U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Bmw 740 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

9 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

72,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data updated: 2026-10-01 (October 1, 2026). 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 9 complaints (22.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	1	11.1%
Steering behavior	1	11.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags

Electrical System

Electrical System:Ignition

Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline

Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift

Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Unknown Or Other	2
Air Bags	1
Electrical System	1
Electrical System:Ignition	1
Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module	1
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	1
Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift	1
Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust	1

Unknown Or Other: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 1; Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift: 1; Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1998

1999

2002

2003

2005

1998: 2; 1999: 4; 2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2005: 1

Pattern summary

Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 824169 · 1998-06-10 (June 10, 1998)

CONSUMER WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR WHEN SHE DROPPED REMOTE CONTROL KEY. THINKING IT DROPPED WITHIN THE VEHICLE CLOSED THE DOOR, NOT KNOWING IT FELL BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE DOOR FRAME. CLOSED THE DOOR, THINKING THE KEY WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SOMEHOW THE REMOTE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, LOCKING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND LOCKING THE CONSUMER IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT. BECAUSE THE REMOTE CONTROL WAS BETWEEN DOOR AND DOOR FRAME,IT ALLOWED A SMALL CRACK BETWEEN THE DOORS, ENABLING THE CONSUME…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 824169 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10135163 · 2005-09-02 (September 2, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MINUTES LATER. THE CONSUMER WENT INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC, BUT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED GOING INTO A COMPLETE CIRCLE. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THEY CHECKED THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND DIDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. THEY HOOKED THE VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND IT DIDN'T SHOW ANY CODES. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 2…

Owner-reported narrative. 88,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10135163 at NHTSA ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

9 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.

22.2%Usable mileage2 / 9 records

77.8%Valid incident date7 / 9 records

100.0%Valid filing date9 / 9 records

77.8%Ordered incident and filing dates7 / 9 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	1991	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	2001
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	342.9% ODI 827147 WHILE MAKING A STOP THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO IDLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK Look up ODI 827147 at NHTSA ↗	133.3% ODI 859303 WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT INDICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK Look up ODI 859303 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	111.1% ODI 846451 ENGINE DIES INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. DEALERINDICATED THA T COMPUTER SHOWED NO DEFECT, AND COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK Look up ODI 846451 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	225.0% ODI 10572970 I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AFTER RECEIVING NOTICE OF "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT" WHICH APPLIES TO ANOTHER BMW VEHICLE I OWN(2006 X5). I EXPLAINED THAT I OWN A 1997 740I: XXXXXX WHICH HAS THE IDENTICAL ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT AS IDENTIFIED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 13V-564: THIS ISSUE WAS DIAGNOSED BY COOPER BMW, EDMOND OK ON APRIL 6, 2009, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY ON NOVEMBER 26, 2010: ?CRACKS IN PASS FRONT SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT ISTA SHORT TEST DON… Look up ODI 10572970 at NHTSA ↗	111.1% ODI 8023915 CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HIT AT 40MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS Look up ODI 8023915 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags:Frontal	1100.0% ODI 972926 INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT Look up ODI 972926 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 861745 CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION TRAVELING AROUND 30-35 MPH IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK Look up ODI 861745 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 811404 WHILE DRIVING 3:00 POSITION , DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT AT 40-45 MPH, THE OTHER AIRBAGS DID DEPLOYED. *AK Look up ODI 811404 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 601248 TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON. *DSH Look up ODI 601248 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	222.2% ODI 606344 NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED. YH Look up ODI 606344 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	133.3% ODI 963711 UNDERHOOD FIRE; TURNED ON IGNITION; SHIFTED TO REVERSE; MOTOR DIED;ATTEMPED TO RESTART;NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERHOOD;WITHIN MINUTES, ENGULFED WITH FLAMES. Look up ODI 963711 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	150.0% ODI 8017520 SMELLED SMOKE IN CAR BEFORE STARTING ENGINE. GOT OUT/ OPENED PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, AND SAW FIRE COMING OUT DOWN NEAR THE SEAT AREA. TOWED TO BMW, AND THEY STATED A SWITCH MAY HAVE BURNED OUT AND CAUSED THIS FIRE. WHEN AIR GETS TO FIRE IT IGNITES. NORMALLY FIRE WOULD BURN OUT BUT SINCE THE DOOR WAS OPENED AIR GOT TO WIRE AND IGNITED A FLAME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK Look up ODI 8017520 at NHTSA ↗
Engine And Engine Cooling	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 10456399 · 230,000 mi WHILE DRIVING MY CAR 1995 740I BMW STARTED SMOKING FROM THE GLOVE BOX AND THE CAR DASH LIGHT FLASHED AND SMOKE CAME FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOOD. I CHECK AND THE WIRE HORNEST WAS ON FIRE. *TR Look up ODI 10456399 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 10279109 OUR CAR IS BROKEN AND WE HAVE NO MONEY TO FIX IT. *TR Look up ODI 10279109 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 842599 RADIATOR LEAKS ANTI-FREEZE FLUID, PROBLEM RELATED TO A DEFECTIVE COOLANT SYSTEM WHICH WAS RECALLED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HE REFUSED TO REPAIR THE RADIATOR UNLESS IT WAS AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. AK ML Look up ODI 842599 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 857543 WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 75 MPH RADIATOR UPPER NECK TO WHICH WATER HOSE CONNECTS BROKE FROM THE WELD. DEALER NOTIFIED. AK ML Look up ODI 857543 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel System, Gasoline	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	114.3% ODI 10434756 · 98,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 BMW 740I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LEAKED WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL ALSO LEAKED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) AND DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 153,000. Look up ODI 10434756 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	112.5% ODI 712110 HI, I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT OR NOT. I HAD A SOUND LIKE AN EXPANDING AND CONTRACTING OF METAL IN THE BACK UNDERNEATH OF CAR. IT SOUNDED LIKE A COOKIE SHEET WHEN IT IS FIRST HEATING UP IN THE OVEN AND IT EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS. THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN BUT SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CALL BMW TECHNICAL SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY HAD A THEORY THAT A SPIDER WAS CLOGGING UP THE FUEL LINE AND THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND RESULTED IN THE GAS TANK COLLAPSING. I BROUGHT CAR IN AGAIN … Look up ODI 712110 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift	Too few reports for a range	57,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 10006783 · 57,000 mi AFTER JACKING THE VEHICLE UP, THE JACK SUDDENLY COLASPED. CONSUMER FOOT WAS ALMOST INJURED AS A RESULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH Look up ODI 10006783 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

