Home · 2011 BMW 740li · Complaints

What 14 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 740li

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (14)Crash / fire / injury (2)Electrical system (4)Engine (4)Fuel system (4)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Airbags (1)Body & structure (1)

4 of 14 complaints match · Engine · clear filters

Mar 22, 2018EngineFire

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 WATER PUMP MELTED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A NEW AUXILIARY WIRE FOR THE WATER PUMP, BUT COMPLAINED OF A BURNING ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE EVEN AFTER THE PARTS WERE REPLACED BY CHAPMAN BMW IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11080960

Nov 4, 2017Electrical systemEngine

OIL GASKET LEAK

NHTSA ODI 11043183

Oct 19, 2017Engine

BMW 750 I XDRIVE 2011 --EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AND OR BURNING. THE DESIGN OF THE VALVE STEM SEALS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE SAFETY CONCERNS ARE THE FOLLOWING: 1) FIRE HAZARD. 2) PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY 3) POLLUTING THE ENVIRONMENT WITH EXCESSIVE SMOKE 4) ADDITIONAL COST BURDEN FOR CONSUMERS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND AT THE POINT OF ACCELERATION, THE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. THE OIL MEASURE TURN TO LOW AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS OF ADDING OIL TO THE ENGINE. FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND BE FORCED TO REPAIR THE ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAWS IN THEIR ENGINE THAT BURN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CARRY THE COST BURDEN OF REPAIRING THIS DESIGN FLAWS. AS AN OWNER, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN BMW

NHTSA ODI 11034531

May 2, 2017EngineFuel system

PURCHASED THE CAR IN JANUARY 2012 FROM BMW CONCORD AS A LEASED VEHICLE. MILEAGE WAS 12,000 WHEN PURCHASED. IN APRIL 2017, TRANSMISSION FAILURE NOTICE CAME ON AND CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP IN CONCORD. SERVICE CENTER SAID TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SERVICE CENTER SAID HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD ALSO FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SERVICE ANALYST SAID IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR A CAR WITH THIS MILEAGE TO SEE THIS KIND OF FAILURE BUT HE HAD SEEN IT BEFORE.

NHTSA ODI 10983034

Working with the data? Download all 14 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 BMW 740li verdict →