2003 BMW 745I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 745I years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 BMW 745I. That ranks 2nd out of 8 745I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (9 complaints, 28%), typically at around 40,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 32owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 BMW 745I 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 | 9 | 28% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 13% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 13% | 112,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 13% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 9% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 9% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 9% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 6% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 6% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 10,844 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 3% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 BMW 745I recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the engine oil filter drain plug may be insufficiently tightened. This could lead to loosening of the plug causing an initial oil spray and a subsequent oil leak.
Risk: If a large amount of oil loss occurs, engine damage may result. Depending on the extent of the damage, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the torque of the oil filter drain plug and, if necessary, retighten the drain plug with the correctly specified torque. Owner notification began on september 12, 2003. Owners should contact bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, due to a software error, a desynchronization of the valvetronic motors for engine banks i and ii may occur. If this occurs, the engine could stall.
Risk: In those cases, the driver may not be able to restart the engine. Depending on the level of engine roughness, or stalling, as well as traffic conditions and the driver's reactions, this could lead to a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the digital engine management control unit. Owner notification began july 8, 2003. 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.
The contact owns a 2003 BMW 745i. The contact stated while pulling into the garage and depressing the brake pedal, the engine revved up loudly. The contact stated that upon releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly, crashed into a refrigerator and pushed the refrigerator into…
The car smokes from exhaust system when you pull off from red light, driveways, or whenever you excel in the car. I was told its a engine valve problem that bmw is aware of in the 7 series. This car cost to much for issues like you are a vapor from beyond when driving. Also why is it a problem with…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw 745i. While driving 70 mph, the fan belt fractured and an unknown warning indicator illuminated, which meant that the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. A week later, the hood was opened and smoke was seen coming from the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw 745i. After starting the engine, the "engine fail safe transmission" message displayed and the shifter would not switch out of the park position. While operating the vehicle, the "failed transmission drive moderate" message displayed and the speed would suddenly…
Following error when driving vehicle: "fault in pass-restraint system affecting airbag, belt tensioner or belt-force limiter. Fasten and continue to wear seatbelts. Please contact the nearest bmw center" in the navigation system when starting the car. " 2003 bmw 745i. This model/year was not…
Other BMW 745I years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 745I | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 745I | 1 | 1 |
| 2006 745I | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 745I | 16 | 3 |
| 2004 745I | 24 | 0 |
| 2003 | 32 | 2 |
| 2002 745I | 54 | 2 |
| 2001 745I | 1 | 0 |
See all BMW 745I 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 745I?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 9 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 BMW 745I?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 BMW 745I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 745I model years, the 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.