIGNIFICANT COST. I ASKED THEM IF THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THIS SINCE AN AIRBAG MODULE WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAD MOVING PARTS NOR WAS IT A PART THAT AN OWNER HAS ACCESS TO. THEY TOLD ME ONLY IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT PART. THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS ON THAT PART BUT I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA.
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 BMW 740I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED GAS LEAKING OUT OF THE GAS TANK ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. A DAY LATER, THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY PUT A PATCH ON THE GAS TANK SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. A LOCAL MECHANIC AGAIN REPLACED THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY CLEANED UP THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY ORDERED ANOTHER FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS FUEL WAS ALREADY IMPLODED LIKE THE OTHERS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THEY TOOK THE OLD FUEL TANKS TO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD SEE HOW THEY IMPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED JULY 10, 2010. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,471 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,843.
GASKETS IN ENGINE, OIL PAN, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD HAVE FAILED APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES AFTER ORIGINALS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE SMOKED AND LEAKED OIL ONTO MANIFOLD. MR
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 1993 BMW 740I. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT A CRASH FROM OCCURRING. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILAGES WERE 120,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVNG AND APPLYING THE GAS, THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER IN THE ENGINE, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. ENGINE STAYS ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
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 .