BMW 7 Series Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used BMW 7 Series options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the BMW 7 Series has 66 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is SERVICE BRAKES. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2021 drew the fewest.
- Make
- BMW
- Model
- 7 Series
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 66
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 3
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (12 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2021 (3 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Reliability signal
- Average
By model year
BMW 7 Series: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
AverageThe BMW 7 SERIES has 66 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 3 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 66 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 3 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 66 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
66 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
I purchased a vehicle from Ed morse Cadillac on 12/31/2025. I find out in April that the vehicle was sold with undercarriage damages listed in Carfax. The dealership, never disclosed anything, did not show me the reports, and i did not sign anything to accept the damages. They do not want to take responsibility. The vehicle might be dangerous to drive and is really demeaning in value because of this.
I am filing this complaint regarding an ongoing safety issue with my 2021 BMW 740i involving the lane departure warning system, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control, all of which have stopped functioning properly. These features are critically tied to the windshield-mounted KAFAS camera, which I’ve now been told needs to be replaced. Initially, the BMW dealership attributed the issue to a software problem and charged me $500 for a software update. After the update, the driver assist systems remained non-functional. The dealership then diagnosed a failure with the front camera assembly and is now quoting me approximately $3,000 for replacement of the windshield and camera module. I have reviewed NHTSA Technical Service Bulletin SIB 66 08 23 (NHTSA ID: MC-10236236-9999), which outlines this exact issue, suggesting that BMW is aware of system limitations and hardware failures in this critical safety feature. However, this has not resulted in a recall or manufacturer-paid repair, despite the significant safety risk involved. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue for the 2021 BMW 740i and similar BMW models equipped with the same KAFAS camera system. The sudden failure of key driver assistance systems—especially lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control—can lead to dangerous driving conditions, particularly on highways. I believe a recall or service campaign should be initiated requiring BMW to cover the cost of diagnosis and camera replacement due to the safety-critical nature of these systems. Please consider this complaint as a formal petition for further investigation and potential recall.
The contact owns a 2021 BMW 750I. The contact stated that upon start the vehicle, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated. The contact initially took the vehicle to the dealer and an independent mechanic however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The failure persisted and the contact took the vehicle back to the independent mechanic who discovered a crack in the rear driver’s side rim. The tire was replaced; however, a month later, the same failure occurred on the front passenger’s side rim. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where he was informed that the failure was common with the model vehicle. The tire was replaced. Recently, the failure occurred on the front driver’s side rim. The dealer was notified of the failure and offered insurance to cover the cost of future tire repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The most recent failure was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
the Panoramic sunroof just exploded out of nowhere at freeway speeds causing glass to go everywhere
November 2023 we purchased 4 new Continental PURECONTACT LS 245/45/R19 from Discount Tire in Evansville Indiana. We’ve driven almost 17,000 miles on the tires. Noticed 2 tires are splitting on the sidewall near the tread. The one I’m reporting is dangerously split (resembles a re-tread tire).
Service Bulletin SI B11 09 17 Same issue with my car, 2017 BMW 750i xDrive. Drivetrain malfunction issues identical to SB noted. My car has a manufactured date 07/2016, one month after SB dates covered, yet same part numbers are used in this month as well. Not fair that other vehicle owners with same part numbers get this covered, as I have to pay over $3k for repair, to then wait IF a SB gets releases, then have to chase BMW file a RP claim. Wastegate issues across all G11 models!
