Home · 2018 BMW 7 Series Hybrid Sedan · Complaints

What 7 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 BMW 7 Series Hybrid Sedan

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)Engine (2)Suspension (2)Brakes (1)Electrical system (1)Engine & cooling (1)Seat belts (1)

Newest first · 7 complaints

Mar 12, 2026Engine

Oil pressure pump failure. MANY MODELS AFFECTED. MAINLY B58 ENGINES

NHTSA ODI 11723748

Jan 9, 2026Suspension

BMW issued a warranty extension covering air suspension struts for certain vehicles (8 years / 80,000 miles). I own a 2018 BMW 740i. I reported front suspension concerns to an authorized BMW dealership (United BMW, Alpharetta, GA) at 64,354 miles (8/16/23) and again at 77,582 miles(3/19/24. Service records document front suspension issues, including thrust-rod and suspension defects. During these service visits — which occurred within the warranty-extension period — the strut warranty extension was never disclosed or applied. The suspension defect progressed, and I later had to pay out-of-pocket for air suspension strut repairs totaling over $8,500, including OEM BMW front struts. BMW North America has denied reimbursement solely based on mileage, despite documented pre-80,000-mile service visits showing the defect was present and evaluated. This appears to be a failure to disclose an active warranty extension for a known suspension defect, resulting in unnecessary out-of-pocket repairs for a safety-related component.

NHTSA ODI 11709831

Apr 24, 2025Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 750I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine overheated with the temperature gauge indicating that the engine was hot(H) with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that thermostat, thermostat sensor, and the water pump needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure worsened, and additional repairs were performed but the failure persisted. The contact was then informed by a mechanic that the engine oil cooler line was defective which had caused oil to leak into the engine coolant. The mechanic linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V377000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not under recall. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11656615

Jan 8, 2025Suspension

The contact owns a 2018 BMW 740i. The contact stated when he was starting his vehicle a warning for "chassis" was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaning. The contact stated that the driver side of the vehicle was raised from the road by about 4 inches and the passenger side of the vehicle was almost touching the road surface. The contact stated that turning the vehicle to the left or the right was difficult due to the lean of the vehicle. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

NHTSA ODI 11634894

Feb 14, 2023Engine

Apparently BMW models like mine have been having the coolant expansion tanks leaking between 60 and 70 thousand miles. This causes the coolant levels to drop and causes engine failures.

NHTSA ODI 11507195

Feb 3, 2022Electrical systemSeat belts

Dashboard display randomly flickers and blinks while driving Seatbelt notification chime rings even when the passenger seat is empty.

NHTSA ODI 11450161

Oct 15, 2019Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BMW 740LE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF RIVERSIDE (3060 ADAMS ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, (951) 373-5000) WHERE IT WAS TEST DRIVEN AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKES FELT SPONGY. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER WAITING FOR AN ENGINEER TO PERFORM ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000. *LN*JB STATE FARM CLAIM ESTIMATE IS ATTACHED, CLAIM NUMBER #XX-XXXX-XXXXX 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ODI 11268691

Working with the data? Download all 7 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 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 2018 BMW 7 Series Hybrid Sedan verdict →