2018 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 2018 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
- Engine233.3%
- Suspension233.3%
- Electrical116.7%
- Seat belts116.7%
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
Oil pressure pump failure. MANY MODELS AFFECTED. MAINLY B58 ENGINES
Apparently BMW models like mine have been having the coolant expansion tanks leaking between 60 and 70 thousand miles. This causes the coolant levels to drop and causes engine failures.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW issued a warranty extension covering air suspension struts for certain vehicles (8 years / 80,000 miles). I own a 2018 BMW 740i. I reported front suspension concerns to an authorized BMW dealership (United BMW, Alpharetta, GA) at 64,354 miles (8/16/23) and again at 77,582 miles(3/19/24. Service records document front suspension issues, including thrust-rod and suspension defects. During these service visits — which occurred within the warranty-extension period — the strut warranty extension was never disclosed or applied. The suspension defect progressed, and I later had to pay out-of-pocket for air suspension strut repairs totaling over $8,500, including OEM BMW front struts. BMW North America has denied reimbursement solely based on mileage, despite documented pre-80,000-mile service visits showing the defect was present and evaluated. This appears to be a failure to disclose an active warranty extension for a known suspension defect, resulting in unnecessary out-of-pocket repairs for a safety-related component.
The contact owns a 2018 BMW 740i. The contact stated when he was starting his vehicle a warning for "chassis" was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaning. The contact stated that the driver side of the vehicle was raised from the road by about 4 inches and the passenger side of the vehicle was almost touching the road surface. The contact stated that turning the vehicle to the left or the right was difficult due to the lean of the vehicle. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.
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
Dashboard display randomly flickers and blinks while driving Seatbelt notification chime rings even when the passenger seat is empty.
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
Dashboard display randomly flickers and blinks while driving Seatbelt notification chime rings even when the passenger seat is empty.
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 .