Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 740 · model year
2001 BMW 740
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001BMW740 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 2001 740 is electrical system:wiring:front underhood with 1 filings, followed by electrical system: instrument cluster/panel (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 2001 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160915ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW 740. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS NOT OPERATIONAL. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL IN 2012, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED IN AUGUST OF 2016. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 155,000
20020829FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
SMELLED SMOKE IN CAR BEFORE STARTING ENGINE. GOT OUT/ OPENED PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, AND SAW FIRE COMING OUT DOWN NEAR THE SEAT AREA. TOWED TO BMW, AND THEY STATED A SWITCH MAY HAVE BURNED OUT AND CAUSED THIS FIRE. WHEN AIR GETS TO FIRE IT IGNITES. NORMALLY FIRE WOULD BURN OUT BUT SINCE THE DOOR WAS OPENED AIR GOT TO WIRE AND IGNITED A FLAME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Compare 2001BMW740 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 BMW 740 have?▼
The 2001 BMW 740 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 BMW 740?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 BMW 740 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL.
Is the 2001 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.