2003 BMW 7 Series recalls and problems

The 2003 BMW 7 Series has 2 recalls and 8 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2003 compares

Average

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 13 7 Series model years — 6th most.

2recalls

8complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

100,858median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

2 recalls

Service Brakes

Oct 1, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V446000 · 198,352 vehicles

Problem: BMW is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, and model year 2002-2008 7-SERIES vehicles. A check valve of the brake vacuum pump May leak a small amount of lubricating oil. Over time this could result in contamination of the brake booster.

Original NHTSA wording

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Risk: Power assist braking performance could be adversely affected. In extreme cases there could be a complete loss of power assist braking. An unexpected reduction or loss in power braking assist May increase the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

BMW will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on November 24, 2010. Owners May contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Seats

Dec 6, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V575000 · 17,905 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with front seat heating systems, upon entering and exiting the vehicle, excessive contact with the side bolster that is contained in the seat's backrest May damage the heating mat located in this area. If such damage were to occur, with the system turned on, the vehicle occupant May feel excessive heat from this area.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT HEATING SYSTEMS, UPON ENTERING AND EXITING THE VEHICLE, EXCESSIVE CONTACT WITH THE SIDE BOLSTER THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE SEAT'S BACKREST MAY DAMAGE THE HEATING MAT LOCATED IN THIS AREA. IF SUCH DAMAGE WERE TO OCCUR, WITH THE SYSTEM TURNED ON, THE VEHICLE OCCUPANT MAY FEEL EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM THIS AREA.

Risk: It is possible that the heating mat in the backrest's side bolster could overheat and damage, or melt a small hole in, this area of the seat cover. If this happened, it could lead to an occupant being burned.

Original NHTSA wording

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE HEATING MAT IN THE BACKREST'S SIDE BOLSTER COULD OVERHEAT AND DAMAGE, OR MELT A SMALL HOLE IN, THIS AREA OF THE SEAT COVER. IF THIS HAPPENED, IT COULD LEAD TO AN OCCUPANT BEING BURNED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will modify the seat heating circuit. The recall is expected to begin during December 2004. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.

Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Unknown or other1

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Vehicle Rollaway

EA12002 · opened Apr 10, 2012 · closed Jan 24, 2013 · led to recall 12V502000

Summary

In a letter dated October 16, 2012, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-502 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving the possibility of unattended vehicle rollaway in MY 2005 through 2008 BMW 7-Series (approximately 45,000) vehicles equipped with the Comfort Access Option.The Comfort Access option allows the driver to start and stop the engine (by pressing the engine start / stop button) without inserting the key fob into the vehicles key slot in the instrument panel.Subject vehicles not equipped with the Comfort Access option require the key fob be inserted the key slot to start the engine.Upon removal of the key from the key slot the vehicle will automatically shift to Park if the driver has not done so using the gearshift lever.Sunject vehicles equipped with the Comfort Access option are designed such that when the vehicle is stopped with the service brakes applied and the transmission in Drive or Reverse, the driver can push the engine start/stop button one time, stopping the engine and automatically shifting the transmission to Park.In its DIR, BMW identified a condition such that if the driver depressed the start-stop button multiple times in rapid succession, the transmission could shift to Neutral instead of Park.With the transmission in neutral, depending on the slope of the road, the vehicle could rollaway if unattended.In review of data submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and of …

Vehicle Rollaway

PE11025 · opened Aug 5, 2011 · closed Apr 23, 2012

Summary

In response to the Office of Defects Investigation's (ODI) Information Request (IR) for PE11-025, BMW provided ODI with 1 complaint and 46 field reports relating to either incidents of unattended vehicle rollaway or vehicle movement after the driver expected the vehicle gearshift to automatically shift to park. ODI's analysis of the data provided by BMW identified 14 crashes and 5 alleged injuries. ODI has also identified 3 additional reports in its database alleging vehicle rollaway incidents of which 2 resulted in crashes.The subject vehicles are all equipped with push-buttons (Start/Stop button) to control starting/stopping the engine and Shift-by-Wire gearshift systems controlled by a column mounted selector lever behind the steering wheel. The Start/Stop button also controls switching the ignition and the radio ready state On and Off. Shift-by-wire systems replace the traditional mechanical connection (e.g., cable or linkage) between the gearshift and automatic transmission with an electronic connection controlled by a computer module. When parking the vehicle, the driver has the capability to manually shift the vehicle to park by pressing the Park button on the end of the electronic gearshift lever. However, the instructions for engine shutoff provided in the owner's manual state that pressing the Start/Stop button serves the dual function of switching off the engine and automatically shifting the transmission to Park.In response to ODI's information request for PE11-02…

2003 vs. other BMW 7 Series years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 BMW 7 Series have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2003 BMW 7 Series, the latest from Oct 1, 2010 (service brakes). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW 7 Series?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (1), engine (1), equipment (1). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.