Home · 2012 BMW 740li · Complaints

What 7 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 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 (7)Crash / fire / injury (1)Transmission & drivetrain (3)Engine (2)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (1)Firerelated (1)Fuel system (1)Seat belts (1)Suspension (1)Wheels (1)

Newest first · 7 complaints

Jan 10, 2022FirerelatedFire1 injury

The contact owns a 2012 BMW 740LI Sedan. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph when the vehicle backfired which resulted in the vehicle exploding. The drive train malfunction warning light was illuminated. There was black smoking coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle and caught fire. The contact was able to jump out of the vehicle and sustained a sprained ankle and mental trauma. The fire marshals extinguished the fire and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a police lot. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact mentioned that the vehicle went through extensive damage that it was unrecognizable. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

NHTSA ODI 11446913

Oct 26, 2020SuspensionTransmission & drivetrain

WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 55 MPH, A WARNING SOUNDS (DINGS) AS MY CAR READS DRIVE TRAIN MALFUNCTION AND IT REDUCES SPEED. IT ALSO SAYS (READS) DRIVING COMFORT RESTRICTED AND IT STOPS AUTOMATICALLY AS I'M DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11366525

Apr 16, 2019Engine

LOW ENGINE OIL COMES ON EVERY FEW MONTHS AND I HAVE TO ADD OIL AT THAT TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OIL IS GOING BUT LEVEL IS DOWN TO MINIMUM. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11196721

Mar 20, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 740LI. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND THEN LUNGED FORWARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED OFTEN. DURING THE FAILURE, THE "POWER TRAIN MALFUNCTIONING" MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ODI 11190258

Feb 7, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)Fuel system

DRIVETRAIN SIGNAL CAME ON LIGHT IN CAR STARTED TO TURN ON AND OFF GEARSHIFT BECAME REAL COLD STARTED TO SLOW DOWN ONLY ALLOW TO GO 50 MPH

NHTSA ODI 11175098

Nov 3, 2017Engine

ENGINE OVER HEAT, LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE CROSSING ACROSS THE ROAD. GOT MESSAGE SAYING THIS CONTACT SERVICE CENTER IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ODI 11042984

Aug 30, 2013Seat beltsWheels

ON OR ABOUT THE ABOVE DATE, I TRIED TO DRIVE MY NEW CAR IN 2 INCHES OF SNOW,UP A MODERATE GRADE. DESPITE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND HAVING BRAND NEW TIRES, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE ANYWAY BUT SIDEWAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNFIT FOR ITS PURPOSE AND USE. COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN IGNORED.

NHTSA ODI 10538133

Working with the data? Download all 7 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 2012 BMW 740li verdict →