| Complaint | Description |
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 8/13/2008 - BLOOMINGTON SPRINGS , TN
TL CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 740IL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. ALSO, THE COIL SPRING MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V140000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS), WHICH WAS ISSUED IN THE SPRING OF 1997. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 UPDATED 09/19/08.
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SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS | 8/13/2008 - BLOOMINGTON SPRINGS , TN
TL CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BMW 740IL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE, BUT THE BRAKES WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. ALSO, THE COIL SPRING MADE A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V140000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS), WHICH WAS ISSUED IN THE SPRING OF 1997. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 UPDATED 09/19/08.
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ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: WIRING: FRONT UNDERHOOD | 2/19/2008 - FRANKLIN, VA
CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF HAD A REALLY STRONG ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OPENED UP THE HOOD AND HAD A FLAME DOWN AT THE THERMOSTAT AREA. QUICKLY PUT IT OUT AND PUSHED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK COME TOW THE CAR AND BRING MY FAMILY OUT OF THE FREEZING COLD AS WELL. THE THERMOSTAT AND WIRING FROM THE ECU DOWN TO THE THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS A FUSE THAT HAD BLOWN IN THE MAIN ENGINE HARNESS. OLD PART WAS DISPOSED OF AS WELL AS THE WIRING.
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ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM | 2/19/2008 - FRANKLIN, VA
CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF HAD A REALLY STRONG ELECTRICAL SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. OPENED UP THE HOOD AND HAD A FLAME DOWN AT THE THERMOSTAT AREA. QUICKLY PUT IT OUT AND PUSHED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK COME TOW THE CAR AND BRING MY FAMILY OUT OF THE FREEZING COLD AS WELL. THE THERMOSTAT AND WIRING FROM THE ECU DOWN TO THE THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS A FUSE THAT HAD BLOWN IN THE MAIN ENGINE HARNESS. OLD PART WAS DISPOSED OF AS WELL AS THE WIRING.
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FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY | 10/22/2004 - FLOWER MOUND, TX
PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED" BMW 1997 740IL IN 11/02 WITH 69,000 MILES. IN JANUARY I NOTICED A "TIN CAN" POPPING SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND A VACUUM LIKE SOUND WHEN OPENING THE GAS CAP TO FUEL. I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE GAS TANK HAD A DENT IN IT ALTHOUGH I HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO JOHN ROBERTS BMW IN DALLAS. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER HAD ANY COMPLAINTS RESEMBLING MINE AND THAT I MUST HAVE STRUCK SOMETHING TO DAMAGE THE TANK. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER THE TANK BEGAN TO LEAK AND BASICALLY IMPLODED FROM VACUUM PRESSURE. I POSTED MY EXPERIENCE ON SEVERAL WEB SITES AND RECEIVED OVER 20 RESPONSES FROM OWNERS WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF THESE PEOPLE SENT ME A TECHNICAL BULLETIN FROM BMW TO ITS DEALERS DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AS A FUEL TANK VENT WHICH WOULD BECOME STOPPED UP AND CAUSE THE FUEL TANK TO IMPLODE. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER BUT BY THIS TIME MY VEHICLE WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS DEFECT IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY HAZARD AND COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE.
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SUSPENSION: FRONT: SPRINGS: COIL SPRINGS | 8/19/2004 - SMITHTOWN, NY
THE CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL# 97V140000 : 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. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONSUMER HER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATIONS NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
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ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1/3/2004 - ANN ARBOR, MI
THERE'S A MAJOR FLAW DESIGN IN THE BMW 740I AND 740IL FGROM YEARS 1995-200. I WAS JUST DRIVING AND IT FAILED WITHOUT HESITATION. I SPOKE WITH A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL AND THEY HAD THE SAME PEOBLEM. TO SOME PEOPLE IT HAPPEND AS THEY WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SPILLING COOLANT ALL OVER THEIR WINDSHIELD AND LOSING CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLE.
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EQUIPMENT: MECHANICAL: JACKS | 1/3/2004 - LONGVIEW, TX
WHILE USING THE FACTORY JACK TO CHANGE A TIRE, THE JACK BECAME UNSTABLE DUE TO THE SMALL BASE THAT IS PROVIDED AND THE CAR FELL OFF OF THE JACK. THE JACK WAS BEING OPERATED ON AN ASPHALT SURFACE. THIS WAS A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE EASILY TRAPPED ME UNDER MY CAR. THE CAR IS A 1997 740IL BMW.
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ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING: COOLING SYSTEM: RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 5/24/2003 - LOOMIS, CA
I HAVE HAD THREE SEPARATE FAILURES OF PLASTIC RADIATOR COMPONENTS IN MY 1997 BMW 740IL IN THE SPACE OF 5 MONTHS. AT FIRST INSPECTION, THESE APPEAR TO ME TO BE THERMAL FATIGUE FAILURES INDICATING SOME MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE PLASTIC. BMW DENIES ANY SUCH ISSUE AND REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FAILED COMPONENTS UNDER WARRANTY. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS A MINOR LEAK THAT DEVELOPED FROM A SMALL PIPE THAT EXITS THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR. BEFORE I HAD THAT REPAIRED, THE NECK OF THE TOP INLET TO THE RADIATOR BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. A LITTLE OVER A MONTH LATER, I SAW STEAM EMERGING FROM THE RADIATOR AND NOTED A 1/4" SPLIT IN THE CENTER OF THE INTERGRAL FLUID RESERVOIR WHERE WATER WAS SPRAYING OUT. THIS COMPONENT HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED WHEN THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED. AS THIS WAS NOT IN A TYPICAL STRESS AREA LIKE A CORNER, SEAM OR BOTTOM, I BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY FATIGUE. THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE FAILURES OCCURRED ON PLASTIC COMPONENTS SO CLOSE TOGETHER IN THEIR LIFE IMPLIES A COMMON FAILURE MECHANISM TO ME. THE DEALER COMMENTED THAT "THEY SEE A LOT OF THESE KINDS OF FAILURES." AS THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON IT, THIS WOULD SEEM UNUSUAL UNLESS THERE WERE SOME UNDERLYING FLAW IN BMW'S DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING OF THE COOLING SYSTEM.
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VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 12/8/2002 - NASHUA, NH
ENGINE RPM WILL SUDDENLY SURGE FROM 8OO TO 2500 RPM WITH NO WARNING. IDLE WILL VARY FROM 800 RPM TO 400 RPM AND THEN POSSIBLY SHOOT UP TO 12-2500 RPM. AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS DEALER UNABLE TO CORRECT. CONSIDER THIS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. DT
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