RoadVitals

1996 BMW 740IL Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Mar 5, 2014
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Sep 14, 1999

What this page shows

Our database holds 11 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 BMW 740IL. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–11 of 11

EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 5, 2014

THE GAS TANK STARTED TO MAKE POPPING NOISES AND THUMPING SOUNDS. THEN WHEN I REALIZED SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN THE GAS GAUGE STARTED READING 1/4 TANK WHEN IT WAS EMPTY, STRANGELY WHEN I WAS FILLING UP WITH GAS THE CAP WAS HARD TO REMOVE AND AS SOON AS I REMOVED THE CAP AIR WAS RUSHING IN. I RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT ANY WARNING MANAGED TO GET THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER. LATER ON THE WAY TO WORK I STARTED SMELLING A STRONG GAS ODOR I ASSUMED IT WAS THE CARS SURROUNDING ME. WHEN I WENT ON MY LUNCH BREAK MY COWORKERS INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF GAS UNDER MY CAR, WHEN I GOT BACK TO WORK I STARTED TO INVESTIGATE WHAT HAPPENED AND MY TANK WAS IMPLODED AND DEVELOPED LEAKS AROUND THE SEAMS. I FIND THIS A MAJOR CONCERN SINCE THIS IS RIGHT NEXT TO A HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM AND MAY CAUSE A FIRE DUE TO POOR GAS TANK VENTILATION. I'M LUCKY THAT MY CAR DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF GAS I LOST AND NOTICED LEAKING ON THE SEAMS THAT ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST. *TR

NHTSA ID
10567419
Incident
Mar 1, 2014
Mileage
133,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 24, 2008

ANYTIME YOU ARE ACCELERATING THE THROTTLE CABLE WILL EITHER GET STUCK OR IF YOU LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL ITS WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY UPON ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. THIS OCCURRED PRETTY REGULARLY UNTIL WE HAD THE THROTTLE CABLE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10235678
Incident
Jun 10, 2008
Mileage
179,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 14, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW 740IL. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. AS SHE TURNED THE KEY AND REMOVED IT FROM THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE REMAINED RUNNING AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. SHE HAD TO REMOVE THE ENGINE FUSES FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC INSTALLED A NEW CYLINDER AND HOUSING. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO IS NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STILL AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 203,000.

NHTSA ID
10227742
Incident
Apr 28, 2008
Mileage
203,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 30, 2005

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE RPM'S WILL REV UP TO 3500 RPMS PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WITHOUT A POSSIBLE CRASH. DRIVER WOULD APPLY THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO SURGE. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. DEFECTIVE PARTS REPLACED. CAR WENT BY ITSELF TO 90 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. REPLACED FRONT THROTTLE BODY GASKET AND IDLE SPEED REGULATOR. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID
10113491
Incident
Feb 18, 2005
Mileage
86,312 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 29, 2002
1 injury reported

THIS PROBLEM W/ RADIATOR IS VERY COMMON W/ THIS VEHICLE AND MANUFACTURER REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
761327
Incident
Feb 14, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Oct 10, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
753063
Incident
Oct 7, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Aug 22, 2001

GAS TANK IMPLODED SUCKING ITSELF IN AND CAUSING GAS TO LEAK AND SPILL. TANK WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2000. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE THEN. ALSO, THERE ARE POPPING NOISES COMING FROM TANK AREA, WHICH MEANS THAT GAS IN TANK IS NOT PROPERLY VENTING,CAUSING A BUILD UP. TECHNICIANS HAVE HEARD THE NOISE, BUT ARE UNABLE TO RECTIFY IT WHEN IT'S NOT DOING IT.*AK

NHTSA ID
894920
Incident
Sep 30, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 19, 2000

HOOD CAME CRASHING UP AGAINST WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING ON FREEEWAY. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH DEALER FOUND THAT THE SAFETY HOLD DOWN PIN ON THE LEFT SIDE HOOD LOCK WAS MISSING, DEALER REPLACED THE HOOD LOCK ASSEMBLY. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
876728
Incident
Nov 10, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 19, 2000

HOOD CAME SMASHING INTO WINDSHIELD FRAME, BLOCKING VISIBILITY OF HIGHWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID
737999
Incident
Nov 10, 2000
Brakes
Filed Mar 16, 2000

BRAKE WARNING LIGHT SWITCH FAILED, ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE BRAKE LIGHT OFF POSITION OR IN THE BRAKE LIGHT ON POSITION. ALSO, WHEN TURNING VEHICLE OFF, THE WARNING BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
858683
Incident
Jan 5, 2000
AirbagsBrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 14, 1999
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLED IN SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. CONSUMER WAS APPROACHING ONCOMING VEHICLE, APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, AS SOON AS HE LIFTED HIS FOOT FROM PEDAL, VEHICLE SUDDENLY TOOK OFF. WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT A PARKED VEHICLE ON SIDE OF ROAD BEFORE STOPPING. ALS,O BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DELPOY. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
847736
Incident
May 15, 1999

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .