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FaultScore report

1995 BMW 740IL problems

Owners have filed 13 complaints about the 1995 BMW 740IL with NHTSA between 1998 and 2013. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 7 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the BMW 740IL All 1995 cars
C

FaultScore 44/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the BMW 740IL.

How this is worked out

The numbers

13

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

2

Injuries reported

200,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

0%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 27 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure 0 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 27
Against the median year of the BMW 740IL. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
23.1% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 0
0% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 1995 compares with every other BMW 740IL

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1995 BMW 740IL

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Engine & Cooling 4 30.8%

Median failure at 110,000 miles

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 3 23.1%
Seats 1 7.7%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Seat Belts 1 7.7%
Fuel & Propulsion 1 7.7%

Median failure at 94,000 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 7.7%

Median failure at 200,000 miles

Steering 1 7.7%

Median failure at 298,765 miles

Electrical System 1 7.7%

Median failure at 200,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 20.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 1 20.0%
150,000+ miles 3 60.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

May 1998 peak 3 Jun 2013

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Bellingham, WA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

AMPUTATION OF FINGER IN BMW ELECTRIC WINDOW

NHTSA complaint #10003313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Goshen City, IN Fire

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

AFTER GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE AND RETURNING 35 MINUTES LATER, NOTICED WINDOW WAS SMOKY. AFTER OPENING DOOR, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT HEATED SEATS MELTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, AND PUT FIRE OUT. *AK

NHTSA complaint #8003672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bellingham, WA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

POWER WINDOW CRUSHED FINGER WITH PARTIAL AMPUTATION.

NHTSA complaint #534363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 200,000 miles Bonham, TX

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND WAS PASSING A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME AND HEARD A LOUD POP. I THOUGHT MY WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN HIT BY SOMETHING UNTIL I SAW THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE, SO I KEPT DRIVING. MY CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT SO I SLOWED DOWN. WHEN I GOT TO WORK I LOOKED AT MY CAR AND SAW THAT THE HOOD HAD AN ALMOST HOLE IN IT SO I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND MY BELTS GONE AND DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD AND LINING. A FELLOW EMPLOYEE LOOKED AT IT FOR ME AND WE DISCOVERED THAT MY FAN HAD BEEN OBLITERATED AND A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO MY CAR. I CALLED AND HAD A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP AFTER CALLING MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD I COULDN'T FILE A CLAIM AS THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WITH THE CAR. I LATER HAD IT FIXED AT A PLACE CALLED TERRY'S CAR CARE CENTER THAT COST ME CLOSE TO $1300 TO FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10520639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 298,765 miles Bonham, TX

STEERING

WHEN I GET INTO MY CAR THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED AND I CAN'T GET IT UNLOCKED UNLESS I TURN ON AND OFF MY CAUTION LIGHTS OR MOVE THE BUTTON BACK AND FORTH ON THE CONSOLE THAT HAS AN A ON ONE END AND A M ON THE OTHER. AS SOON AS I GET OUT OF THE CAR IT LOCKS AND WON'T MOVE UNLESS I DO THAT AND I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. IT JUST STARTED WITHIN THE LAST WEEK. I NEED TO KNOW IF THIS WILL CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND IF I NEED TO LET THE CAR SIT UNTIL I GET IT FIXED?

NHTSA complaint #10520649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 200,000 miles Bonham, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND WAS PASSING A TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME AND HEARD A LOUD POP. I THOUGHT MY WINDSHIELD HAD BEEN HIT BY SOMETHING UNTIL I SAW THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE, SO I KEPT DRIVING. MY CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT SO I SLOWED DOWN. WHEN I GOT TO WORK I LOOKED AT MY CAR AND SAW THAT THE HOOD HAD AN ALMOST HOLE IN IT SO I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND MY BELTS GONE AND DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD AND LINING. A FELLOW EMPLOYEE LOOKED AT IT FOR ME AND WE DISCOVERED THAT MY FAN HAD BEEN OBLITERATED AND A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE TO MY CAR. I CALLED AND HAD A TOW TRUCK TO PICK IT UP AFTER CALLING MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD I COULDN'T FILE A CLAIM AS THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WITH THE CAR. I LATER HAD IT FIXED AT A PLACE CALLED TERRY'S CAR CARE CENTER THAT COST ME CLOSE TO $1300 TO FIX.

NHTSA complaint #10520639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 110,000 miles Rancho Santa FE, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

RADIATOR FAN EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. PIECES OF FAN FLEW THROUGHOUT ENGINE BAY (HOOD DENTED UPWARDS 2 INCHES) BROKEN PIECES OF FAN LODGED UNDER THROTTLE MECHANISM - WEDGED THROTTLE WIDE OPEN. CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE EVEN UNDER FULL BRAKING (TO LIMIT OF MY STRENGTH). HAD TO SHUT ENGINE OFF AND STEER OFF FREEWAY WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR BRAKES.

NHTSA complaint #10129484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 94,000 miles South SAN Francisco, CA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 95V238000 FOR FUEL HOSE LEAKAGE. THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED IN 1996 BUT FUEL BEGAN TO LEAK AGAIN. THE CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE HOSES TWICE SINCE THE RECALL AND THEY ARE LEAKING AGAIN *AK *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10042172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Maspeth, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE ENGINE COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BROKE PISTON, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE ROD AND CYLINDER TO FAIL.

NHTSA complaint #10015780 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bellingham, WA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

AMPUTATION OF FINGER IN BMW ELECTRIC WINDOW

NHTSA complaint #10003313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Huntington, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

CLOGGED VENT TUBE AND EXPANSION TANK CAUSED EXCESS VACUUM WHICH COLLAPSED FUEL TANK. TANK CREASED AS A RESULT AND LEAKING GAS ALONG CREASE.

NHTSA complaint #762330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Goshen City, IN Fire

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

AFTER GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE AND RETURNING 35 MINUTES LATER, NOTICED WINDOW WAS SMOKY. AFTER OPENING DOOR, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT HEATED SEATS MELTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, AND PUT FIRE OUT. *AK

NHTSA complaint #8003672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hoover, AL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE ON ROAD VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIED OFF AFTER GOING THROUGH CAR WASH, THE RESERVOIR TANK BURSTED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACKTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #893509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bridgehampton, NY

SEAT BELTS

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS FAILED, AND WILL NOT COME BACK OUT . IT IS STUCK IN A CLOSED POSITION, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION.

NHTSA complaint #871597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bellingham, WA 1 injured

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

POWER WINDOW CRUSHED FINGER WITH PARTIAL AMPUTATION.

NHTSA complaint #534363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bellingham, WA

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

PASSENGER'S FINGER WAS NEARLY SEVERED WHEN CAUGHT IN THE RISING GLASS AND THE DOOR FRAME.

NHTSA complaint #535990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.