2003 BMW 745LI recalls and problems

The 2003 BMW 745LI has 2 recalls and 50 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2003 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 4 745LI model years — the most of any year.

2recalls

50complaints

1crashes

0fires

1injuries

100,000median 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.

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2 recalls

Engine

Aug 26, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V324000 · 2,400 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the engine oil filter drain plug May be insufficiently tightened. This could lead to loosening of the plug causing an initial oil spray and a subsequent oil leak.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE ENGINE OIL FILTER DRAIN PLUG MAY BE INSUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOOSENING OF THE PLUG CAUSING AN INITIAL OIL SPRAY AND A SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAK.

Risk: If a large amount of oil loss occurs, engine damage May result. Depending on the extent of the damage, a crash could occur.

Original NHTSA wording

IF A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL LOSS OCCURS, ENGINE DAMAGE MAY RESULT. DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the torque of the oil filter drain plug and, if necessary, retighten the drain plug with the correctly specified torque. Owner notification began on September 12, 2003. 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).

Engine

Jul 1, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V240000 · 5,470 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, due to a software error, a desynchronization of the valvetronic motors for engine banks i and II May occur. If this occurs, the engine could stall.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DUE TO A SOFTWARE ERROR, A DESYNCHRONIZATION OF THE VALVETRONIC MOTORS FOR ENGINE BANKS I AND II MAY OCCUR. IF THIS OCCURS, THE ENGINE COULD STALL.

Risk: In those cases, the driver May not be able to restart the engine. Depending on the level of engine roughness, or stalling, as well as traffic conditions and the driver's reactions, this could lead to a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THOSE CASES, THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. DEPENDING ON THE LEVEL OF ENGINE ROUGHNESS, OR STALLING, AS WELL AS TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AND THE DRIVER'S REACTIONS, THIS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will reprogram the digital engine management control unit. Owner notification began July 8, 2003. 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

Vehicle Speed Control5

Tires4

Equipment3

Seat Belts3

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 745LI years

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

Questions

Does the 2003 BMW 745LI have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2003 BMW 745LI, the latest from Aug 26, 2003 (engine). 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 745LI?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (11), service brakes (9), engine (8). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.