Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 BMW 7 Series problems
Owners filed 23 complaints about the 1997 BMW 7 Series with NHTSA between May 1998 and Sep 2018. The most-cited component is suspension (6).
Complaints
23
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension6
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Steering4
- Fuel system, other2
- Visibility2
- Air bags2
- Power train1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Service brakes1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Electrical system1
- Equipment1
- Vehicle speed control1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
2
0
0
3
1
5
0
0
0
2
0
1
1
0
0
3
0
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 2 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 3 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
6 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 740IL. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR POTHOLE, THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABNORMALLY. ADDITIONALLY THE TIE ROD FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS ALSO AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BOTTOM SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. UPDATED 04/19/17 LJ *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
5 reports1 fire
“CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF HAD A REALLY STRONG ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OPENED UP THE HOOD AND HAD A FLAME DOWN AT THE THERMOSTAT AREA. QUICKLY PUT IT OUT AND PUSHED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK COME TOW THE CAR AND BRING MY FAMILY OUT OF THE FREEZING COLD AS WELL. THE THERMOSTAT AND WIRING FROM THE ECU DOWN TO THE THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS A FUSE THAT HAD BLOWN IN THE MAIN ENGINE HARNESS. OLD PART WAS DISPOSED OF AS WELL AS THE WIRING. *TR”
Steering
4 reports1 related recall
“STEERING AND OVER ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS COMPROMISED FOR NO REASON FEELS LIKE IT IS DISCONNECTING AND LOOSE CLANKING NOISES FORM FRONT SUSPENSION ALL THE TIME ON ALL SURFACES ALSO A SQUEAKY OLD BED FRAME NOISE APPEARS . CONCERNED ABOUT FAMILY SAFETY THE VEHICLE IS WELL CARED FOR. FEELS LIKE A SLOPPY MESSY FUMBLING INTERACTION BETWEEN CAR AND STEERING WHEEL ALSO VEERS RANDOMLY AS IF IT WAS DETACHED FROM THE STEERING SYSTEM. *TR”
Fuel system, other
2 reports
“I HAVE A 1997 740IL BMW THIRD OWNER 228,000. I START TO NOTICE IN APRIL OF 2011 THAT WHEN I FUEL THE CAR UP THAT WHEN REMOVING THE GAS CAP THERE WAS A HISSING SOUND. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER IT STARTED LEAKING FUEL WHEN I LOOK UNDER THE CAR I SEEN THAT THE FUEL TANK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS CRUSH IN AND HAD A HOLE IN IT. I HAVE PARK THE CAR TILL I HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE NOT RUN OVER ANYTHING NOR HAS THE EVER BEEN IN A CRASH AND HAS BEEN KEEP VERY WELL. *TR”
Visibility
2 reports1 related recall
“1997 750IL BMW. CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS ARE DOUBLE GLAZED. THE FILM BETWEEN THE TWO SHEETS OF GLASS IS DELAMINATING. WINDOWS ARE TURNING WHITE AND CREATING A BLIND SPOT *TGW”
Air bags
2 reports1 crash
“AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT FAILED TWICE. *YC”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.