NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2012

BMW 7 Series recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns and 124 owner complaints for the BMW 7 Series, covering model years 1995 to 2012. The 2006 model year drew the most complaints (29), and Air Bags is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your BMW 7 Series VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

8 recall campaigns on file
124 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
17 model years with data (1995–2012)

most complaints: 2006 (29 for that model year)
top component: Air Bags (20 complaints)
latest recall 12V161000 (reported Apr 10, 2012)

4 complaints reporting a crash (3.2%)
3 complaints reporting a fire (2.4%)
6 complaints reporting an injury (4.8%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

BMW 7 Series complaints by model year

17 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2006 model year has the most complaints: 29 of 124, or 23.4%. Next come 2004 (28) and 2007 (13). The fewest are for 1996, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Show the figures for all 17 model years

BMW 7 Series complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

BMW 7 Series complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
1995	2	0	0	0
1996	1	0	0	0
1997	2	0	0	0
1999	2	1	0	1
2000	2	0	0	0
2001	2	0	0	0
2002	4	0	0	0
2003	8	0	0	0
2004	28	0	1	2
2005	4	1	0	0
2006	29	0	0	1
2007	13	0	0	0
2008	11	2	1	1
2009	9	0	1	1
2010	2	0	0	0
2011	3	0	0	0
2012	2	0	0	0
All model years	124	4	3	6

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported BMW 7 Series components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Air Bags is the component named most often, in 20 complaints (16.1% of all 124), followed by Power Train (20) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (14).

Components named most often in BMW 7 Series complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in BMW 7 Series complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Air Bags	20	16.1%
Power Train	20	16.1%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	14	11.3%
Electrical System	11	8.9%
Engine	11	8.9%
Seats	10	8.1%
Structure	9	7.3%
Engine and Engine Cooling	8	6.5%
Fuel/Propulsion System	7	5.6%
Unknown or Other	7	5.6%
Seat Belts	5	4.0%
Service Brakes	5	4.0%
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)	4	3.2%
Exterior Lighting	4	3.2%
Fuel System, Gasoline	4	3.2%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

BMW 7 Series recalls

8 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name 7 Series, newest first. The 8 campaigns cover model years 2002 to 2012. The 2004 model year appears in the most campaigns (4).

