Bmw e38 have a high tendency for the guides for the camshaft chain (s) to fracture and come apart. This leads to plastic pieces to cause catastrophic failure, plastic and metal shavings to be observed in the lower oil pan as well as jump in timing for the owner who has to either pay$$$ or junk the car. The should have at least utilized carbon fiber guides. Many of these failures occur even before 125k.. I find it incomprehensible that someone who pays 70k for this vehicle to have to endure spending another 5-6k to get the car running again. Just look at youtube.com and you will see what I am referring to. Wish I'd bought a used ford.
The worst 1999 BMW 740I problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags3
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Tires1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags3
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Engine1
- Tires1
- Transmission1
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 BMW 740I 5
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
1999 BMW 740I fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 14-15 | 19-22 | 16-18 |
What 1999 BMW 740I owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was driving home from work approximately 3am in the morning and I was getting close to my turn and I was slowing down and I hit a pot hole.. And all of a sudden my driver side airbags deploy almost cause me to wreck my car...
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 bmw 740i. While driving approximately 35 MPH slight pressure was applied to the brake pedal and the brakes momentarily locked. The air bag light then began to illuminate on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where he was informed that the brakes needed to be flushed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure has since recurred intermittently. The failure mileage was 78,500 and the current mileage was 79,900.
Kuhmo tires - zrated 235/50/18 tires on 1999 bmw 740i - tires one month old. Low usage - sidewall blow out with no external damage to sidewall. Defect in tire.
Dt: the contact states there is a the federal safety agency recall campaign 99v005000 concerning automatic transmission. This vehicle is experiencing the same problems as indicated in the recall, but it is not included in the recall due to VIN. The contact will repair the vehicle at his own expense. Also, he experienced transmission problems previously. The dealer repaired a leak in the transmission under warranty.
Traction control, brake and ABS light are all indicating failure. Dealer is unable to determine cause. Brakes appear to work ok but warning lights cause concern.
The vehicle hit a tree, and the air bags failed to deploy.
Consumer hit a tree, and the airbags failed to deploy.
Compare the 1999 BMW 740I
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Questions about the 1999 BMW 740I
Is the 1999 BMW 740I reliable?
Owners have filed 8 complaints about the 1999 BMW 740I, 2.0 times a typical 740I model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 BMW 740I?
Airbags, with 3 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 1999 BMW 740I have?
No recalls on record.
What gas mileage does the 1999 BMW 740I get?
Official estimates for the 1999 BMW 740I range from 16 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.4L 8-cyl, RWD) gets 14-15 city and 19-22 highway.
VIN decoder
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