1998: 6 complaints · 2001: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
1998	4	6	6
2001	0	1	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
1998	7	2	0
2001	2	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Unknown Or Other	Air Bags	Electrical System	Electrical System:Ignition	Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module	Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift	Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust
Unknown Or Other	—	0	1 ODI 606344 NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED. YH Look up ODI 606344 at NHTSA ↗	0	1 ODI 824169 CONSUMER WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR WHEN SHE DROPPED REMOTE CONTROL KEY. THINKING IT DROPPED WITHIN THE VEHICLE CLOSED THE DOOR, NOT KNOWING IT FELL BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE DOOR FRAME. CLOSED THE DOOR, THINKING THE KEY WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SOMEHOW THE REMOTE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, LOCKING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND LOCKING THE CONSUMER IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT. BECAUSE THE REMOTE CONTROL WAS BETWEEN DOOR AND DOOR FRAME,IT ALLOWED A SMALL CRACK BETWEEN THE DOORS, ENABLING THE CONSUME… Look up ODI 824169 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0
Air Bags	0	—	0	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System	1 ODI 606344 NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED. YH Look up ODI 606344 at NHTSA ↗	0	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control Module	1 ODI 824169 CONSUMER WAS GETTING OUT OF THE CAR WHEN SHE DROPPED REMOTE CONTROL KEY. THINKING IT DROPPED WITHIN THE VEHICLE CLOSED THE DOOR, NOT KNOWING IT FELL BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE DOOR FRAME. CLOSED THE DOOR, THINKING THE KEY WAS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SOMEHOW THE REMOTE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, LOCKING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND LOCKING THE CONSUMER IN THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT. BECAUSE THE REMOTE CONTROL WAS BETWEEN DOOR AND DOOR FRAME,IT ALLOWED A SMALL CRACK BETWEEN THE DOORS, ENABLING THE CONSUME… Look up ODI 824169 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline	0	0	0	0	0	—	0	0
Equipment:Mechanical:Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Seats:Front Assembly:Power Adjust	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

2 patterns with matching reports.

Steering assistance concerns

1 mentions · 11.1% of complaints

Median mileage: 88,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10135163 · 88,000 mi

Look up ODI 10135163 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(power steer\w*|steering assist\w*|steering lock\w*|steering wheel lock\w*)\b

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

1 mentions · 11.1% of complaints

Median mileage: 88,000 mi (1 usable records).

ODI 10135163 · 88,000 mi

Look up ODI 10135163 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b