1997 BMW 740IL Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 BMW 740IL, and owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 BMW 740IL
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Coil springs (suspension)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Road grit and gravel associated with winter road conditions can penetrate the rubber of the lower front spring mounts and accumulate in the mounts causing notches or pits to develop. These notches can develop cracks resulting in breakage of a bottom coil of the spring.
Remedy: Dealers will replace both front springs and lower spring mounts.
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 BMW 740IL have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 81,856 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 4 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Traction control warning light. BMW service center says that they can't communicate with my vehicle thereby can't diagnose problem(s). Vehicle stationary in shop.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 5, 2018 · Service brakes
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 BMW 740il. While driving over a bump in the road or pothole, the vehicle shook abnormally. Additionally the tie rod failed without warning. There was also an abnormal noise”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 23, 2016 · Steering
Compare BMW 740IL model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 740IL model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 BMW 740IL | 1 | 9 |
| 1994 BMW 740IL | 1 | 3 |
| 1995 BMW 740IL | 3 | 12 |
| 1996 BMW 740IL | 1 | 11 |
| 1997 BMW 740IL | 1 | 19 |
| 1998 BMW 740IL | 0 | 26 |
| 1999 BMW 740IL | 0 | 6 |
| 2000 BMW 740IL | 1 | 20 |
| 2001 BMW 740IL | 1 | 26 |
Checking a specific 1997 BMW 740IL
How do I know if my 1997 BMW 740IL has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 BMW 740IL; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 97V140000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
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- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
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- 330I815 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.