2003 BMW 7 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 7 Series years
- Not enough data 6th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 BMW 7 Series. That ranks 6th out of 18 7 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 13%), typically at around 101,085 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 8owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 BMW 7 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 | 13% | 101,085 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 13% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 13% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 13% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 13% | 139,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 13% | 62,300 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 13% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 13% | 100,858 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 13% | 64,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 BMW 7 Series recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, 6-series, and model year 2002-2008 7-series vehicles. A check valve of the brake vacuum pump may leak a small amount of lubricating oil. Over time this could result in contamination of the brake booster.
Risk: Power assist braking performance could be adversely affected. In extreme cases there could be a complete loss of power assist braking. An unexpected reduction or loss in power braking assist may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Bmw will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on november 24, 2010. Owners may contact bmw at 1-800-525-7417.
Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with front seat heating systems, upon entering and exiting the vehicle, excessive contact with the side bolster that is contained in the seat's backrest may damage the heating mat located in this area. If such damage were to occur, with the system turned on, the vehicle occupant may feel excessive heat from this area.
Risk: It is possible that the heating mat in the backrest's side bolster could overheat and damage, or melt a small hole in, this area of the seat cover. If this happened, it could lead to an occupant being burned.
Fix: Dealers will modify the seat heating circuit. The recall is expected to begin during december 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle Rollaway (EA12002) — opened Apr 10, 2012, closed Jan 24, 2013, led to recall 12V502000.
- Vehicle Rollaway (PE11025) — opened Aug 5, 2011, closed Apr 23, 2012.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Without warning, the hood latch unlocked and caused the hood to open while driving , happened on several occasions since 2017/1/23. Dealership has to see it happen in order to fix. Mileage 100858 at time i first notice it.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 745li. After the vehicle was serviced, the air bag warning light illuminated continuously. In addition, the tension seat belt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure…
Seat belt restraint tensioner faulty
Car does not start correctly and stalls while sitting at lights. It also cuts off while driving. *tr
Tires uneven wear. *tt
Other BMW 7 Series years
← 2002 7 Series · 2004 7 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 7 Series | 2 | 1 |
| 2011 7 Series | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 7 Series | 2 | 2 |
| 2009 7 Series | 9 | 2 |
| 2008 7 Series | 11 | 1 |
| 2007 7 Series | 13 | 1 |
| 2006 7 Series | 29 | 2 |
| 2005 7 Series | 4 | 1 |
| 2004 7 Series | 28 | 4 |
| 2003 | 8 | 2 |
| 2002 7 Series | 4 | 1 |
| 2001 7 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 7 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1999 7 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 7 Series | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 7 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 7 Series | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 7 Series | 2 | 0 |
See all BMW 7 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 BMW 7 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, equipment problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2003 BMW 7 Series?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 BMW 7 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 7 Series model years, the 2003 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.