Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 26 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 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.
Showing 1–25 of 26 · page 1 of 2
THE ALARM SYSTEM RUNS DOWN THE BATTERY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BLANKS CONSTANTLY WHILE CAR IS RUNNING ALSO BACK TAILLIGHT BLANK OFF ON PASSAGE SIDE. *TR
THE ALARM SYSTEM RUNS DOWN THE BATTERY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BLANKS CONSTANTLY WHILE CAR IS RUNNING ALSO BACK TAILLIGHT GOES OFF ON ON ON PASSAGE SIDE . *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY BMW 740IL ON 2-17-2015 WHEN AFTER GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATING, THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM NOISE AND BLACK PIECES SHOT OUT ONTO THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. I IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE FIRST EXIT ONLY TO FIND THAT 1.) THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP AFTER I APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND 2.) THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE EVEN WHEN MY FOOT WAS OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I WENT THROUGH TWO INTERSECTIONS, UNABLE TO STOP, BEFORE TURNING INTO A BIG DRIVEWAY WHERE I SET THE SHIFTER INTO REVERSE, WHICH SLOWED THE CAR DOWN, AND THEN I PUT IT INTO PARK. STEAM WAS SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WHEN I CHECKED UNDERNEATH IT, I SAW THE BLADES OF THE FAN BEHIND THE RADIATOR HAD ALL BEEN STRIPPED OFF THE ROTOR WITH PIECES VIOLENTLY SCATTERED AROUND THE ENGINE AREA. ALSO, THE HOSE TO THE COOLANT RESERVOIR BECAME DETACHED AND THE HOOD RECEIVED TWO DENTS FROM THE INSIDE WHEN THE FAN EXPLODED. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED, AND REPAIRS HAVE NOT YET BEEN STARTED. THE WHOLE SITUATION WAS UNBELIEVABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN TIP-TOP SHAPE AND THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS SIGNS THAT ANYTHING WAS INHERENTLY WRONG. LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED BUT PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE BY WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT DAY. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME SHOULD YOU WISH TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO REPAIRS. I ALSO TOOK SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE. *JS
I HAD REFULED AND STARTED ON THE HIGHWAY ,I HEARD A THUMPING SOUND .PULLED OVER COULD NOT FIQURE OUT WHERE THE SOUND WAS COMING FROM. WHEN I REACHED MY DESTANATION I SMELLED GAS. I LOOK UNDER THE CAR AND THE GAS TANK WAS SUNKED INWARD AND GAS WAS EVERYWHERE.I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING.I KNOW THIS IS RECALL SITUATION. BMW WOULD NEVER KNOWLY NOT RECALL SUCH A DANGOUS PROBLEM.THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE MINOR,BUT SUCKED IN GAS TANKS ISNT ONE OF THEM. I CANT AFFORD TO HAVE THE REPAIR. THE ONLY CAR I HAVE. IM OUT OF OPTIONS.PLEASE RECALL THE SUNK IN GAS TANK PROBLEM ON MY 1998 740IL , ITS MY FIRST BMW .I DONT WANT IT TO BE MY LAST. I LOVE THE CAR AND THINK BMW MAKES ONE OF THE FINEST AND SAFE CARS OUT THERE.SO MONEY SHOULD NOT BE A REPLACEMENT FOR SAFETY. THANKS, SORRY FOR SPELLING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 740IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE RING GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V005000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
FUEL TANK "TIN CANS" WHEN LOWER ON FUEL. FEAR DEGRADATION OF FUEL TANK. FROM OTHER SOURCES, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BMWS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 740IL. WHILE REFUELING HE NOTICED GAS WAS LEAKING FORM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. ONCE HE STOPPED PUMPING GAS IT STOPPED LEAKING. THIS FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER HE WOULD REFUEL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. OVER TIME HE BEGAN TO HEAR A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A SPLIT ON ONE OF THE SEEMS FOR THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE FUEL TANK WAS REPAIRED. THE THUMPING FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. THE THUMPING FAILURE CONTINUES TO RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. ALL DOORS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. IF YOU PULL ON ANY OF THE DOORS DOOR HANDLE TWICE FROM THE INSIDE IT SHOULD OPEN. ALL OF THIS HAPPEN WHEN THE ALARM ACTIVATED WITHOUT ANY REASON. ALARM STOPPED WORKING AND DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. *TR
ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH PROCEEDING NORTH ON STATE ROUTE 3 IN VIRGINIA WHEN THE AUTO STARTED TO ACCELERATE. TAPPED THE BRAKE NO EFFECT. TURNED OF THE CRUISE CONTROL NO EFFECT. BY THIS TIME I AM DOING 90 MPH SO I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THAT HAD AN EFFECT. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOT OUT RAISED THE HOOD COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. GOT IN THE AUTO AND STARTED IT UP. RPM WENT SHOOTING UP SHUT THE AUTO OFF. CHECKED THE LINKAGE TO THE THROTTLE COULD SEE NO PROBLEMS. WORKED THE LINKAGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS BINDING NO BINDING. DROVE HOME WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEM. YET!!
THIS IS ABOUT MY 1998 740IL BMW. TWO TIMES SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE THE ENGINE REVEVED UP WHEN I WAS PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL, NEARLY CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL. I FOUND THE PROBLEM. COMPARED TO MY PREVIOUS MERCEDES BENZ, THE ACCELARATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE CLOSER TOGETHER. ALSO, THE BRAKE PEDAL OF THE BMW COMPRESSES FURTHER DOWN THAT WITH ANY OTHER CAR. AS A RESULT, IF MY FOOT WAS ONLY ON THE EDGE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT EXTENDED OVER ONTO THE GAS PEDAL. THE HARDER I PRESSED THE BRAKE, THE MORE GAS I WAS GIVING THE ENGINE. TO A NEW PERSON IN THAT CAR, AS I WAS, THIS WAS A DEADLY CONBINATION. NOW THAT I KNOW, I AM MUCH MORE CAREFUL AND THE SITUATION HAS NOT REOCCURRED. *TR
I HAVE A 98 BMW 740IL THAT SUCKS ITSELF AND IT HAS LEAD TO THE GAS TO DENT AND CRACK AND LEAK GAS. *TR
HI, I BROUGHT THIS CAR FROM ANOTHER PERSON (ORIGINAL OWNER),HE TOLD ME THAT THE CAR MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN SITTING OR DRIVING HE COULDN'T TELL ME WHY IT WAS HAPPENING UPON FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND FUEL TANK TO BE SUCKING IN AND OUT I DIDN'T PAY TO MUCH ATTENTION THINKING WASN'T MUCH TO IT UNTIL ONE DAY WENT TO REFUEL VEHICLE WASN'T ABLE TO GET ANY GAS INTO VEHICLE,UPON INSPECTION FOUND GAS TANK HAD IMPLODED BEYOND REPAIR,I SPOKE TO AN ADVISOR AT LOCAL BMW DEALER IF THERE WAS ANY BULLETINS ON ISSUE HE TOLD ME NO AT FIRST,HE THEN ASKED A TECH AT DEALER ABOUT ISSUE HE SAID THE EVAP CANISTER SYSTEM HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ,SO THERE IS SOME KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ISSUE MY QUESTION IS DUE THINK THAT THERE SHOULD OF A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN OUT THERE REGARDLESS OF YEAR OF VEHICLE SINCE I THINK ITS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME AND MY FAMILY AS WELL AS TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO GETS THIS VEHICLE,ASWELL ITS VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR WHEN I BELIEVE ITS BMW RESPONSIBILITY TO RECALL ALL THESE DANGEROUS TANK ISSUE. HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME AND GUIDE ME IN RIGHT DIRECTION RESOLVE PROBLEM OVERALL I LIKE THE VEHICLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 740IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE FORWARD AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE WORDS "FAILSAFE MODE" ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD BE NEEDED AT THE COST OF $6,000. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V005000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VIN. THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED ON NOVEMBER 26, 2008. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,695 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,690.
NOTICE A BUMPING SOUND FOR REAR OF CAR WHEN STOPPED AND RUNNING. FUEL TANK IS IMPLODING!! ALSO, NOTICED THAT GAS TANK MAKES A WHOOSING/SUCKING SOUND WHINE THE GAS CAP IS REMOVED. HEAVY GAS FUMES WHEN THE CAR IS SITTING. NOTICED VERY STRONG GAS FUMES.....GAS TANK IS NOW LEAKING! I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND AM AWAITING TO HERE BACK FORM THEM. WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A NORMAL ISSUE WITH THE 740IL. WAS TOLD THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE TANK REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT. QUITE COSTLY!!! WAS TOLD THAT BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR VENT LINES BUT THEY WERE NOT VERY HELPFUL. CALLED SALVAGE YARDS HOPING TO FIND A USED TANK AND WAS TOLD THAT 740 TANKS ARE VERY HARD TO FIND BECAUSE THEY ALL SPRING LEAKS. IF THIS IS HAPPENING OFTEN WHY NOT HAVE BMW ADDRESS THE ISSUE?? *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL LEVEL OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. THE MECHANIC MADE THE CONTACT AWARE OF RECALL # 98V142000 SIMILAR TO THIS DIFFERENTIAL PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL SERVICE DEALER.