8 recall campaigns

BMW 7 Series recall campaigns covering each model year
Decade	Years ending in 0	Years ending in 1	Years ending in 2	Years ending in 3	Years ending in 4	Years ending in 5	Years ending in 6	Years ending in 7	Years ending in 8	Years ending in 9
2000s			2002: 1 campaign	2003: 2 campaigns	2004: 4 campaigns	2005: 1 campaign	2006: 2 campaigns	2007: 1 campaign	2008: 1 campaign	2009: 2 campaigns
2010s	2010: 2 campaigns	2011: 1 campaign	2012: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 12V161000
Reported Apr 10, 2012
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger
Model year 2012
BMW is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, 5-series gran turismo, model year 2012 6-series convertible, 7-series, X5 SAV, and X6 SAV vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Consequence:
This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Remedy:
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on April 30, 2012. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 11V521000
Reported Oct 20, 2011
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger
Model years 2009–2011
BMW is recalling certain model year 2011 5-series, model year 2010-2011 5-series gran turismo, model year 2009-2011 7-series, model year 2010-2011 X5 SAV, and model year 2008-2011 X6 SAV vehicles equipped with 8- or 12-cylinder, turbocharged, engines because the circuit board for the electric auxiliary water pump can overheat.
Consequence:
This could lead to a smoldering of the pump or an engine compartment or vehicle fire.
Remedy:
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the auxiliary water pump free of charge. The safety recall began on December 19, 2011. Owners may contact BMW customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 10V446000
Reported Oct 1, 2010
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum
Model years 2002–2008
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.
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.
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.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 10V047000
Reported Feb 18, 2010
Equipment › Other › Labels
Model years 2009–2010
BMW is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 7-series and model year 2010 550i grand turismo vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110 "tire selection and rims." These vehicle's are equipped with a tire pressure label indicating that the vehicle's seating capacity is five (5) passengers. The actual seating capacity is four (4) passengers. The tire size, tire pressure, and vehicle capacity weight on the label are correct.
Consequence:
The tire label does not conform to FMVSS 110.
Remedy:
BMW will notify owners and authorized BMW dealers will replace the tire label free of charge. The safety recall began on April 16, 2010. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 06V277000
Reported Jul 26, 2006
Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber
Model year 2006
On certain passenger vehicles, the lower rubber mount of the rear shock absorbers may not have been manufactured to specifications and may not adhere correctly to its housing within the shock absorber.
Consequence:
The bushing could loosen and over time could separate from its housing. The driver will experience impaired vehicle handling and control increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the rear shock absorber free of charge. The recall began on September 13, 2006. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 04V575000
Reported Dec 6, 2004
Seats › Front Assembly › Seat Heater/Cooler
Model years 2003–2004
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with front seat heating systems, upon entering and exiting the vehicle, excessive contact with the side bolster that is contained in the seat's backrest may damage the heating mat located in this area. If such damage were to occur, with the system turned on, the vehicle occupant may feel excessive heat from this area.
Consequence:
It is possible that the heating mat in the backrest's side bolster could overheat and damage, or melt a small hole in, this area of the seat cover. If this happened, it could lead to an occupant being burned.
Remedy:
Dealers will modify the seat heating circuit. The recall is expected to begin during December 2004. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 04V379000
Reported Aug 9, 2004
Seats
Model year 2004
On certain passenger vehicles, the software programming of the driver's seat occupant detection system (ods) may not be able to reliably determine if the driver's seat is occupied.
Consequence:
In certain crash conditions, the driver's front air bag, head protection system, safety belt pretensioner, and knee air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of injury to a seat occupant.
Remedy:
Dealers will reprogram the software for the driver's seat occupant detection system. The recall began October 13, 2004. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 04V344000
Reported Jul 14, 2004
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (TCM/PCM/TECM)
Model year 2004
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 8 and 12 cylinder engines, the digital engine management control (emc) units were not produced according to specifications.
Consequence:
As a result, engine stalling will occur after a short period of operation. The vehicle may not be able to restart. Also, a loss of power steering and, after repeated actuation of the brake pedal, a loss of brake power assist will occur. These conditions could result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will install a new digital engine management control unit. The recall began on July 16, 2004. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

BMW 7 Series questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the BMW 7 Series have?

NHTSA lists 8 vehicle recall campaigns for the BMW 7 Series, covering model years 1995 to 2012. The most recent, 12V161000, was reported on April 10, 2012 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 2004 model year is covered by the most campaigns (4).

Which BMW 7 Series model year has the most complaints?

The 2006 model year, with 29 of the 124 complaints in NHTSA’s file (23.4%). The next are 2004 (28) and 2007 (13). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common BMW 7 Series complaint?

Air Bags is the component named most often: 20 complaints, or 16.1% of all 124. Power Train (20) and Service Brakes, Hydraulic (14) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my BMW 7 Series?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a BMW dealer.

How many BMW 7 Series complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 124 complaints, 4 report a crash, 3 a fire, 6 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The BMW models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the BMW VIN decoder with every BMW model page, WMI code and VIN note.

BMW X5 1999–2026 · 103 recalls · 3,138 complaints
BMW 328i 1996–2016 · 27 recalls · 2,576 complaints
BMW X3 2004–2026 · 60 recalls · 1,989 complaints
BMW 325i 1995–2012 · 20 recalls · 1,281 complaints
BMW Z4 2002–2023 · 28 recalls · 1,280 complaints
BMW 3 Series 1995–2023 · 8 recalls · 841 complaints
BMW 528i 1997–2016 · 14 recalls · 831 complaints
BMW 330i 1999–2026 · 38 recalls · 813 complaints

All BMW models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.

BMW 7 Series complaints by model year

Most-reported BMW 7 Series components

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

BMW 7 Series recalls

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Other Fuel Types › Turbo/Supercharger

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum

Equipment › Other › Labels

Suspension › Rear › Shock Absorber

Seats › Front Assembly › