1998 BMW 740IL Engine Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10690594

Incident

Feb 17, 2015

Mileage

79,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10120227

Incident

Jan 28, 2005

Mileage

97,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10116384

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10043341

Incident

Oct 22, 2003

Mileage

65,656 mi

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

NHTSA ID

762083

Incident

Mar 30, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

761288

Incident

Apr 26, 2002

MOTOR FOR SHOULDER STRAP WAS REPLACED, IT WOULD NOT RETRACT, LATER THE STRAP FAILED AGAIN AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *SLC

NHTSA ID

558180

VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE. TOOK TO DEALER, HAD ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

848797

Incident

Aug 5, 1999