1997 BMW 740IL

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 12

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1997 BMW 740IL

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 19 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Suspension: 6 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 5 reports
Steering: 4 reports
Air Bags: 2 reports
Electrical System: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

97V140000 — Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all 740IL years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Suspension

6 Engine And Engine Cooling

5 Steering

4 Air Bags

2 Electrical System

All reported categories

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

1 Equipment

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Fuel System, Other

1 Power Train

1 Service Brakes

1 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1 Structure

1 Vehicle Speed Control

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 11 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

Suspension. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Fuel System, Other complaints

1 reports

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71,000 miles · Oct 22, 2004

Fuel System, Other

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PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED" BMW 1997 740IL IN 11/02 WITH 69,000 MILES. IN JANUARY I NOTICED A "TIN CAN" POPPING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND A VACUUM LIKE SOUND WHEN OPENING THE GAS CAP TO FUEL. I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE GAS TANK HAD A DENT IN IT ALTHOUGH I HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO JOHN ROBERTS BMW IN DALLAS. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS RESEMBLING MINE AND THAT I MUST HAVE STRUCK SOMETHING TO DAMAGE THE TANK. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER THE TANK BEGAN TO LEAK AND BASICALLY IMPLODED FROM VACUUM PRESSURE. I POSTED MY EXPERIENCE ON SEVERAL WEB SITES AND RECEIVED OVER 20 RESPONSES FROM OWNERS WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF THESE PEOPLE SENT ME A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM BMW TO ITS DEALERS DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AS A FUEL TANK VENT WHICH WOULD BECOME STOPPED UP AND CAUSE THE FUEL TANK TO IMPLODE. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER BUT BY THIS TIME MY VEHICLE WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY HAZARD AND COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10096241

Recall campaigns

97V140000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Aug 22, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ROAD GRIT AND GRAVEL ASSOCIATED WITH WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS CAN PENETRATE THE RUBBER OF THE LOWER FRONT SPRING MOUNTS AND ACCUMULATE IN THE MOUNTS CAUSING NOTCHES OR PITS TO DEVELOP. THESE NOTCHES CAN DEVELOP CRACKS RESULTING IN BREAKAGE OF A BOTTOM COIL OF THE SPRING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VEHICLE'S RIDE HEIGHT COULD BE AFFECTED CAUSING NOISE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE'S DYNAMIC STABILITY CAN BE AFFECTED REDUCING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS AND LOWER SPRING MOUNTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.