Total Complaints
10 filings
BMW 740IL · model year
1993 BMW 740IL
10 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993BMW740IL carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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 1993 740IL is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections (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 1993 740IL. 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
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020702CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE IN PARK AND AFTER TURNING ON IGNITION SWITCH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF, RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20020702CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE NEW SMALL SAFETY SWITCH WHICH ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO START IN PARK AND NEUTRAL POSITIONS.*YH
20020702CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE NEW SMALL SAFETY SWITCH WHICH ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO START IN PARK AND NEUTRAL POSITIONS.*YH
20020528SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I SET MEMORY SEAT POSITION 1 AND IT WORKED FINE. I WAS DRIVING HOME AT 70 MPH AND WONDERED IF I SHOULD SET POSITION 2 FOR GRETA. I HIT THE BUTTON MEMORY TWO AND THE SEAT BACK FULLY RECLINED AND WENT ALL THE WAY BACK. BEING SHORT WITH SHORT LEGS I LOST CONTROL FOR A SECOND AND FOUGHT MY WAY TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER. THE SEAT MOVED FORWARD BUT THE BACKREST REMAINED STUCK. I DROVE HOME SLOWLY AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. IT WAS FIXED BUT I AM AFRAID IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.*AK
20020522ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE IS LOSING PRESSURE THROUGH CYLINDERS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND SMOKE. DEALER HAS REPLACED ENGINE BLOCK; HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20020515ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
MY CAR STARTED MISSING AND SMOKING ON DEC, 2001. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND AFTERTAIRING DOWN THE ENGINE, HE FOUND THAT THE BLOCK WAS DEECTIVE. AND IT WAS CHANGED IN 1999 BY THE DEALER. I HAVE MADE RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS YEAR AND MODEL. SOME PEOPLE HAVE HAD 2 AND 3 BLOCK CHANGES. I AM IN A LEGAL PROCESS DEMANDING BMW T CHANGE IT WITHOUT ANYCHARGE.*AK
20001027ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
KNOWN DEFECT BY MANUFACTURER & DEALER. NOT DISCLOSED UPON SALE. UNWILLING TO FIX NOW. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK
19990823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE WATER PUMP FROZE, THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM WAS ON RECALL, HOWEVER NOT COVERED BY DEALER. MJS
19981020STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE CAME APART FROM FRAME AREA DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN CAUSING LEAKING.
19980205POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED.
Compare 1993BMW740IL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1993 BMW 740IL have?▼
The 1993 BMW 740IL has 10 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 BMW 740IL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 BMW 740IL is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN and STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS.
Is the 1993 BMW 740IL 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.