2004 BMW 7 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 7 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW 7 Series. That ranks 2nd out of 18 7 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (4 complaints, 14%), typically at around 11,693 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 28owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 4 | 14% | 11,693 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 14% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 11% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 11% | 44,827 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 11% | 39,914 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 11% | 64,385 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 11% | 51,200 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 11% | 54,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 7% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 7% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 4% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 BMW 7 Series recalls (4)
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.
Seats
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the software programming of the driver's seat occupant detection system (ods) may not be able to reliably determine if the driver's seat is occupied.
Risk: In certain crash conditions, the driver's front air bag, head protection system, safety belt pretensioner, and knee air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury to a seat occupant.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the software for the driver's seat occupant detection system. The recall began october 13, 2004. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 8 and 12 cylinder engines, the digital engine management control (emc) units were not produced according to specifications.
Risk: As a result, engine stalling will occur after a short period of operation. The vehicle may not be able to restart. Also, a loss of power steering and, after repeated actuation of the brake pedal, a loss of brake power assist will occur. These conditions could result in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a new digital engine management control unit. The recall began on july 16, 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.
- Bmw airbag light illumination (EA08001) — opened Jan 4, 2008, closed Dec 31, 2008, led to recall 08V384000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have been getting this error in my idrive system: "fault in passive restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter. Fasten and continue to wear belts. Please contact the nearest bmw center."
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.
I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THEY GOT HARD AND WENT TO THE FLOOR. BRAKES WOULD BE SOFT INITIALLY AND AS PRESSURE WAS CONTINUED WOULD GET HARD AND REQUIRED SUSTAINED INTENSE EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW INVOLVING THE BOOSTER AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE INSPECTED VEHICLE FOR THIS…
VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND I HAVE TO ADD MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAD A RECALL CAMPAIGN NOVEMBER 2010 NO. 10V-446: BRAKE VACUUM PUMP. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FIELDS BMW AND THEY PROVIDED ME WITH DOCUMENTATION STATING; "11/30/2010 [redacted]…
Check valve of the brake vaccum pump leaking. Chirping sound during idle. Should be covered under nhtsa campaign id number 10v446000. *js
Other BMW 7 Series years
← 2003 7 Series · 2005 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 | 28 | 4 |
| 2003 7 Series | 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 2004 BMW 7 Series?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, hydraulic, air bags problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 BMW 7 Series?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 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 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.