Read 14 more owner reports
Stopping without notice can cause an accident and any of the issues can cause safety issues. What I sent them. I am writing to express my concerns regarding a series of issues with my 2017 BMW 740i and to request your assistance in resolving these matters. I have been working with my local BMW dealership to address several problems, but I believe there may be underlying issues that require further attention. I would appreciate it if you could review my case and consider the points outlined below. Background: Recently, my vehicle was brought in for service to replace the spark plugs and address a few concerns, including the replacement of the fuel tank cover. During this visit, it was discovered that the pressure control valve was faulty and needed replacement. I was not previously informed of any issues with the pressure valve, and I have learned that BMW has issued an extended warranty on this part due to known faults. My understanding is that a faulty pressure valve can cause erratic fuel pressure, leading to premature spark plug failure. Given that my car has only been driven about 8,000 miles annually and is used weekly, not sitting idle for long periods, the spark plugs should still have life left. However, they may have worn prematurely due to the pressure valve issue. Concerns: Pressure Control Valve and Spark Plug Failure: It is highly unusual for three spark plugs to fail simultaneously, as spark plugs generally wear out gradually over time. In most cases, one spark plug would fail before the others if there were a gradual wear issue. The simultaneous failure of three spark plugs suggests a potential underlying issue, such as a problem with the ignition system, electrical issues, or a direct result of a faulty pressure control valve. I request that BMW cover the replacement cost of the spark plugs under the extended warranty for the pressure valve, considering the potential causation between these issues. Hard Jerk When
The chasis function is limited on this vehicle due to failed right rear air suspension. Leaking right rear strut, and failed air compressor. Additionally, as a result my car needs an alignment. There was a service bulletin in regards to this exact issue in which BMW offered an extended warranty to repair vehicles free of charge up to 8 years/80,000 miles (MC-10215743-9999.pdf) My vehicle is currently at 92,000 miles but within 8 years. I never received the notification. If I would have I could of had the vehicle inspected and fixed within the extended warranty time frame. I'm being told that BMW will not cover the cost because my vehicle is outside of the timeframe they agreed upon in the settlement. The cost is $ 8600.00. This incident is the second issue I've faced. I purchased the vehicle certified from a BMW dealership. The initial problem I faced was with a failing braking system that was fixed through warranty after multiple trips to the dealership. I was at risk of the vehicle not stopping which could have resulted in a terrible accident. Now with this second issue I'm again at risk for my safety. BMW should be held accountable for producing vehicles with such safety concerns and at minimum be responsible for the cost to repair these issues.
Car started smoking while idling, fire department called. Did not have check engine light on smoking from left tail pipe
Failing HV battery cells cause a misreading of the energy level available. When turning left in oncoming traffic the Hybrid launches in EV mode because the battery management system shows plenty of power where there is none. The car will lurch into oncoming traffic and hesitate while trying to start the combustion engine the delay is unexpected and can be enough to cause an accident.
Front Driveshaft between transfer case and front differential, is available upon request. The driveshaft broke at the universal joint, once it broke it damaged the upper and lower oil pan making a hole the size of a softball, as it kept rotating broke transmission casing also draining oil from transmission and engine components. It caused the tires to get soaked in oil and slip and spin out. Luckily no cars or objects were near me at the time, if there were this would have been a big safety concern to the driver and passenger of the car. No warnings were given by this component before it failed, 5 seconds after failure the low oil pressure warning came on, this was after the vehicle spun out. The has been inspected by an independent service center and will be inspected by the insurance company.
Instrument panel went blank. No visual indication of how fast I was traveling. Also frontal collision stop working.
