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2011 BMW 740li

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

14 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 26, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.

Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#16 of 502Among the 2011 models with a matured record, the 2011 BMW 740li ranks #16, scoring higher than 96% of them. See the 2011 ranking →

Complaint volume100
Severity94
Recall load100
Trend100

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20152024

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2011 BMW 740li, plotted where owners report it happening.

Electrical system

29%

4 complaints

WALKING OUT OF THE GROCERY STORE I NOTICED MY CAR HAD MOVED, HIT THE CURB AND DAMAGED MY BOTTOM FRONT BUMPER. I STARTED AND TURNED ON MY CAR AND THEN NOTICED THE SHIFT…

Read the electrical system complaints →

Fuel system

29%

4 complaints

THE CAR MISFIRE DUE FAULTY INJECTOR THEY DIDN'T REPLACE THE FAULTY INJECTOR WITH THE NEW ONE

Read the fuel system complaints →

Engine

29%

4 complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 740LI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRE OF THE AUXILIARY THAT CONNECTED TO THE…

Read the engine complaints →

Transmission & drivetrain

21%

3 complaints

THE GEAR SHIFTER BLINKS IN NEUTRAL WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. A NOTIFICATION ON THE DISPLAY SAYS "SECURE VEHICLE WITH PARKING BREAK WHEN STATIONARY.

Read the transmission & drivetrain complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.

Read all 14 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (0)

No recall campaigns on file for this model year.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking any seller before you hand over money:

  1. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  2. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  3. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 BMW 740LI beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2011? See how every 740li model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 BMW 740li against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2011 BMW 740li as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.