There are 6 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2004 BMW 7 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
BMW 745I 2004 ..ERROR CODE FOR HEADLIGHTS APPEAR ON DASH..I WENT AND REPLACE ALL LIGHT BULBS THEN NOTICED ALL THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT UNIT ARE BRIDLE AND BROKEN DOWN CAUSING SHORTAGES AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS...VERY DANGEROUS IF DRIVING CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE
THE REAR SIDE DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING, A WEEK LATER THE OTHER SIDE DID THE SAME THING THE FOR OPEN THEN IT CLOSED BY ITS SELF. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON A HIGHWSY.
ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LOST POWER AND WENT BLACK. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO TACHOMETER. NO WARNING LIGHTS WORKING. NOTHING IS WORKING THROUGH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. COULD NOT TELL HOW FAST I WAS TRAVELING, OR IF TURN SIGNALS WERE WORKING, SAFETY HAZARD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN EXTENSIVE OIL LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE DUPLICATED OR DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO DESCRIBED A BURNING METAL AND OIL ODOR IN ADDITION TO A WHILE CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE REPAIRED TWICE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR SEAL GASKET, VALVE AND SEALS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE MULTIPLE TIMES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. ..UPDATED 05/20/14 *BF UPDATED 06/02/2014 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 745LI . THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH THE ABS LAMP ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING VIOLENTLY AND THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, AFTER THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON THE TRANSMISSION SAFE MODE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THREE YEARS AGO, THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 86,000. UPDATED 9/13/11 *CN UPDATED 09/28/11
THE HORN DID NOT WORK. AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER FOR MORE THAN 5 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE HORN ONLY WORKED IN CERTAIN PLACES BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG. *JB THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE HORN PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE WAY THE AIR BAG IS SITUATED AND UNFORTUNATELY NO ADJUSTMENTS COULD BE MADE TO THE DESIGN OF THE STEERING WHEEL. *NM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026