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2011 BMW 740LI

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 9 of 11 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 3 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

What owners actually said

11 reports
57,000 miles · Feb 29, 2024
Power Train

The contact owns a 2011 BMW 740LI. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into park (P) and inadvertently shifted into neutral (N). The contact applied the parking brake while the transmission was shifted to neutral (N) to turn off the vehicle. The Transmission Malfunction message was displayed. The vehicle was…

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The contact owns a 2011 BMW 740LI. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift into park (P) and inadvertently shifted into neutral (N). The contact applied the parking brake while the transmission was shifted to neutral (N) to turn off the vehicle. The Transmission Malfunction message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the TCM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

NHTSA ODI #11574769

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2022
Electrical SystemStructure

Vehicle is equipped with soft closing doors. Passenger door actuator malfunctioned which prevented the passenger door from locking. That malfunction short circuited the entire vehicle locking system. It created a unsafe driving condition which locked the driver side door from the inside and outside of the vehicle. Basically lock…

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Vehicle is equipped with soft closing doors. Passenger door actuator malfunctioned which prevented the passenger door from locking. That malfunction short circuited the entire vehicle locking system. It created a unsafe driving condition which locked the driver side door from the inside and outside of the vehicle. Basically locking the driver inside the car. The only way for the driver to exit the vehicle was to climb to another door. If the driver was in a accident and needed to exit the car immediately, he wouldn't be able to do it.

NHTSA ODI #11446272

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2022
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

Electric water pump failed. While driving, engine overheated and warning light illuminated. I immediately pulled over and my car was towed in for repairs. Why wasn't the N54 engine not included in the recall campaign#11V-521? Also, my fuel line was found to be leaking when this car was towed in for the electric water pump repa…

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Electric water pump failed. While driving, engine overheated and warning light illuminated. I immediately pulled over and my car was towed in for repairs. Why wasn't the N54 engine not included in the recall campaign#11V-521? Also, my fuel line was found to be leaking when this car was towed in for the electric water pump repairs. I did smell fuel on days prior to this incident, but I mistakenly ignored the smells. This whole incident had the potential to be catastrophic.

NHTSA ODI #11446184

110,000 miles · Sep 28, 2020
Fuel/propulsion System

THE CAR MISFIRE DUE FAULTY INJECTOR THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THE FAULTY INJECTOR WITH THE NEW ONE

NHTSA ODI #11361440

135,522 miles · Aug 26, 2020
Power Train

THE GEAR SHIFTER BLINKS IN NEUTRAL WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. A NOTIFICATION ON THE DISPLAY SAYS "SECURE VEHICLE WITH PARKING BREAK WHEN STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI #11351446

41,287 miles · Jan 2, 2020
Electrical SystemCrash

WALKING OUT OF THE GROCERY STORE I NOTICED MY CAR HAD MOVED, HIT THE CURB AND DAMAGED MY BOTTOM FRONT BUMPER. I STARTED AND TURNED ON MY CAR AND THEN NOTICED THE SHIFTER WAS ON NEUTRAL AND NOT PARKED. SHIFTER WOULD ONLY SHIFT TO ANY GEAR EXCEPT FOR THE PARKING GEAR. I DROVE MY CAR HOME AND TRIED PARKING MY CAR IN THE GARAGE, BU…

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WALKING OUT OF THE GROCERY STORE I NOTICED MY CAR HAD MOVED, HIT THE CURB AND DAMAGED MY BOTTOM FRONT BUMPER. I STARTED AND TURNED ON MY CAR AND THEN NOTICED THE SHIFTER WAS ON NEUTRAL AND NOT PARKED. SHIFTER WOULD ONLY SHIFT TO ANY GEAR EXCEPT FOR THE PARKING GEAR. I DROVE MY CAR HOME AND TRIED PARKING MY CAR IN THE GARAGE, BUT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY PARKING SO IT WOULDN'T ROLL AGAIN. SHIFTER WON'T GO BACK TO PARKING GEAR EVER SINCE THAT DAY.

NHTSA ODI #11296750

50,000 miles · Jul 7, 2018
Unknown Or Other

HEADLINER SAGGING AND LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN POORLY INSTALLED.

NHTSA ODI #11110001

45 miles · Jun 18, 2018
Air Bags

AIRBAG WENT OUT ON 740 LI 2011

NHTSA ODI #11102420

110,000 miles · Mar 22, 2018
EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 740LI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE OF THE AUXILIARY THAT CONNECTED TO THE WATER PUMP MELTED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW AUXILIARY WIRE FOR THE WATER PUMP, BUT COMPLAINED OF A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 740LI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE OF THE AUXILIARY THAT CONNECTED TO THE WATER PUMP MELTED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW AUXILIARY WIRE FOR THE WATER PUMP, BUT COMPLAINED OF A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER THE PARTS WERE REPLACED BY CHAPMAN BMW IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ODI #11080960

102,500 miles · Nov 4, 2017
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

OIL GASKET LEAK

NHTSA ODI #11043183

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.