Total Complaints
11 filings
BMW 7-SERIES · model year
2003 BMW 7-SERIES
11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003BMW7-SERIES carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 7-SERIES is seats:front assembly:power adjust with 1 filings, followed by seats (1) and wheels (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2003 7-SERIES. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20181103UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WITHOUT WARNING, THE HOOD LATCH UNLOCKED AND CAUSED THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING , HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE 2017/1/23. DEALERSHIP HAS TO SEE IT HAPPEN IN ORDER TO FIX. MILEAGE 100858 AT TIME I FIRST NOTICE IT.
Mileage: 100,858
20181103AIR BAGS
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 745LI. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. IN ADDITION, THE TENSION SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,082.
Mileage: 101,085
20150527SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT RESTRAINT TENSIONER FAULTY
Mileage: 139,000
20130823ENGINE
CAR DOES NOT START CORRECTLY AND STALLS WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 99,000
20130823FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR DOES NOT START CORRECTLY AND STALLS WHILE SITTING AT LIGHTS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 99,000
20110805TIRES
TIRES UNEVEN WEAR. *TT
Mileage: 105,000
20101207SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V446000 (COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSISTS: VACUUM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP WAS LEAKING BUT WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT ONLY THE VACUUM LINE HOSE WAS COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND NOT THE PUMP. THE VACUUM PUMP WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID OFFER ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,300. UPDATED 01/28/11 *BF UPDATED 02/03/11*JB
Mileage: 62,300
20081230WHEELS
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295S IN WASHINGTON DC AROUND 11:30PM ON DEC 28TH 2008. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE I NOTICED MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A POLICE OFFICER I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRES WITH A SPARE AND ANOTHER TIRE MY FAMILY MEMBER BROUGHT FROM HOME. THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE REAR RIM WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AND THE INSIDE RING WAS RESTING ON THE BREAK ASSEMBLY. THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT RIM HAD SIMILAR DAMAGE IN THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AROUND THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE RIM. *TR
Mileage: 64,500
20081230EQUIPMENT
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295S IN WASHINGTON DC AROUND 11:30PM ON DEC 28TH 2008. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR A LOUD BANG AND IMMEDIATELY LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE. I SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING VEHICLE I NOTICED MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT AND REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A POLICE OFFICER I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE TIRES WITH A SPARE AND ANOTHER TIRE MY FAMILY MEMBER BROUGHT FROM HOME. THIS IS WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE REAR RIM WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AND THE INSIDE RING WAS RESTING ON THE BREAK ASSEMBLY. THEN I NOTICED THE FRONT RIM HAD SIMILAR DAMAGE IN THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SPLIT AROUND THE INSIDE DIAMETER OF THE RIM. *TR
Mileage: 64,500
20030801SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
BRAND NEW BMW 760LI , SEAT MEMORY DOES NOT OPERATE AND MOVE THE SEATS PROPERLY WHEN CAR IS REMOTELY UNLOCKED AS PER THE CARS OPERATING MANUAL AND LISTED FEATURES. BMW NORTH AMERICA TOLD US THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER WITH AN UPDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR OVER 14 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHO PAYS THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BE TOLD YOU HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH FOR A SOLUTION, A SIMPLE ONE.*AK
20030801SEATS
BRAND NEW BMW 760LI , SEAT MEMORY DOES NOT OPERATE AND MOVE THE SEATS PROPERLY WHEN CAR IS REMOTELY UNLOCKED AS PER THE CARS OPERATING MANUAL AND LISTED FEATURES. BMW NORTH AMERICA TOLD US THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL SEPTEMBER WITH AN UPDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR OVER 14 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHO PAYS THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BE TOLD YOU HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH FOR A SOLUTION, A SIMPLE ONE.*AK
Compare 2003BMW7-SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 BMW 7-SERIES have?▼
The 2003 BMW 7-SERIES has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW 7-SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 BMW 7-SERIES is SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS and WHEELS.
Is the 2003 BMW 7-SERIES safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.