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS AGO THE CLUSTER ON THE DASH WENT OUT THE TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. MONDAY, MAY 9, THE VEHICLE STARTED CHUGGING, AS IF RUNNING OUT OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT SEARCHED THE VEHICLE BUT HE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL TANK. *NM *SB THE CONSUMER FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR LIGHTS (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS CHANGED THE BULBS FOR THE LIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT IT IS A DEFECT IN THE REAR LIGHTS, SUCH AS MELTING PLASTIC CONCEPTS, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. BY THE REAR LIGHTS GOING OUT AND HAVING A DEFECT IN THEM THIS CAN CAUSE A REAR END ACCIDENT, WHICH THE CONSUMER IS WORRIED ABOUT. *SB
NO WARNING OTHER THAN A SLIGHT ANIT-FREEZE SMELL. UPON CHECKING OUT THE ODOR, UPPER RADIATOR NECK BETWEEN HOSE CLAMP AND RADIATOR JUST BROKE OFF SPEWING SCALDING HOT FLUID EVERYWHERE. LUCKILY HOOD WAS NOT COMPLETELY OPEN AT THE TIME. RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, NOT REPAIRABLE. OLD PART TOSSED.
LOW COOLANT MESSAGE CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. WITHIN A FEW MILES, RADIATOR CAP OVERPRESURED AND STEAM BURST OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. PULLED OVER AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. REPLACED COOLANT HOSES. 4 MONTHS LATER, LOW COOLANT MESSAGE CAME ON AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING; STOPPED AT A SERVICE STATION TO CHECK LEVEL; LEVEL WAS VERY LOW, AND A SLOW LEAK WAS VISIBLE. REPLACED COOLANT RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY. 6 MOS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER REPLACED SENSOR. ONE WEEK LATER, THE LOW COOLANT MESSAGE CAME ON AGAIN (3RD TIME). COOLANT WAS LOW; TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. ALL WORK WAS AT OWNER'S EXPENSE (NON-WARRANTY).*AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED A LIGHT COMES ON THE DASH WARNING ABOUT TRANSMISSION FAIL SAFE PROGRAM. WHEN THIS LIGHT COMES ON VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK
FAULTY RADIATORS THAT HAVE A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS FOR THE RADIATOR NECK TO BREAK OFF WITHOUT NOTICE AND SPRAY HOT COOLANT EVERYWHERE. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN JUST VISIT ROADFLY.ORG E38 MESSAGE BOARD AND SEARCH FOR "RADIATOR NECK." THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS BETWEEN 50,000-70,000 MILES. *LA
ADVISED TO REPLACE REAR CONTROL ARMS (SUSPENION) DUE TO EXCESSIVE SQUEAKING NOISE. THREE DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS ATTEMPTED TO LUBRICATE TO REDUCE NOISE BUT WAS TOLD TO ELIMINATE THE NOISE, THE CONTROL ARMS MUST BE REPLACED.*JB
WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGWAY AND TAKING A TURN OVER A CURVED PORTION OF THE HIGHWAY I FOUND THE POWER IN THE STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD. WHE I TRIED TO BRAKE AND PULL TO THE SIDE THE BRAKE WAS ALSO QUITE HARD. THE CAR HAD THEN TO BE TOWED TO A BMW DEALERSHI, AND THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED AND FIXED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE WATER PUMP HAD FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN THE BELTS TO BREAK, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER IN THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. THIS WAS QUITE A DISTURBING EXPERIENCE WHIEL DRIVING THIS CAR ON A HIGWAY AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THE BMW 740 IL IS QUITE A HEAVY CAR AND WITHOUT POWER IN THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE POWER SYSTEM FAILING DUE TO WATER PUMP FAILURE APPEARS TO BE OF SERIOUS CONCERN IN A VEHICLE THAT IS ADVERTISED AS ONE OF THE MARVELS OF ENGINEERING. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
RADIATOR BLEW AT 70MPH ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND BMW NOTH AMERICA REFUSES TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM. LUCKILY NO INJURIES WERE CAUSED, BUT EASILY COULD HAVE AS THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY WAS SPRAYED WITH HOT COOLANT. ANTIFREEZE ALSO SPRAYED DOWN SIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOCKED BY REMOTE KEY FROM OUTSIDE, ANYONE LEFT INSIDE THE VEHICLE CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS POTENTIALLY FATAL AND IS A VERY SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THE CONSUMER INJURED HER SELF TO GET OUT. *YH
MOTOR FOR SHOULDER STRAP WAS REPLACED, IT WOULD NOT RETRACT, LATER THE STRAP FAILED AGAIN AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *SLC
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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