NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 BMW 7 Series Recalls & Complaints

The 2005 BMW 7 Series has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 4 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2005 BMW 7 Series. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2005 BMW 7 Series owner complaints

Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 BMW 7 Series, describing incidents dated April 5, 2011 to October 27, 2014.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 1 complaint
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 1 complaint
Engine 1 complaint
Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint
Power Train 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Of the 4 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #10651740 · Filed October 31, 2014
TOOK THE BMW 745LI IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SLOW TO START CRANKING AND SECOND OPINION. ALSO WANTED THE DEALERSHIP TO REVIEW AIRBAG LIGHT AND DSC. UPON REVIEW BY THE DEALERSHIP, ALL FOUR DOOR TAGS AND SZL (COMFORT ACCESS) IS CAUSING BATTERY DRAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED. ALSO WAS QUOTED THAT THE CLUSTER…
ODI #10651737 · Filed October 31, 2014
I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOW TO CRANK. I HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. IT WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, I AM DRIVING THE 745LI BMW UP AN INCLINED HIGHWAY MERGING ONTO A BRIDGE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED…
ODI #10492154 · Filed January 10, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE VALVES ON THE AUXILIARY PUMP LEAKED OIL INTO THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED THE…

Read all 4 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2005 BMW 7 Series in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA12-002: Vehicle Rollaway
Closed January 24, 2013
- Recall 12V-502
Preliminary Evaluation PE11-025: Vehicle Rollaway
Closed April 23, 2012

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

BRAKE VACUUM PUMP

NHTSA #10V446000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Power Assist — Vacuum · NHTSA notice

Reported October 1, 2010 · BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC

Potentially affected: 198,352 vehicles

Owners notified November 24, 2010

Defect description

BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.

Safety consequence

POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

2005 BMW 7 Series 4-DR w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

4 investigations

4 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 BMW 7 Series.

Air Bags; Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ODI #10651740

Incident: October 27, 2014 · Filed: October 31, 2014

TOOK THE BMW 745LI IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SLOW TO START CRANKING AND SECOND OPINION. ALSO WANTED THE DEALERSHIP TO REVIEW AIRBAG LIGHT AND DSC. UPON REVIEW BY THE DEALERSHIP, ALL FOUR DOOR TAGS AND SZL (COMFORT ACCESS) IS CAUSING BATTERY DRAIN AND MUST BE REPLACED. ALSO WAS QUOTED THAT THE CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A FUEL LINE LEAK IS PRESENT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH A MANAGER, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THE DOOR TAGS AND SZL WOULD ASSIST WITH CLEARING THE SLOW CRANK. I OPTED THE SERVICE FROM THAT DEALER AND DECIDED TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES, I REALIZED THAT THE CAR REEKED OF GAS. THIS WAS NOT AN APPARENT ISSUE WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CAUSED MORE HARDSHIP THAN ASSISTANCE. *TR

Power Train; Vehicle Speed Control; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #10651737

Incident: August 6, 2014 · Filed: October 31, 2014

I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SLOW TO CRANK. I HAD THE BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS FINE. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED I NEEDED A FUEL PUMP. IT WAS REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER, I AM DRIVING THE 745LI BMW UP AN INCLINED HIGHWAY MERGING ONTO A BRIDGE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED JERKING, LOOSING POWER, CUTTING BACK AND DECELERATING UNTIL IT SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. I WAS UNABLE TO CRANK IT OR EVEN MOVE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE CAR TOTALLY STALLED ON THE BRIDGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CLAIMED THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. HOWEVER A FEW DAYS LATER THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO CLAIMS IT WAS OUT OF GAS. THE DEALER PUTS GAS IN IT. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE FUEL GUAGE WAS NOT READING PROPERLY AND REPLACED THE SENSORS. THE CAR IS STILL SLOW TO CRANK, WHICH IS THE INTIAL PROBLEM FROM DAY ONE. STILL NOT REPAIRED, $3,000.00 LATER. *TR

Engine

ODI #10492154

Incident: October 8, 2012 · Filed: January 10, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 7 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE VALVES ON THE AUXILIARY PUMP LEAKED OIL INTO THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO RELEASE SMOKE AND EMISSIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,100.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10402745

Crash

Incident: April 5, 2011 · Filed: May 25, 2011

BMW NA SUBMITTED TO NHTSA A NOTICE THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THERE MAY BE A POWER BRAKING LOSS DUE TO A LEAKING VACUUM PUMP. BMW NA HAS NOT INSTITUTED A CONSISTENT RECALL POLICY ACROSS ITS DEALERSHIPS RELATED TO THIS RECALL. DEALERSHIPS ARE LEFT TO THEIR DEVICES IN COVERING THE RECALL WORK WITH SOME DEALERSHIPS REPLACING VACUUM PUMPS, AND OTHERS CHARGING OWNERS FOR THE REPLACEMENT. OUR 745 EXPERIENCED THE BARE MINIMUM OF RECALL WORK IN DECEMBER 2010, BUT THE LEAKING VACUUM PUMP WAS NOT REPLACED, NOR WERE WE NOTIFIED THAT IT WAS LEAKING BY THE DEALERSHIP. 5 MONTHS LATER VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN INTO A COMMERCIAL STRIP MALL AND AS THE VEHICLE WAS BEING PARKED, IT DID NOT STOP. VEHICLE JUMPED PEDESTRIAN WALK WAY AND DAMAGED THE ENTRANCE OF A RESTAURANT. I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT BMW NA IS ALL OVER THE BOARD REGARDING THIS RECALL. THOUGH EXTREMELY SHAKEN, NO PEDESTRIANS WERE INJURED, BUT BMW THROUGH NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND OWNER INPUT KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR

Other BMW 7 Series model years

Check your 2005 BMW 7 Series VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW 7 Series at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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