Your vehicle report
2003 BMW 745I
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 32
- Received Feb 2004 to Aug 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Transmission fails or loses power while driving4 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #03V324000On certain passenger vehicles, the engine oil filter drain plug may be insufficiently tightened. This could lead to loosening of the plug causing an initial oil spray and a subsequent oil leak.
- Recall #03V240000On certain passenger vehicles, due to a software error, a desynchronization of the valvetronic motors for engine banks i and ii may occur. If this occurs, the engine could stall.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 1 fire, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 1 listed problem by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 32 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 13% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #03V324000August 26, 20032,400 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, the engine oil filter drain plug may be insufficiently tightened. This could lead to loosening of the plug causing an initial oil spray and a subsequent oil leak.
If a large amount of oil loss occurs, engine damage may result. Depending on the extent of the damage, a crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the torque of the oil filter drain plug and, if necessary, retighten the drain plug with the correctly specified torque. Owner notification began on september 12, 2003. Owners should contact Bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
NHTSA recall #03V240000July 1, 20035,470 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, due to a software error, a desynchronization of the valvetronic motors for engine banks i and ii may occur. If this occurs, the engine could stall.
In those cases, the driver may not be able to restart the engine. Depending on the level of engine roughness, or stalling, as well as traffic conditions and the driver's reactions, this could lead to a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the digital engine management control unit. Owner notification began july 8, 2003. Owners should contact Bmw at 1-800-831-1117.
Other model years
- 2002 54
- 2003
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2003 BMW 745I.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN