2005 BMW 745LI Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 745LI years
- Fewer complaints than other years 4th of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 BMW 745LI. That ranks 4th out of 7 745LI model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (5 complaints, 20%), typically at around 100,060 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 8 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 25owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 BMW 745LI 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 | 5 | 20% | 100,060 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 20% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 16% | 76,060 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 16% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 16% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 16% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 12% | 106,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 12% | 58,560 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 12% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 8% | 120,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 4% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 4% | 52,600 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 BMW 745LI recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2005-2008 745i, 745Li, 750i, 750Li, 760i, 760Li, and B7 Alpina vehicles equipped with both the Comfort Access and Soft Close Automatic options. In these vehicles, the doors may appear to be closed and latched, but, in fact, may inadvertently open.
Risk: The door may unexpectedly open due to road or driving conditions or occupant contact with the door. The sudden opening may result in occupant ejection or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the door latch system, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Electrical system:ignition:switch; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: BMW is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 7-Series vehicles, equipped with the Comfort Access option, and manufactured August 23, 2004, through July 24, 2008. The affected vehicles have an electronic key and an electronic connection between the gear shifter and the transmission (shift-by-wire) that automatically shifts the transmission to Park when the driver presses the Start/Stop button to shutdown the engine. If the driver presses the engine Start/Stop button 2 or 3 times within a short time interval, the system may shift the transmission to Neutral rather than Park. If using the electronic key (Comfort Access mode), there would be no protection from the ignition interlock that prevents key removal if the vehicle is not in Park.
Risk: If the driver exits the vehicle with the transmission in Neutral and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may rollaway. Unattended rollaway incidents often result in a crash or cause injury to pedestrians attempting to stop or enter the vehicle or to other bystanders in the path of the vehicle.
Fix: BMW will notify owners beginning in November 2012. The remedy became available in March 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: BMW is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 7-Series vehicles, equipped with both Comfort Access and Soft Close Automatic options, and manufactured August 23, 2004, through September 3, 2007. Due to a software problem, the doors may appear to be closed and latched, but, in fact, may inadvertently open.
Risk: The door may unexpectedly open due to road or driving conditions or occupant contact with the door. The sudden opening may result in occupant ejection or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners and dealers will update software. The recall began on December 12, 2012. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at [email protected].
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.
- Bmw airbag light illumination (PE07045) — opened Sep 4, 2007, closed Jan 4, 2008.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 745LI. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BMW OF RIVERSIDE (3060 ADAMS ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, 1 [redacted]) TO BE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V328000 (LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES). SHORTLY AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 bmw 745li. Upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning indicator illuminated and remained lit while driving. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnostic testing and repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 bmw 745li. After inserting the key into the ignition switch, the transmission would immediately switch to the park or neutral position. As a result, the engine would not start. The dealer diagnosed that the cas module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 bmw 745li. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger side doors opened independently. The door ajar warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it diagnosed that the lock motion kit and lock safety kit needed to be replaced. The…
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 bmw 745li. The contact stated when attempting to place the vehicle in park, the transmission shift back to neutral without warning. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician was unable to diagnose the…
Other BMW 745LI years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 745LI | 0 | 1 |
| 2007 745LI | 0 | 1 |
| 2006 745LI | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | 25 | 3 |
| 2004 745LI | 33 | 0 |
| 2003 745LI | 50 | 2 |
| 2002 745LI | 36 | 2 |
See all BMW 745LI problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 BMW 745LI?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 BMW 745LI?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 BMW 745LI a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 745LI model years, the 2005 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.