Total Complaints
7 filings
BMW 7-SERIES · model year
2005 BMW 7-SERIES
7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005BMW7-SERIES carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 2005 7-SERIES is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings, followed by engine (1) and fuel/propulsion system (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 2005 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.
7
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20141031FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOW TO CRANK. I HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. IT WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, I AM DRIVING THE 745LI BMW UP AN INCLINED HIGHWAY MERGING ONTO A BRIDGE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED JERKING, LOOSING POWER, CUTTING BACK AND DECELERATING UNTIL IT SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. I WAS UNABLE TO CRANK IT OR EVEN MOVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE CAR TOTALLY STALLED ON THE BRIDGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIMED THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER A FEW DAYS LATER THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMS IT WAS OUT OF GAS. THE DEALER PUTS GAS IN IT. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE FUEL GUAGE WAS NOT READING PROPERLY AND REPLACED THE SENSORS. THE CAR IS STILL SLOW TO CRANK, WHICH IS THE INTIAL PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. STILL NOT REPAIRED, $3,000.00 LATER. *TR
Mileage: 169,472
20141031POWER TRAIN
I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOW TO CRANK. I HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. IT WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, I AM DRIVING THE 745LI BMW UP AN INCLINED HIGHWAY MERGING ONTO A BRIDGE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED JERKING, LOOSING POWER, CUTTING BACK AND DECELERATING UNTIL IT SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. I WAS UNABLE TO CRANK IT OR EVEN MOVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE CAR TOTALLY STALLED ON THE BRIDGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIMED THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER A FEW DAYS LATER THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMS IT WAS OUT OF GAS. THE DEALER PUTS GAS IN IT. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE FUEL GUAGE WAS NOT READING PROPERLY AND REPLACED THE SENSORS. THE CAR IS STILL SLOW TO CRANK, WHICH IS THE INTIAL PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. STILL NOT REPAIRED, $3,000.00 LATER. *TR
Mileage: 169,472
20141031VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOW TO CRANK. I HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. IT WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, I AM DRIVING THE 745LI BMW UP AN INCLINED HIGHWAY MERGING ONTO A BRIDGE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED JERKING, LOOSING POWER, CUTTING BACK AND DECELERATING UNTIL IT SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. I WAS UNABLE TO CRANK IT OR EVEN MOVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE CAR TOTALLY STALLED ON THE BRIDGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIMED THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER A FEW DAYS LATER THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMS IT WAS OUT OF GAS. THE DEALER PUTS GAS IN IT. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE FUEL GUAGE WAS NOT READING PROPERLY AND REPLACED THE SENSORS. THE CAR IS STILL SLOW TO CRANK, WHICH IS THE INTIAL PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. STILL NOT REPAIRED, $3,000.00 LATER. *TR
Mileage: 169,472
20141031AIR BAGS
TOOK THE BMW 745LI IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SLOW TO START CRANKING AND SECOND OPINION. ALSO WANTED THE DEALERSHIP TO REVIEW AIRBAG LIGHT AND DSC. UPON REVIEW BY THE DEALERSHIP, ALL FOUR DOOR TAGS AND SZL (COMFORT ACCESS) IS CAUSING BATTERY DRAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED. ALSO WAS QUOTED THAT THE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A FUEL LINE LEAK IS PRESENT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH A MANAGER, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THE DOOR TAGS AND SZL WOULD ASSIST WITH CLEARING THE SLOW CRANK. I OPTED THE SERVICE FROM THAT DEALER AND DECIDED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES, I REALIZED THAT THE CAR REEKED OF GAS. THIS WAS NOT AN APPARENT ISSUE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CAUSED MORE HARDSHIP THAN ASSISTANCE. *TR
Mileage: 172,169
20141031ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
TOOK THE BMW 745LI IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SLOW TO START CRANKING AND SECOND OPINION. ALSO WANTED THE DEALERSHIP TO REVIEW AIRBAG LIGHT AND DSC. UPON REVIEW BY THE DEALERSHIP, ALL FOUR DOOR TAGS AND SZL (COMFORT ACCESS) IS CAUSING BATTERY DRAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED. ALSO WAS QUOTED THAT THE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A FUEL LINE LEAK IS PRESENT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH A MANAGER, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THE DOOR TAGS AND SZL WOULD ASSIST WITH CLEARING THE SLOW CRANK. I OPTED THE SERVICE FROM THAT DEALER AND DECIDED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES, I REALIZED THAT THE CAR REEKED OF GAS. THIS WAS NOT AN APPARENT ISSUE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CAUSED MORE HARDSHIP THAN ASSISTANCE. *TR
Mileage: 172,169
20130110ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE VALVES ON THE AUXILIARY PUMP LEAKED OIL INTO THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RELEASE SMOKE AND EMISSIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,100.
Mileage: 99,500
20110525CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BMW NA SUBMITTED TO NHTSA A NOTICE THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THERE MAY BE A POWER BRAKING LOSS DUE TO A LEAKING VACUUM PUMP. BMW NA HAS NOT INSTITUTED A CONSISTENT RECALL POLICY ACROSS ITS DEALERSHIPS RELATED TO THIS RECALL. DEALERSHIPS ARE LEFT TO THEIR DEVICES IN COVERING THE RECALL WORK WITH SOME DEALERSHIPS REPLACING VACUUM PUMPS, AND OTHERS CHARGING OWNERS FOR THE REPLACEMENT. OUR 745 EXPERIENCED THE BARE MINIMUM OF RECALL WORK IN DECEMBER 2010, BUT THE LEAKING VACUUM PUMP WAS NOT REPLACED, NOR WERE WE NOTIFIED THAT IT WAS LEAKING BY THE DEALERSHIP. 5 MONTHS LATER VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN INTO A COMMERCIAL STRIP MALL AND AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING PARKED, IT DID NOT STOP. VEHICLE JUMPED PEDESTRIAN WALK WAY AND DAMAGED THE ENTRANCE OF A RESTAURANT. I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT BMW NA IS ALL OVER THE BOARD REGARDING THIS RECALL. THOUGH EXTREMELY SHAKEN, NO PEDESTRIANS WERE INJURED, BUT BMW THROUGH NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND OWNER INPUT KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR
Mileage: 107,800
Compare 2005BMW7-SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2005 BMW 7-SERIES have?▼
The 2005 BMW 7-SERIES has 7 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 BMW 7-SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 2005 BMW 7-SERIES is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2005 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.