There are 7 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2005 BMW 7 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THE COOLANT SYSTEMS FAILED .AND WITH RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO DISCOVER A STEADY PROBLEM FOR THESE MODELS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE VALVES ON THE AUXILIARY PUMP LEAKED OIL INTO THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RELEASE SMOKE AND EMISSIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,100.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 745LI. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE HAD A ROUGH IDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE AIR LINES WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS THE STATE EMISSION TEST BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 745I. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND WHILE IN PARK, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS WITH A ROUGH IDLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION COIL, AIR PUMP, ENGINE SUPPLY PIE AND ENGINE VALVES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V240000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE CONTACTS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
MY BMW IS STILL DEAD AS A DOOR KNOB SITTING WHERE IT WAS LAST SITTING AFTER I HAD GOTTEN IT FROM THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT LAST GOING ON ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. SOME OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT ARE STILL FLASHING ON AND OFF BEFORE AND AFTER THE NEW BATTERIES WERE INSTALLED 1.TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE DRIVE MODERATELY 2.DYNAMIC DRIVE INACTIVE 3.ENGINE OVERHEATING LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY. 4.THE RECHARGE BATTERY LIGHT WAS STILL FLASHING ON AND OFF. NOTE: NOW THE ENGINE OVERHEATING LIGHT IS GOING ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY, AND THE RECHARGE BATTERY LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN AFTER THE NEW BATTERY HAS BEEN INSTALLED BY BMW. ALSO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IT IS HARD TO GET MY CAR TO SHIFT INTO THE DRIVE AND REVERSE GEARS AS WELL AS TO PUT MY CAR INTO PARK. AS OF NOW, MY BMW IS STILL TOTALLY INOPERABLE. THE CAR IS SO DEAD NOW THAT EVEN MY KEY WILL NOT STAY IN THE SWITCH WHEN I ATTEMPT TO TRY AND CRANK IT. MY KEY JUST BOUNCE RIGHT BACK OUT. I HAD MY INSURANCE COMPANY ROADSIDE SERVICE TO COME OUT AND TRY AND GIVE IT A JUMP OFF ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. THEY DID, THE BMW CRANKED, BUT MY PARTNER COULD NOT GET IT TO GO INTO THE DRIVE NOR REVERSE GEARS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT GOING ON WITH MY BMW. ALL I KNOW IS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND IT DESPERATELY NEED TO BE FIXED OR TOTALED OUT. THE CATCH IS, THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT HERE KEEPS TELLING ME AND THE YOUNG LADY THAT HIT MY CAR INSURANCE COMPANY NATIONWIDE, THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE PERFORMED SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR. SO AS A RESULT THEY WILL NOT SAY THAT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR IS ACCIDENT RELATED. *TR
MY BMW IS STILL DEAD AS A DOOR KNOB SITTING WHERE IT WAS LAST SITTING AFTER I HAD GOTTEN IT FROM THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT LAST GOING ON ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. SOME OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD THAT ARE STILL FLASHING ON AND OFF BEFORE AND AFTER THE NEW BATTERIES WERE INSTALLED 1. TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE DRIVE MODERATELY 2. DYNAMIC DRIVE INACTIVE 3. ENGINE OVERHEATING LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY. 4. THE RECHARGE BATTERY LIGHT WAS STILL FLASHING ON AND OFF. NOTE: NOW THE ENGINE OVERHEATING LIGHT IS GOING ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY, AND THE RECHARGE BATTERY LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN AFTER THE NEW BATTERY HAS BEEN INSTALLED BY BMW. ALSO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IT IS HARD TO GET MY CAR TO SHIFT INTO THE DRIVE AND REVERSE GEARS AS WELL AS TO PUT MY CAR INTO PARK. AS OF NOW, MY BMW IS STILL TOTALLY INOPERABLE. THE CAR IS SO DEAD NOW THAT EVEN MY KEY WILL NOT STAY IN THE SWITCH WHEN I ATTEMPT TO TRY AND CRANK IT. MY KEY JUST BOUNCE RIGHT BACK OUT. I HAD MY INSURANCE COMPANY ROADSIDE SERVICE TO COME OUT AND TRY AND GIVE IT A JUMP OFF ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. THEY DID, THE BMW CRANKED, BUT MY PARTNER COULD NOT GET IT TO GO INTO THE DRIVE NOR REVERSE GEARS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT GOING ON WITH MY BMW. ALL I KNOW IS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND IT DESPERATELY NEED TO BE FIXED OR TOTALED OUT. THE CATCH IS, THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT HERE KEEPS TELLING ME AND THE YOUNG LADY THAT HIT MY CAR INSURANCE COMPANY NATIONWIDE, THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR EVEN AFTER THEY HAVE PERFORMED SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR. SO AS A RESULT THEY WILL NOT SAY THAT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR IS ACCIDENT RELATED. *TR
DYNAMIS DRIVE INACTIVE LIGHT COMES ON UNTIL THE CAR IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED BUT IT WON'T STORE THE CODE. BMW SAID THAT THIS CAN'T HAPPEN SO WHEN IT HAPPENED I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HE SAW IT WAS ON BUT AS SOON AS HE SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT THE LIGHT WAS OFF AND THE CODE GONE. THE CAR ACTS LIKE A BIG BOAT WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT MOVES SIDE TO SIDE. *TR
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