IllustrationTHE ALARM SYSTEM RUNS DOWN THE BATTERY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BLANKS CONSTANTLY WHILE CAR IS RUNNING ALSO BACK TAILLIGHT BLANK OFF ON PASSAGE SIDE. *TR
1998 BMW 740IL
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 740IL years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
025–50K
150–75K
775–100K
5100–150K
6150K+
20 reports with mileage · 6 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
6 reportsTHE ALARM SYSTEM RUNS DOWN THE BATTERY AND THE HEAD LIGHTS BLANKS CONSTANTLY WHILE CAR IS RUNNING ALSO BACK TAILLIGHT GOES OFF ON ON ON PASSAGE SIDE . *TR
THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. ALL DOORS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVER DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. IF YOU PULL ON ANY OF THE DOORS DOOR HANDLE TWICE FROM THE INSIDE IT SHOULD OPEN. ALL OF THIS HAPPEN WHEN THE ALARM ACTIVATED WITHOUT ANY REASON. ALARM STOPPED WORKING AND DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. *TR
ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH PROCEEDING NORTH ON STATE ROUTE 3 IN VIRGINIA WHEN THE AUTO STARTED TO ACCELERATE. TAPPED THE BRAKE NO EFFECT. TURNED OF THE CRUISE CONTROL NO EFFECT. BY THIS TIME I AM DOING 90 MPH SO I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THAT HAD AN EFFECT. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOT OUT RAISED THE HOOD COULD SEE…
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ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 60 MPH PROCEEDING NORTH ON STATE ROUTE 3 IN VIRGINIA WHEN THE AUTO STARTED TO ACCELERATE. TAPPED THE BRAKE NO EFFECT. TURNED OF THE CRUISE CONTROL NO EFFECT. BY THIS TIME I AM DOING 90 MPH SO I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. THAT HAD AN EFFECT. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOT OUT RAISED THE HOOD COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. GOT IN THE AUTO AND STARTED IT UP. RPM WENT SHOOTING UP SHUT THE AUTO OFF. CHECKED THE LINKAGE TO THE THROTTLE COULD SEE NO PROBLEMS. WORKED THE LINKAGE TO SEE IF THERE WAS BINDING NO BINDING. DROVE HOME WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEM. YET!!
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS AGO THE CLUSTER ON THE DASH WENT OUT THE TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. MONDAY, MAY 9, THE VEHICLE STARTED CHUGGING, AS IF RUNNING OUT OF…
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DT: THE CONSUMER STATES APPROXIMATELY 4 DAYS AGO THE CLUSTER ON THE DASH WENT OUT THE TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY WERE WORKING ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY INFORMED CONTACT TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE. MONDAY, MAY 9, THE VEHICLE STARTED CHUGGING, AS IF RUNNING OUT OF GASOLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT SEARCHED THE VEHICLE BUT HE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE FUEL TANK. *NM *SB THE CONSUMER FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR LIGHTS (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAS CHANGED THE BULBS FOR THE LIGHTS SEVERAL TIMES AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT IT IS A DEFECT IN THE REAR LIGHTS, SUCH AS MELTING PLASTIC CONCEPTS, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. BY THE REAR LIGHTS GOING OUT AND HAVING A DEFECT IN THEM THIS CAN CAUSE A REAR END ACCIDENT, WHICH THE CONSUMER IS WORRIED ABOUT. *SB
MOTOR FOR SHOULDER STRAP WAS REPLACED, IT WOULD NOT RETRACT, LATER THE STRAP FAILED AGAIN AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *SLC
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.