Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 BMW 745LI submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The contact owns a 2003 BMW 745LI. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the brake fluid warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and diagnosed with rotors, brake wear sensors, and brake failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 174,500.
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND ALMOST REAR ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WHERE NO LONGER FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AFTER THAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE I WAS TOLD VACUUM BRAKE PUMP, THE LOCK RING SEAL, AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL BMW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED FOR MY VEHICLE AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE TO REPAIR.THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. *TR
IN 2011 ROSEVILLE BMW BEGAN WORK ON A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE (RECALL CAMPAIGN 10V- 446.) THE FIRST STEP OF THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED BUT DUE TO A ?VISUAL INSPECTION? IT WAS DEEMED THAT THE REMAINING STEPS WERE NOT NECESSARY. ACCORDING THE RECALL NOTICES THEY DID NOT PROPERLY PERFORM THE RECALL AND WITHIN 18 MONTHS THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND PUMP BEGAN TO FAIL, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER ASSIST BRAKING TO BE INOPERABLE. AFTER BRINGING IT TO 2 BMW TECHNICIANS AND THE ROSEVILLE BMW DEALERSHIP IT HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY DEEMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE EXACT SAME RESULT OF THE RECALL WITH THE SAME CAUSE. IN FACT, NO ONE HAS DENIED THAT THE PROBLEM I AM NOW EXPERIENCING IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE RECALL PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP AND BMW HAVE BEEN UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO GET APPROVAL TO FINISH THE RECALL CLAIM SINCE THE WORK WAS ALREADY STARTED. I HAVE NOT BEEN FURNISHED WITH ANY OF THE DETAILS FOR DENIALS AND THUS FAR NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR BMW ARE WILLING TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THE DENIAL DETAILS, OR INITIAL RECALL WORK THAT WAS CONDUCTED (I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS WORK AT THE TIME AND THOUGHT THEY JUST REPLACED MY BATTERY, WHICH WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE SERVICE.) IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP? LEGAL ACTION? *TR
THE 2003 BMW 745LI HAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.10V-446: BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. TOOK CAR IN TO LOCAL DEALER AND DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM RECALL DUE TO VACUUM PUMP LEAKING OIL, AND MUST BE REPLACED FIRST FULL OF CHARGE AT $1300.00USD. WHEN IN RECALL LETTER IT STATES THE PROBLEM TO BE "SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL COULD LEAK FROM THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP INTO THE VACUUM HOSE, DEALER CLAIMS THERE ARE TO ONLY REPLACE VACUUM LINE HOSE. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PERFORM THE SERVICE AND THE MOMENT SO NOW I MUST DRIVE VEHICLE WITH FAULTY BRAKES! THANKS BMW USA! *TR
BRAKE AND DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.. PARKING BRAKE WITHOUT EMERGENCY BRAKING FUNCTION. AVOID HARD BRAKING. *JS
PARKING BRAKE FAULT LIGHT ON. STATES NO PARKING BRAKE AVAILABLE USING BUTTON WHEN STATIONARY. *JS
03 745LI IN FOR SERVICE REGARDING "SERVICE ENGINE" ; WHEN CAR WAS READY WE PICKED IT UP AND THE PARK BRAKE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THEY RESET IT AND I LEFT. 2 HRS LATER LIGHT RETURNED. NOW THEY SAY PARKING BRAKE/ACTUATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OVER $1000.00. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE NECK WAS SEPARATING FROM THE VACUUM PUMP WHICH CAUSED A LEAK. THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS. THE REPAIRS UNDER THE RECALL WERE MADE BUT NONE OF THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, NOT LISTED ON THE NHTSA SITE, IN REFERENCE TO THE PIPING AND BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE RECALL NOTICE STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS TO REPLACE THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP BUT THEY DID NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 68,800.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SENT HIM A RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL 10V446000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST: VACUUM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR BUT A PUMP ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 153,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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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