Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 740IL · model year
1994 BMW 740IL
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994BMW740IL carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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 1994 740IL is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (1) and engine and engine cooling (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 1994 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20021211ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CONSUMER TEST DROVE THIS VEHICLE AND NOTICED ROUGH IDLE, IN WHICH HE FELT THAT THIS WAS A SIGN OF IMPENDING FAILURE. THE ENGINE IS PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE BEFORE 100K MILES. THE NAKASIL ENGINE IN BMW'S ARE PRONE TO UNNATURAL CYLINDER WALL EROSION, DUE TO THE GASOLINE CONTAINING SULFUR. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFORMATION ON THE HISTORY RELATED TO THE ENGINE LEAK, WITH RESULTS, AND ANY CHANGES TO THE ENGINE. *SCC
20021211ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NIKASIL M60B40 4.0 L (3982CC) FUEL INJECTED, DOHC, V-8 ENGINES, THAT ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE BEFORE 100K MILES. (WHICH CAN ALSO CAUSE EROSION DUE TO AMERICAN GASOLINE CONTAINING SULPHUR) THERE WAS A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED IN SEPTEMBER 1995 TO REPAIR BMW'S MADE BEFORE 3/95. THE REPAIR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, SO BMW EVENTUALLY DETERMINED THAT THE BLOCKS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN SOME CASES DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY SULPHUR IN THE GASOLINE. THE CONSUMER HAD PURCHASED A WARRANTY FOR A PERIOD HE HAD DEEMED WOULD COVER ANY MASKED PROBLEMS, THEN NINE HUNDRED MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THE CORRODED SENSOR IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR FAILED. *SCC
20021022ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS ENGINE IS A NIKASIL ENGINE THAT HAS NOT FAILED YET, BUT WILL FAIL DUE TO THE MATERIAL USED. MR
19990310ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
NO SUMMARY
Compare 1994BMW740IL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 BMW 740IL have?▼
The 1994 BMW 740IL has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 BMW 740IL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 BMW 740IL is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 1994 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.