ON 4/10/2021 AROUND 10:45 AM I WAS ON EAST INDEPNDANCE BLVD AT A RED LIGHT. AS I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE MY FRONT PANORAMIC SUNROOF BLEW OUT. AS A RETIRED NAVY VET I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING SHOT AT AND SLOWED THE CAR DOWN MAINTAIN COURSE AND REALIZED THE AIR RUSSHING FROM MY SUNROOF. ON THIS DAY I ALREADY HAD A SCHEDULED MAINTAINCE AT THE BMW DEALSERSHIP. I PROCEEDED TO PULL IN AND THE NOTICE I WAS REALLY FRANTICALLY ALERT SHOWED THEM THE SUNROOF AND EXPLAINED. THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW THAT OCCURED. THE VEHICLE IS A 2017 BMW XI DRIVE WITH ONLY 22000 MILES ROUGHLY AND I ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE AUGUST 2020. I'M HOPING BMY PAYS FOR THIS AND NOT HIT MY INSURANCE. I COULD OF CAUSED SOME SERIOUS INJURIES IF I WASN'T FOCUSED DUE TO MY MILITARY TRAINING. I FAILED TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE GLASS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT 6550 E INDEPENDENCE BLVD CHARLOTTE N.C HENDRICK BMW
ACTIVE AIR FLAPS MALFUNCTIONING, SEVISE BULLETIN FOR OTHER MODELS BUT NOT THIS ONE
MY BACKUP CAMERA DOESN'T WORK (ENGAGE) WHEN THE CAR IS IN REVERSE. ANYTIME THE CAR IS PLACED IN REVERSE THE BACKUP CAMERA SHOULD COME ON. I HAVE OTHER CAMERAS THAT I CAN'T ACCESS, BUT THE BACKUP CAMERA IS SAFETY RELATED.
I pulled my 2019 BMW 740i out of a residential garage and stopped the vehicle. I opened the driver's door and exited the vehicle to enter the code on the exterior garage keypad to close the garage door. After entering the code, I turned around to return to the vehicle and observed that the BMW had begun moving unexpectedly. The vehicle continued moving and ultimately crashed into a tree, causing substantial front-end damage. I did not intend or expect the vehicle to move after I exited it. I expected the vehicle's systems to secure the vehicle when I exited, but when I turned around, the vehicle was moving. I am concerned that a system intended to prevent unintended vehicle movement—including the transmission Park function, electronic/automatic parking brake, or associated electronic control system—may not have operated as expected. The specific cause has not yet been determined. A BMW Certified Collision Center has estimated approximately $26,000–$27,000 in repairs, and my insurance carrier is evaluating the vehicle as a potential total loss. I have requested preservation of the vehicle and available electronic/diagnostic data so that the cause of the unexpected movement can be investigated. I am reporting this incident as a potential safety-related malfunction involving unintended vehicle movement/rollaway and am requesting that it be reviewed accordingly.
Excessive rain condensation is blocking the front drivers headlights. This is a known issue which BMW refuses to repair under my OEM warranty. This is a known issue with many BMW’s leading to safety issues and electrical issues. The water is pooling in my headlight.
The contact owns a 2019 BMW 740I. The contact stated that the leather on the front dashboard had started to peel. Over time, the leather began to shrink and began to roll back towards the windshield. Due to the failure, the contact's vision became obstructed while driving. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a technician recommended that the dashboard be replaced. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not covered under Warranty. The contact was then referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
THE SUNROOF EXPLODED OUT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45MPH. MOST OF THE GLASS EXITED THE VEHICLE ABOVE BUT MANY SHARDS OF SHARP GLASS SPRAYED ALL FOUR PASSENGERS. ALL FOUR PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR CUTS. NO ROCK OR OTHER FOREIGN OBJECT WAS OBSERVED IMPACTING THE VEHICLE. THE GLASS EXPLODED OUT NOT IN. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 7 DEGREES F. THIS OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY 99 BETWEEN WHISTLER BC AND SQUAMASH BC ON FEBRUARY 3, 2019.
Oil pressure pump failure. MANY MODELS AFFECTED. MAINLY B58 ENGINES
Showing 20 of 66 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact BMW 7 Series
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used BMW 7 Series, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The BMW 7 Series has 66 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The BMW 7 Series has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 3 of the BMW 7 Series's 66 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all BMW 7 Series vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two BMW 7 Series vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The BMW 7 Series has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used BMW 7 Series.
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BMW 7 Series reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the BMW 7 Series reliable?
Average. The BMW 7 Series has 66 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is SERVICE BRAKES. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which BMW 7 Series years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (12 complaints), 2018 (7 complaints), 2020 (5 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common BMW 7 Series problems?
Top reported issues: SERVICE BRAKES (21 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (13 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (10 complaints).
Does the BMW 7 Series have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the BMW 7 Series. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.