1998 BMW 740ILA Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1998 BMW 740ILA, and owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1998 BMW 740ILA
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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Differential unit (power train)
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The differential pinion shaft within the differential case assembly was produced without the appropriate surface hardening. This can result in the shaft experiencing premature wear.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the entire differential assembly.
3 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1998 BMW 740ILA have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 84,315 miles. Complaints peaked in 1998 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“My car stumbled less than a mile from my house. A few hundred feet later it stalled completely. At first the garage thought it was a failed fuel pump. After replacing the pump, the car stumbled again”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 20, 2008 · Fuel system, gasoline
“Transmission problems - 1998 740il. I bought a cpo BMW 740il with 35,000 miles. Now i have 65,600 miles on the car and i too am having issues with the transmission. While the car was under cpo warrant”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 24, 2007 · Power train
Compare BMW 740ILA model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW 740ILA model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 1 |
| 1989 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 BMW 740ILA | 1 | 3 |
| 1999 BMW 740ILA | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW 740ILA | 2 | 1 |
Checking a specific 1998 BMW 740ILA
How do I know if my 1998 BMW 740ILA 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 1998 BMW 740ILA; 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 98V142000).
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
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 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.