2000 BMW 740IL Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SIDEWALL AT THE BEAD HAS CRACKED. THE CRACK IS 10" LONG. THE CRACK IS BEHIND THE BEAD ON THE WHEEL WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO LOSE AIR QUICKLY CAUSING THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE TIRE FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED 30% OFF OF A NEW TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE IS MICHELIN. THE TIRE LINE/SIZE IS: 25545ZR18.

THE REAR TIRES WERE WORN AND THE CONSUMER COULD SEE THE TIRE BELT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. MICHELIN 25545R18 PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER. *JB

THE INFORMATION PANEL IN FRONT OF THE STERING COLUMN IN THE DASH IS SO PIXALATED THE INFORMATION SUCH AS THE ODOMETER AND OTHER NECESSARY SAFETY INFORMATION IS UNREADABLE. THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED BMW, 18 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE IN 2004 THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES AT THE TIME (NOW 75,000 MILES), SAID IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1500 TO $2000 TO REPLACE AND IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE LIVED WITH IT FOR SOME YEARS NOW AND TRY TO AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN USED SPARINGLY BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO CONDITION THAT WE KNOW OF THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. ONLY HEARSAY, BUT THE BMW SERVICE PERSON TOLD US THAT THIS HAPPENS SOMETIME AND THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY. WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE OTHERS WITH THE SOME PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE THE DEALER WOULD NOT SAY IN THEIR PROTECTIVE CONVERSATION. I DO NOT BLAME THEM BUT I DO BLAME THEM, THE DEALER, AND BMW FOR NOT GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND FULL DIDCLOSURE THAT IT WAS NOT NORMAL AND WAS A DEFECT. THANKS TO A NEIGHBOR I LEARNED OF THIS SITE. I HOPE PEOPLE BUYING A NEW BMW EXTENDS THEIR WARRENTY TO INCLUDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

I HAVE A 2000 BMW 740IL THAT IS VERY HARD TO READ FROM THE DASH BOARD OR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I CANNOT READ THE EXACT MILEAGE ON THE CAR, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT COMES TO THE SCREEN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS FIX SINCE IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ANY IDEA OF WHAT TO DO FROM THIS POINT WILL BE OF GREAT HELP. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2000, BMW 740IL ON APRIL 5, 2005. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 65,000 MILES. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE HAD TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR COOLANT SYSTEM FAILURE 4 TIMES. EACH TIME THE MONITORING SYSTEM INDICATED LOW COOLANT. THE FIRST 2 TIME, THE ENGIN HAD PLENTY OF FLUID. THE THIRD TIME IT WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DEALER THAT THE SENSOR MAY NEED REPLACING. IT WAS REPLACED ON MAY 2, 2005. ON MAY 7, THE ENGIN MONITORING SYSTEM INDICATED ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT LEVEL. AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED, COOLANT BEGAN TO LEAK ONTO THE GROUND. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER REPAIRS. IMOGENE F. CLARKE

CAR IS SMOKING WHEN STARTED OR IDLING, HAPPENED AFTER OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE. LARGE CLOUDS OF SMOKE, TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES, REPLACED MANY ITEMS,COST T ME 1400. NO CHANGE IN PROBLEM. DEALER DOES NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT'S WRONG. AM CONTACTING BMW MAIN OFFICE. *JB

THE INFORMATION PANEL IN FRONT OF THE STERING COLUMN IN THE DASH IS SO PIXALATED THE INFORMATION SUCH AS THE ODOMETER AND OTHER NECESSARY SAFETY INFORMATION IS UNREADABLE. THE DEALER WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED AS A CERTIFIED BMW, 18 MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE IN 2004 THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES AT THE TIME (NOW 75,000 MILES), SAID IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1500 TO $2000 TO REPLACE AND IT WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE LIVED WITH IT FOR SOME YEARS NOW AND TRY TO AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN USED SPARINGLY BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO CONDITION THAT WE KNOW OF THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. ONLY HEARSAY, BUT THE BMW SERVICE PERSON TOLD US THAT THIS HAPPENS SOMETIME AND THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY. WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE OTHERS WITH THE SOME PROBLEM BUT OF COURSE THE DEALER WOULD NOT SAY IN THEIR PROTECTIVE CONVERSATION. I DO NOT BLAME THEM BUT I DO BLAME THEM, THE DEALER, AND BMW FOR NOT GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND FULL DIDCLOSURE THAT IT WAS NOT NORMAL AND WAS A DEFECT. THANKS TO A NEIGHBOR I LEARNED OF THIS SITE. I HOPE PEOPLE BUYING A NEW BMW EXTENDS THEIR WARRENTY TO INCLUDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

THE DEALER SAYS US SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS CANOT BE ADJUSTED FOR SAFETY REASONS. CONSUMER STATES' THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING FOR THE ROAD AHEAD. CONSUMER FEELS ITS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE AT AN ANGLE WERE THEY ARE POINTING DOWNWARDS INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT AHEAD. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE BOTH HEADLIGHT BUCKETS WITH SAME BUCKETS THAT ARE DEFECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

I OWN A 2000 BMW 740IL AND THE REVERSE WENT OUT ON THE TRANSMISSION. AS I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE I FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND KNOWN ISSUE TO BMW. I HAVE KEPT THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE AND WANT TO LODGE A COMPLAINT AS I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A RECALL ISSUE. *TR

REAR TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 99,000 MILES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BMW 740IL. THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING FROM APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE BRAKES AND PROCEED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT WITHOUT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, HE AS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE ABS UNIT. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,240 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.

I AM WRITING REGARDING MY 2000 BMW 740IL. FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS), DYNAMIC STABILITY CONTROL (DSC), AND BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AT RANDOM INTERVALS. THIS INDICATES THAT THE DYNAMIC STABILITY AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEMS ARE NO LONGER WORKING. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A CONSISTENT REASON FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I HAVE DRIVEN 50 MILES ON POTHOLE-FILLED, RAIN-SLICKED HIGHWAYS AND THE LIGHTS HAVE REMAINED OFF. ON THE OTHER HAND, I HAVE STARTED THE CAR IN MY GARAGE, STEPPED BACK IN THE HOUSE TO GET SOMETHING, AND COME BACK OUT TO FIND THE LIGHTS ON. TYPICALLY, I'M JUST DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN A LEVEL ROAD AND NOT TOUCHING THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON. THERE ARE LOTS OF THEORIES AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE RULED OUT TIRES BECAUSE I RECENTLY INSTALLED FOUR NEW TIRES ALL THE SAME, ALL PROPERLY INFLATED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY, BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. I HAD THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CHECKED, BUT IT WAS OK. MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO IS BMW FACTORY- TRAINED, CLEANED ALL ABS SENSORS, BUT THAT DIDN'T HELP. WE GOT A FAULT CODE TO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR SENSOR, WHICH WE DID, BUT STILL GOT THE FAULT CODE AFTER INSTALLING A NEW SENSOR. THERE WERE NO OTHER FAULT CODES. THE INFORMATION ABOVE WAS PROVIDED TO BMW NORTH AMERICA, BUT THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT OR REPAIR THE CAR UNLESS I PAID THEM. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE ABS MODULE BECOMES DEFECTIVE QUITE FREQUENTLY ON BMWS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE SYSTEM REVERTS TO NORMAL OPERATION, THEN SUDDENLY FAILS WITHOUT WARNING. IN LIGHT OF NHTSA'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF ELECTRONIC STABILITY SYSTEMS, I URGE YOU TO ORDER BMW TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS ON ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. THANK YOU.

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(NHTSA 04C002000) FOR THE CAR SEAT STRAP WEBBING. NO PARTS AVAILABLE. BRITAX E920606 MARATHON OCT 27 2003. *JB

NO CHILD SEAT TETHER APPARATUS, SAME VEHICLE DELIVERED 1 MONTH LATER HAS (3) TETHER APPARATUS HOOKS BUILT INTO CAR. DEALER WANTS OVER $200 TO INSTALL SAME IN MY VEHICLE. MY 1995 BMW 540I HAD ACCESSIBLE HOLES IN WHICH TO INSTALL TETHER HOOKS AT A COST OF $3. WHY WOULD SAME MODEL DELIVERED ONE MONTH LATER BE FULLY EQUIPPED WITH THE SAFETY FEATURE AND MY VEHICLE IS NOT. PLEASE RESPOND. I APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE. THANK YOU.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, A CAR IN THE OTHER LANE HIT A PIECE OF FIREWOOD AND KNOCKED IT UNDER OUR CAR. THIS CAUSED (FOR SOME REASON) THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG ON THE DOOR (THE SIDE AIRBAG) TO DEPLOY. WHEN IT DEPLOYED, IT TORE LOOSE A STRIP OF DECORATIVE METAL ON THE INTERIOR. THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 2-3 FEET LONG AND HAD BETWEEN 3 AND 5 1" BOLTS PROTRUDING FROM IT. THE METAL STRIP HIT THE PASSENGER ON THE ARM AND CAUSED AN ABRASION. WE WERE GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FOR TWO REASONS: (1) WHY DID THAT PARTICULAR BAG DEPLOY WHEN THERE WAS ONLY DAMAGE UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND (2) THE METAL STRIP THAT RIPPED OFF COULD HAVE HIT SOMEONE IN THE EYE OR IN ANOTHER PLACE THAT WOULD CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY. EVEN AS IT WAS, THE PASSENGER'S ARM WAS TOTALLY BRUISED FROM WRIST TO SHOULDER. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO THE DEALER AND THE BMW COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT, WHO TOLD US WE WOULD HEAR FROM THEM WITHIN 3 DAYS. THIS WAS 4 WEEKS AGO, SO WE OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT GOING TO HEAR FROM THEM NOW.

TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A 2000 BMW 740IL WITH 45,000 MILES ON IT FROM A FRIEND, I LEFT MY DRIVEWAY AND ACTIVATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT. AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS, I BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE WAS FOLLOWING IN ANOTHER VEHICLE AND PULLED ALONG SIDE ME. I ROLLED DOWN THE WINDOW AND WIFE SAID "THERE IS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE WINDOW!". I TURNED OFF THE SEAT AND OPENED THE DOOR AND LOOKED AT THE SEAT. THERE WAS A BURNT SPOT APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A DIME HIGH ON THE OUTBOARD BOLSTER OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. I TOUCHED THE SPOT AND IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH. MY ONE AND A HALF YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS STRAPPED IN HER CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. BEFORE EXITING THE VEHICLE, I UNLOCKED ALL THE DOORS IN CASE I HAD TO GO AROUND AND PULL HER FROM THE CAR. AFTER TURNING OFF THE SEAT, THE FIRE STOPPED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON SEVERAL BMW E38 WEBSITES AND HAVE FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS OCCURRENCE. ONE INDIVIDUAL SAID THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN SENT TO BMW DEALERS TO ALERT THEM OF THIS PROBLEM IN SEVERAL LINES OF BMW CARS, INCLUDING SOME NEWER MODELS. FORTUNATELY, I HAD NOT YET UTILIZED THE AUXILIARY CLIMATE CONTROL TIMER FUNCTION THAT ALLOWS THE OWNER TO HAVE THE CAR TURN ON IT'S HEATED SEATS AND STEERING WHEEL AT A PRE-SET TIME BEFORE THE OWNER ENTERS THE CAR. SEEING HOW QUICKLY THE SEAT CAUGHT FIRE, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IF THIS FUNCTION HAD BEEN USED, IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC VEHICLE FIRE THAT COULD HAVE CONSUMED THE SEAT, SINCE PRESUMABLY THE OWNER WOULD BE INSIDE THE HOME OR OFFICE AND COULD NOT WITNESS THE FIRE. *JB

I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SLIGHT VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE ON I-95. A WHILE LATER, I BEGAN TO SENSE A VERY SLIGHT CONTROL ISSUE WITH THE CAR AS IT SEEMED TO WOBBLE JUST A BIT AND DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO PULL OFF AT THE APPROACHING EXIT. AT THE TOP OF THE EXIT I BEGAN TO MERGE WITH THE OTHER ROAD WHEN I HEARD AND FELT A "THUMP-THUMP" SOUND. I THEN FELT THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE DROP TO THE PAVEMENT WITH A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND AND AN INSTANT LATER I SAW ONE OF MY WHEELS WHIZZING PASS THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND ACROSS THE ROAD INTO THE WOODS ABOUT 150 FEET FROM MY VEHICLE. THE TIRE WAS RETRIEVED AND IT SEEMED TO BE PROPERLY INFLATED AND MOUNTED ON THE WHEEL. INSPECTION OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE HUB SHOWED THAT ALL FIVE LUG NUTS HAD BEEN SHEARED WITH THE ENDS STILL FIRMLY IN PLACE. I RETRIEVED THREE OF THE OTHER ENDS OF THE LUG NUTS THAT HAD BROKEN OFF AND THE THREADED PORTIONS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF UNUSUAL WEAR. THEY SIMPLY ALL SHEARED OFF. A PASSER-BY TOOK DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE HUB, TIRE, AND WHEEL ALONG WITH THE LUG NUTS THAT I NOW HAVE. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INCIDENT SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A CASE OF EITHER (1) MATERIAL FAILURE, OR, (2) PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE WHEELS BY THE DEALER. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEALER AND BMW MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INTEREST IN DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THEY WERE SIMPLY INTENT ON HAVING IT CLASSIFIED AS AN "ACCIDENT" THAT WOULD HAVE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR ME AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND NONE FOR THEM. I'M LEFT WONDERING WHETHER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE IS AN ISOLATED CASE OR ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING DRIVER WILL EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM UNDER MUCH LESS ADVANTAGEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD EASILY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIFE. CONSEQUENTLY, I'M HOPEFUL THAT SOMEONE AT NHTSA WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOME SOLID ANSWERS ABOUT THE CAUSE AND NOT LEAVE IT TO CONJECTURE BY BMW. *LA