2001 BMW 750IL Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 750IL, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine240.0%
- Fuel system240.0%
- Electrical120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS VEHICLE MODEL WITH THE V12 ENGINE HAS A SYSTEM THAT HEATS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS SHORTLY AFTER START TO REDUCE TAILPIPE EMISSIONS DURING COLD STARTS. THIS SYSTEM IS KNOWN BY BMW'S TRADE NAME OF ECAT. THE SYSTEM IS POWERED BY THE STARTING BATTERY (BMW V12S USE TWO BATTERIES - ONE FOR STARTING AND POWERING THESE HIGH-CURRENT ECAT HEATERS; THE OTHER BATTERY IS USED TO POWER ALL OTHER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL LOADS LIKE HVAC, ENTERTAINMENT, POWER WINDOWS ETC. THE V8 AND I6 MODEL BMWS DO NOT USE THIS SYSTEM. ON TUESDAY, 12/13/2011, I GOT IN MY CAR AFTER IT WAS SITTING ALL DAY IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK AND AS SOON AS I OPENED THE DOOR, I NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. AFTER CHECKING WITH SOME BMW-RELATED MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES ON THIS MODEL OF BMW. THE EXACT PROBLEM IS THE ECAT CONTROL MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS MODULE CONTROLS THE HIGH-CURRENT CATALYST HEATERS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN MY CASE, THE MODULE DEVELOPED A SHORT AND BECAME QUITE HOT - HOT ENOUGH TO FUSE THE HIGH CURRENT LEADS TO THE MODULE, AND MELT THE CARPETING ABOVE THE MODULE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A PROFOUND SAFETY OF LIFE ISSUE, AS IF I HADN'T DISCONNECTED THE BATTERIES RIGHT AWAY, THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE WARRANTS A MANUFACTURER RECALL. *TR
RECALL 02V138000; CONSUMER REPLACED THE COOLANT SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND RUNNING. HEARD LOUD POP NOISE. CALL MY FRIEND TO CHECK ON IT. HE RAISED THE CAR AND LOOKS LIKE THE GAS TANK HAS IMPLODED (LIKE A BEND CAN). VEHICLE IS OPERATIONAL. I HAVE RESEARCH THIS ONLINE AND FOUND THIS ARTICLE, WHICH IS RELATED TO MY PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.E38.ORG/SI.NEW.EVAPORATIVE.%28CHARCOAL%29.CANISTER.PURGE.LINE.PDF. THESE WERE SYMPTOMS ON MY CAR, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE GAS TANK HAS COLLAPSED INSIDE AND IS BEYOND REPAIR. *TR
THE GAS TANK HAS A "KNOWN" LEAK AROUND THE METAL FLANGE ON THE GAS TANK. THE TANK IS DRIPPING GASOLINE EVEN BEING FULL - THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPLACE UNDER A RECALL CAMPAIGN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS VEHICLE MODEL WITH THE V12 ENGINE HAS A SYSTEM THAT HEATS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS SHORTLY AFTER START TO REDUCE TAILPIPE EMISSIONS DURING COLD STARTS. THIS SYSTEM IS KNOWN BY BMW'S TRADE NAME OF ECAT. THE SYSTEM IS POWERED BY THE STARTING BATTERY (BMW V12S USE TWO BATTERIES - ONE FOR STARTING AND POWERING THESE HIGH-CURRENT ECAT HEATERS; THE OTHER BATTERY IS USED TO POWER ALL OTHER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL LOADS LIKE HVAC, ENTERTAINMENT, POWER WINDOWS ETC. THE V8 AND I6 MODEL BMWS DO NOT USE THIS SYSTEM. ON TUESDAY, 12/13/2011, I GOT IN MY CAR AFTER IT WAS SITTING ALL DAY IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK AND AS SOON AS I OPENED THE DOOR, I NOTICED A STRONG BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. AFTER CHECKING WITH SOME BMW-RELATED MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES ON THIS MODEL OF BMW. THE EXACT PROBLEM IS THE ECAT CONTROL MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS MODULE CONTROLS THE HIGH-CURRENT CATALYST HEATERS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND IN MY CASE, THE MODULE DEVELOPED A SHORT AND BECAME QUITE HOT - HOT ENOUGH TO FUSE THE HIGH CURRENT LEADS TO THE MODULE, AND MELT THE CARPETING ABOVE THE MODULE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A PROFOUND SAFETY OF LIFE ISSUE, AS IF I HADN'T DISCONNECTED THE BATTERIES RIGHT AWAY, THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE WARRANTS A MANUFACTURER RECALL. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .