RoadVitals

2002 BMW 745I Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest Feb 24, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 54 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 BMW 745I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Feb 24, 2020

I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM SOMEONE IN CASH. IT HAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPES. WHEN ITS SITTING AND IDLING FOR A WHILE IT SMOKES TERRIBLY.

NHTSA ID
11311060
Incident
Nov 16, 2018
Engine
Filed Jul 31, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIGITAL ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V240000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID
10532883
Incident
Jul 29, 2013
Mileage
120,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 11, 2013

MY VEHICLE JUST SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES WHILE DRIVING AND THREE TIMES TOTAL WHILE IDLE. JUST RECENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. THE VEHICLE ALSO WOULD NOT START AFTER IT HAD SHUT ITSELF OFF. I TRIED TO START IT BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. THEN A MESSAGE ON THE THE DISPLAY READ "TRANSMISSION DRIVE FAIL SAFE MALFUNCTION ONLY GEARS P,N,R, D3 AND D5 CAN BE ENGAGED WITHOUT PRESSING THE PARKING BRAKE." AND IT ALSO DISPLAYED SOMETHING ABOUT BATTERY DISCHARGED AND WILL BE DISCONNECTED SOON. THEN I WAS PROMPTED TO "RECHARGE BATTERY" AFTER THE MESSAGE. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR ALMOST AN HOUR I STARTED IT. THERE WEREN'T ANY MESSAGES IN THE DISPLAY ABOUT MALFUNCTIONS OF ANY KIND EVERYTHING WAS CLEARED. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND TURNED IT OFF AND ON ABOUT FIVE TIMES AND IT STARTED FINE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN I IDLE MY CAR AND I GET OUT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT OR LIFT OUT OF THE SEAT AND SIT BACK DOWN BOTH TIMES I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP BUZZING FOR ABOUT 1-2 SECONDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10511472
Incident
May 10, 2013
Mileage
139,345 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 27, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, HE NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS BLUE SMOKE BEING EMITTED FROM THE TAILPIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PCV VALVE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID
10477316
Incident
Feb 15, 2011
Mileage
104,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 30, 2003

I LEASED THIS VEHICLE JUNE/2002 AND HAVE HAD CONSTANT AGGRAVATION AND FRUSTRATION BY THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS CAR, THIS CAR HAS BEEN AT THE BMW SERVICE CENTER 6 TIMES IN THE YEAR I HAVE HAD IT -- 3 TIMES FOR THE ENGINE FAILING TO START,LEAVING ME STRANDED AT NIGHT IN UNFAMILLAR AND DANGEROUS AREAS-- 2 TIMES THIS VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AT NIGHT, EACH TIME WAITING MORE THAN 3 HOURS FOR BMW ASSIST TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK COME AND GET CAR -MOST RECENTLY I WAITED MORE THEN 4 HOURS -- I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR AS I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL BRAKE DOWN AND NOT START. PLEASE HELP ME !!

NHTSA ID
10040971
Incident
Jun 30, 2003
Mileage
7,620 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Sep 2, 2003
Fire reported

CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE AND ABOUT THREE HOURS LATER SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE GARAGE. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND DAMAGED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE GARAGE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE ,AND DETERMINED THAT FIRE CAME FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. *AK CONSUMER EXPERIENCED OTHER FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE INCLUDING: FAILURE TO START, 3 RECALLS PERTAINING TO FUEL SYSTEM AND COMPUTER, COMPUTER CRASHED AND ACCESSORIES DIDN'T OPERATE, AND HEAD REST MOVED ON IT'S OWN. *PH

NHTSA ID
10032039
Incident
Jul 27, 2003
Mileage
16,000 mi
AirbagsEngine
Filed Jan 28, 2003

I PURCHASE A NEW 745I AND AFTER 10MONTHS OF CONSTANT AGGRAVATION AND FUSTRATION BY THE NUMEROUS FAILURES OF THIS CAR, I WOULD LIKE FOR BMW TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. MY CAR CONSTANTLY KEEP HAVING ENGINE FAILURE, RECENTLY BMW HAD TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEADS (FOR A NEW CAR THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE). I WOULD TO RETURN THIS CAR TO BMW FOR A FAIR EXCHANGE.

NHTSA ID
10003550
Incident
Jan 19, 2003
Mileage
10,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 15, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE, THEN ENGINE STALLED. VEHICLE IS STILL AT DEALERSHIP.*AK

NHTSA ID
8009885
Incident
May 10, 2002

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Brakes13Airbags11Powertrain (other)9Transmission8Electrical8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .