Illustration"TAKATA RECALL" MY CAR BRAKE LIGHTS JUST STARTED TO STAY ELIMINATED WHEN I AM DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO ADJUSTS ON ITS ON UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE IS WHEN THE VECHILE IS IN MOTION ON ANY HIGHWAY
2001 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
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: 19 of 26 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. 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 reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
26 reportsI WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULES IN THE BMW 7 SERIES FROM MODEL YEAR 1995 TO 2001 HAVE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULES THAT ARE FAILING AT A VERY HIGH RATE, LEAVING OWNERS WITHOUT AIRBAGS AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON. THE NEW MODULE FROM BMW IS $1400. THIS IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY TO CARS IN COLD CLIMATES.
LCD PIXEL FAILURE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WARNING INDICATORS UNABLE TO SEE SAFETY AND ENGINE WARNINGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740IL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000. .. UPDATED 12/2216 *BF *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG FUEL ODOR ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILS (COMPUTER), I CHECKED ONLINE SEEM A LOT CAR OWNERS HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHICH NOT EFFECTING NAVIGATION ONLY ALSO EFFECT THE AUDIO SYSTEM AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. MECHANIC ADVICE ME TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AND I DID, PROBLEM STILL THE SAME. FOR A HIGH END CAR WITH LOW MILES SEEMS NOT RIGHT. A NEW COMPUTER…
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NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILS (COMPUTER), I CHECKED ONLINE SEEM A LOT CAR OWNERS HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHICH NOT EFFECTING NAVIGATION ONLY ALSO EFFECT THE AUDIO SYSTEM AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. MECHANIC ADVICE ME TO REPLACE THE BATTERY AND I DID, PROBLEM STILL THE SAME. FOR A HIGH END CAR WITH LOW MILES SEEMS NOT RIGHT. A NEW COMPUTER NAVIGATION SYSTEM COST OVER $2000.00. SEEMS THE GERMAN DESIGN THOSE SYSTEMS TO FAIL TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESS GOING.
START THE CAR POWER STEERING FROZE, I HAVE SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT FIX THE PROBLEM OR I HAVE TO REPEAT. SOMETIME WHILE DRIVING STEERING FREEZE. I HAD HOSES LEAK, REPLACED HOSES STILL HAVE MORE LEAKS. WHILE DRIVING CAR UNSTABLE, I CHANGED TIRES PROBLEM REMAIN THE SAME. I CHECKED ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND ALL IN GOOD …
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START THE CAR POWER STEERING FROZE, I HAVE SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT FIX THE PROBLEM OR I HAVE TO REPEAT. SOMETIME WHILE DRIVING STEERING FREEZE. I HAD HOSES LEAK, REPLACED HOSES STILL HAVE MORE LEAKS. WHILE DRIVING CAR UNSTABLE, I CHANGED TIRES PROBLEM REMAIN THE SAME. I CHECKED ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND ALL IN GOOD CONDITION.
THREE YEARS AGO I BOUGHT AN AFTERMARKET CENTER STEERING LINK FOR MY CAR....MADE IN CHINA. AFTER THREE YEARS, I DETECTED SIGNIFICANT PLAY IN THE CENTER LINK WHERE THERE SHOULD BE NONE. I ORDER A SECOND ONE AND REPLACED IT. AFTER THREE MONTHS I DETECTED PLAY IN THE STEERING LINK, NOT AS BAD AS AFTER THREE YEARS, BUT THERE SHOUL…
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THREE YEARS AGO I BOUGHT AN AFTERMARKET CENTER STEERING LINK FOR MY CAR....MADE IN CHINA. AFTER THREE YEARS, I DETECTED SIGNIFICANT PLAY IN THE CENTER LINK WHERE THERE SHOULD BE NONE. I ORDER A SECOND ONE AND REPLACED IT. AFTER THREE MONTHS I DETECTED PLAY IN THE STEERING LINK, NOT AS BAD AS AFTER THREE YEARS, BUT THERE SHOULD BE ZERO PLAY IN THIS PART. I REPLACED IT TODAY WITH AND OEM PART AND WANTED TO REPORT THE DEFECTIVE PART WHICH IS BEING SOLD IN HIGH VOLUME ON THE INTERNET (EBAY). I BELIEVE SHOULD THIS PART FAIL COMPLETELY, IT WOULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING AND COULD RESULT IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I WILL RETAIN FOR A WHILE THE PART I REMOVED IF SOMEONE IS INTERESTED IN THIS ISSUE. *TR
COMMON DEFECT: AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. SUSPECTED PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR FAILURE. I'VE HAD 2 BMW'S FROM THIS SERIES - BOTH WITH THE SAME ISSUE - YET NO RECALL FROM BMW - WHY? ISN'T THIS A SAFETY SYSTEM? I SEE AIRBAG RECALLS ON CARS DATING BACK TO THIS ERA. WHY NONE FOR BMW? ALSO - ODOMETER RIBBON CABLE FAILURE CAUSING …
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COMMON DEFECT: AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. SUSPECTED PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR FAILURE. I'VE HAD 2 BMW'S FROM THIS SERIES - BOTH WITH THE SAME ISSUE - YET NO RECALL FROM BMW - WHY? ISN'T THIS A SAFETY SYSTEM? I SEE AIRBAG RECALLS ON CARS DATING BACK TO THIS ERA. WHY NONE FOR BMW? ALSO - ODOMETER RIBBON CABLE FAILURE CAUSING PIXELS TO FAIL. NO RECALL - PROBLEM EXISTS ACROSS THE SERIES FROM 1996-2001 AND BEYOND. NO FIX - NO RECALL - NO REPAIRS OFFERED. WHY? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740 IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 6 MPH, HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740 IL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT 6 MPH, HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Official recalls
101V001000 · Tires:sidewall
Jan 4, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 18-INCH TIRES. (18-INCH TIRES ARE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON THE M5 AND OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT ON THE 7-SERIES MODELS). THE MACHINE USED TO MOUNT AND INFLATE THE TIRES ON THE WHEELS AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE SIDEWALL OF ONE OR MORE TIRES. THE DAMAGED AREA COULD WEAKEN TO THE POINT WHERE A SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR FROM THE TIRE COULD OCCUR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: HANDLING AND CONTROL WOULD BE DRASTICALLY AFFECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TIRES AND IF DAMAGE FROM THE MOUNTING MACHINE IS FOUND, THE TIRE WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-831-1117.
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.