Total Complaints
24 filings
BMW 740I · model year
24 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993BMW740I carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 3 fires, 2 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 1993 740I is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:hoses/lines/piping/fittings with 4 filings, followed by seats:front assembly:power adjust (3) and engine and engine cooling (3). 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 1993 740I. 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.
Total Complaints
24 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 4 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 BMW 740I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED GAS LEAKING OUT OF THE GAS TANK ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. A DAY LATER, THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY PUT A PATCH ON THE GAS TANK SO THE VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. A LOCAL MECHANIC AGAIN REPLACED THE FUEL TANK. THE FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY CLEANED UP THE FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY ORDERED ANOTHER FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS FUEL WAS ALREADY IMPLODED LIKE THE OTHERS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THEY TOOK THE OLD FUEL TANKS TO THE DEALER SO THEY COULD SEE HOW THEY IMPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED JULY 10, 2010. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Mileage: 58,471
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 BMW 740I. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO PREVENT A CRASH FROM OCCURRING. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILAGES WERE 120,000.
Mileage: 120,000
THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED ON MY 1994 BMW 740I. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MODEL YEAR HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM RELATED TO THE SULPHUR CONTENT IN AMERICA GASOLINE. PLEASE INFORM ME OR ANY RECALL OR RECOURSE I MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE REGARDING THIS MATTER. DEMETRIUS BRANDON (505) 265-1130
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT DUPLICATED. CONSUMER TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT WIRES, AND OTHER PARTS TO THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. AK
DRIVER'S SEAT ON MY 1993 BMW 740I RECLINED WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION. SEAT BACK WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND WILL NOT MOVE. THIS MADE ME LOSE PARTIAL CONTROL OF CAR, LUCKY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH OUT CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB
VEHICLE IS A 1993 BMW 740 WHICH WAS SUBJECT TO AN ENGINE RECALL IN SEPTEMBER OF 1996 AT 67,000 MILES. IMMEDIATELY AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED DOCUMENTED OIL LEAKS ON THE FOLLOWING DATES: 10/1996, 12/1996, 5/1999, 6/1999, 3/2000, 6/2001, 10/2001, 1/2002, 5/2002, 7/2002, 2/2003. THERE ARE OTHER INCIDENTS OF OIL LEAKS NOT DOCUMENTED. FAIRFAX BMW, OF FAIRFAX VIRGINIA WAS THE SERVICE STATION FOR EACH OF THESE INCIDENTS. MOST OF THE TIME THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETECTED OR IT WAS A GUESS THAT THE OIL GASKET WAS FAULTY (THE OIL GASKETS WERE REPLACED AT LEAST THREE TIMES, IN WHICH THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP MORE THAN TWO DAYS FOR EACH REPLACEMENT). FEBRUARY 2003, THE CAR IS LEAKING OIL AGAIN. FAIRFAX BMW WILL CHARGE MORE THAN $4500 FOR THIS REPAIR IF WE CHOOSE TO BRING IT IN AGAIN. WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE ANOTHER APPROACH TO SOLVING THIS PROBLEM BY CONTACTING YOU. THE CAR HAS 98,000 MILES ON IT (11,000 MILES IN FIVE AND A HALF YEARS). WE HAVE WRITTEN AND CA
Mileage: 67,000
THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED DUE TO FAULTY MODULE.*JB
THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON IN MY VEHICLE AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIRBAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AT A SIGNIFICANT COST. I ASKED THEM IF THE MANUFACTURER COVERED THIS SINCE AN AIRBAG MODULE WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAD MOVING PARTS NOR WAS IT A PART THAT AN OWNER HAS ACCESS TO. THEY TOLD ME ONLY IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THAT PART. THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS ON THAT PART BUT I COULD FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA.
Mileage: 120,000
GASKETS IN ENGINE, OIL PAN, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD HAVE FAILED APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES AFTER ORIGINALS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE SMOKED AND LEAKED OIL ONTO MANIFOLD. MR
GASKETS IN ENGINE, OIL PAN, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD HAVE FAILED APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES AFTER ORIGINALS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE SMOKED AND LEAKED OIL ONTO MANIFOLD. MR
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WOULD ADJUST AND DROP TO THE FULL RECLINE POSITION, WITH THE LOWER PART MOVING TO THE EXTREME FOWARD POSITON, CONSUMER STATES ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT COMPLETELY, FULLY RECLINED WHICH COULD NOT BE STOPPED OR ADJUSTED WITH THE CONTROLS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS FINALLY ABLE TO PULL OVER, DEALER IS STATING THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND TO REPLACE THE MODULE ELECTRONICS WHICH CONSUMER FEELS IS THE DEFECTIVE PART AND ALSO MAKES A CLICKING NOISE, THE DEALER STATES IT WOULD COSTS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THE COMPUTER CHIPS CONTROL COULD NOT BE ROUTINELT TESTES.*JB
CONSUMER STATES THE DASH ELECTRONICS IN THE CLUSTER ARE INOPERATIVE.*JB
VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE HOSE CLAMP WAS LEAKING WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED.*JB
VEHICLE CAUGT FIRE AND BURNED COMPLETELY UP WITH IN MINUTES AFTER LEAVING BMW DEALERSHIP.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING FROM REAR TIRE, AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THE DASH ELECTRONICS IN THE CLUSTER ARE INOPERATIVE.*JB
VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE HOSE CLAMP WAS LEAKING WHICH WAS THEN REPLACED.*JB
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC OPERATORS SEAT, IT WOULD COMPLETELY RECLINE TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION, ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT RECLINED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CURB, DAMAGING THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES AND LATER RESULTING IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT AND IS CONTINUING MEDICAL TREATMENT, THE DEALER WILL NOT DO ANY TRANSMISSION REPAIRS UNLESS CONSUMER PAYS 8000 DOLLARS, BMW STATED THEY WOULD REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE SEAT CONTROL MODULE IF THE CONSUMER SIGNED A RELEASE OF ALL LIABILITY. *SLC
CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRONIC OPERATORS SEAT, IT WOULD COMPLETELY RECLINE TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION, ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT RECLINED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A CURB, DAMAGING THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES AND LATER RESULTING IN COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT AND IS CONTINUING MEDICAL TREATMENT, THE DEALER WILL NOT DO ANY TRANSMISSION REPAIRS UNLESS CONSUMER PAYS 8000 DOLLARS, BMW STATED THEY WOULD REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE SEAT CONTROL MODULE IF THE CONSUMER SIGNED A RELEASE OF ALL LIABILITY. *SLC
CONSUMER STATES THE DASH ELECTRONICS IN THE CLUSTER ARE INOPERATIVE.*JB
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.