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 · Fuel system · clear filters

Jan 4, 2022Electrical systemFuel system

Electric water pump failed. While driving, engine overheated and warning light illuminated. I immediately pulled over and my car was towed in for repairs. Why wasn't the N54 engine not included in the recall campaign#11V-521? Also, my fuel line was found to be leaking when this car was towed in for the electric water pump repairs. I did smell fuel on days prior to this incident, but I mistakenly ignored the smells. This whole incident had the potential to be catastrophic.

NHTSA ODI 11446184

Sep 28, 2020Fuel system

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

NHTSA ODI 11361440

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

Apr 8, 2015Fuel system

SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2012, AFTER WARRANTY THE CAR HAS CONSTANT BREAKDOWNS, I HAVE SPENT >3500 DOLLARS IN LAST YEAR, AGAIN GOT A MESSAGE "DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION" ABOUT A WEEK AGO, TOOK TO DEALER ROADSHOW BMW IN MEMPHIS, THEY SAID HIGH FUEL PUMP AND PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACED IN ABOUT $1000, I AGREED AND LEFT CAR, TWO DAYS LATER THEY CALLED THAT THERE IS ANOTHER 'PLATE LEAKING OIL' AND NEEDS ANOTHER $1000 REPAIR. THIS WAS NOT THERE WHEN I LEFT THE CARE. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE FIRST TIME, ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, WITH OUT HELP, AND AGAIN YESTERDAY. MY CAR IS IN SHOP AT DEALER.I CAME TO KNOW THAT THIS FUEL PUMP PROBLEM IS VERY COMMONLY REPORTED IN BMW BUT SURPRISINGLY COMPANY HAS NOT RECALLED IT OR ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD RESULT IN FATAL ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. BMW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND RECALLS AND FIXING THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE FATAL INJURIES OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10704446

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 →