Total Complaints
10 filings
BMW 740 · model year
1997 BMW 740
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997BMW740 carries 10 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 1997 740 is air bags with 2 filings, followed by power train:axle assembly:banjo housing (1) and visibility:windshield (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 34 investigation files overlapping the 1997 740. 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.
10
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:BANJO HOUSING | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180607AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 740. AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION KEY TO START THE ENGINE, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FERMAN BMW (31400 US HWY 19 NORTH, PALM HARBOR, FL), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE SPONTANEOUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. *TT UPDATED 9/24/18*JB
Mileage: 131,000
20140317AIR BAGS
I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER RECEIVING NOTICE OF "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT" WHICH APPLIES TO ANOTHER BMW VEHICLE I OWN(2006 X5). I EXPLAINED THAT I OWN A 1997 740I: XXXXXX WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT AS IDENTIFIED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: THIS ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED BY COOPER BMW, EDMOND OK ON APRIL 6, 2009, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ON NOVEMBER 26, 2010: ?CRACKS IN PASS FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT ISTA SHORT TEST DONE AND VERIFIED SRS LAMP FOR PASS FRONT SEAT SENSOR-EST GIVEN FOR REPAIR? I HAVE CONTACTED BMW ON TWO OCCASIONS AND PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION OF THIS IDENTICAL ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THIS CLAIM. MY MOST RECENT CORRESPONDENCE WAS FEBRUARY 19, 2014 VIA EMAIL WHICH CONTAINED A SCANNED IMAGE OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF SAID ISSUE FROM BMW DEALER, FROM WHICH I'VE RECEIVED NO ANSWER TO DATE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE
20140317SEAT BELTS
I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER RECEIVING NOTICE OF "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT" WHICH APPLIES TO ANOTHER BMW VEHICLE I OWN(2006 X5). I EXPLAINED THAT I OWN A 1997 740I: XXXXXX WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT AS IDENTIFIED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: THIS ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED BY COOPER BMW, EDMOND OK ON APRIL 6, 2009, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ON NOVEMBER 26, 2010: ?CRACKS IN PASS FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT ISTA SHORT TEST DONE AND VERIFIED SRS LAMP FOR PASS FRONT SEAT SENSOR-EST GIVEN FOR REPAIR? I HAVE CONTACTED BMW ON TWO OCCASIONS AND PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION OF THIS IDENTICAL ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THIS CLAIM. MY MOST RECENT CORRESPONDENCE WAS FEBRUARY 19, 2014 VIA EMAIL WHICH CONTAINED A SCANNED IMAGE OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF SAID ISSUE FROM BMW DEALER, FROM WHICH I'VE RECEIVED NO ANSWER TO DATE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE
20140317SEATS
I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER RECEIVING NOTICE OF "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT" WHICH APPLIES TO ANOTHER BMW VEHICLE I OWN(2006 X5). I EXPLAINED THAT I OWN A 1997 740I: XXXXXX WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT AS IDENTIFIED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: THIS ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED BY COOPER BMW, EDMOND OK ON APRIL 6, 2009, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ON NOVEMBER 26, 2010: ?CRACKS IN PASS FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT ISTA SHORT TEST DONE AND VERIFIED SRS LAMP FOR PASS FRONT SEAT SENSOR-EST GIVEN FOR REPAIR? I HAVE CONTACTED BMW ON TWO OCCASIONS AND PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION OF THIS IDENTICAL ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED ANY CONSIDERATION FOR THIS CLAIM. MY MOST RECENT CORRESPONDENCE WAS FEBRUARY 19, 2014 VIA EMAIL WHICH CONTAINED A SCANNED IMAGE OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF SAID ISSUE FROM BMW DEALER, FROM WHICH I'VE RECEIVED NO ANSWER TO DATE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE
20090802ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
OUR CAR IS BROKEN AND WE HAVE NO MONEY TO FIX IT. *TR
20000225ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 75 MPH RADIATOR UPPER NECK TO WHICH WATER HOSE CONNECTS BROKE FROM THE WELD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
19990925FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
HI, I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT OR NOT. I HAD A SOUND LIKE AN EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING OF METAL IN THE BACK UNDERNEATH OF CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE A COOKIE SHEET WHEN IT IS FIRST HEATING UP IN THE OVEN AND IT EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS. THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN BUT SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CALL BMW TECHNICAL SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY HAD A THEORY THAT A SPIDER WAS CLOGGING UP THE FUEL LINE AND THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND RESULTED IN THE GAS TANK COLLAPSING. I BROUGHT CAR IN AGAIN AND THEY SAID THEY REMOVED A SPIDER AND PUT IN A NEW PIPE/LINE. THE SOUND I HAD HEARD BEFORE WAS GONE. SOME PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME, HOWEVER, THAT THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A CLOSED SYSTEM AND THAT THIS COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. IS IT POSSIBLE? IS PROBLEM FIXED?
19970421CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 3:00 POSITION , DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT AT 40-45 MPH, THE OTHER AIRBAGS DID DEPLOYED. *AK
19970409VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE WINDSHIELD STARTED CRACKING ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES, AND THE WINDSHIELDS ARE STILL CRACKING. *AK
19970106POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:BANJO HOUSING
WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER BUMP OR DIP, WOULD BOTTOM OUT, CRACKED DIFFERENTIAL WHEEL HOUSING AREA; VEHICLE BEEN IN SHOP FOR 3 MONTHS FOR PROBLEM; DEALER CAN NOT FIX OR GET PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM. *AK
Compare 1997BMW740 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 BMW 740 have?▼
The 1997 BMW 740 has 10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW 740?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 BMW 740 is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:BANJO HOUSING and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD.
Is the 1997 BMW 740 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.