Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain (other) 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 Sep 8, 2022
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.
33%
of 24 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.
1
What this page shows
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 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 powertrain
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 8, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported
The electric parking gear shift slipped out of park on it own. When I stepped out of the car and the gear was placed in P park position, I got out the car was completely in park and not moving, I went to open my garage and planned to come back and drive car in garage. The car automatically with no one driving slipped into another gear on its own, I looked up as I was opening garage the car was driving towards me and pinned me in between the garage and car. I was stuck and screaming for help I almost lost my life a neighbor ran over and put it in reverse and saved my life. I was car flighted to trauma unit with fractured hips and pelvic area. I was almost killed in this accident.
NHTSA ID
11483481
Incident
Mar 28, 2022
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 17, 2015
LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. HAPPENS WHEN YOU ACCELERATE QUICKLY SPECIALLY WHILE CHANGING THE LANE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK, THEN I NEED TO PULL OVER SHUT THE CAR AND RESTART. WHEN THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT, BASED ON THE DTC CODE, HE FIRST RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE BATTERY, WHICH I DID. THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME, AND BASED ON THE DTC CODE CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR. AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. BMW REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THEY SAY THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR. I DON'T EXPECT THAT A BMW TRANSMISSION SHOULD GO BAD UNDER 73K MILES, EVEN IF THE CAR IS 10+ YEARS OLD. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW/ICE, STAYS IN GARAGE FROM OCT - APRIL. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT BMW REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH. HAVE BEEN READING VARIOUS FORUMS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE MESSAGE COMES. I WOULD LIKE BMW TO STEP UP AND TAKE THE OWNERSHIP OF GETTING THIS ISSUE FIXED. *TR
NHTSA ID
10683789
Incident
Dec 15, 2014
Mileage
73,900 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 19, 2014
I HAVE DRIVEN 2004 BMW 745I FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. IT HAS 44000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. RECENTLY, IT STOPS WHILE DRIVING. EACH TIME IT STOPS, THE GEAR IS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. WHEN I TRIED TO START ENGINE, IT WON'T START. AFTER USING CELL PHONE TO REQUEST FOR HELP, THE ENGINE STARTS. IT HAPPENED MORE THAN FIVE TIMES. *TR
NHTSA ID
10667212
Incident
Dec 5, 2014
Mileage
44,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 24, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 7451. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V344000 (ENGINE) AND 03V240000 (POWER TRAIN). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
NHTSA ID
10574335
Incident
Mar 17, 2014
Mileage
117,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 27, 2012
I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND EVERYTHING WENT HAYWIRE AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT SHUT OFF. AFTER I PULLED OVER I SHUT IT OFF AND TRIED TURNING IT BACK ON BUT IT WOULDN'T START. I SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR 25 MIN AND TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT FINALLY TURNED BACK ON. *TR
NHTSA ID
10472584
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
79,550 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jul 6, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE DYNAMIC DRIVE INACTIVE SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THIS LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
NHTSA ID
10464455
Incident
Apr 11, 2012
Mileage
129,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 4, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE PARK SENSOR AND TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ID
10457469
Incident
May 1, 2012
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 4, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DECREASED HIS DRIVABILITY. IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER, NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000.
NHTSA ID
10442427
Incident
Dec 28, 2011
Mileage
94,000 mi
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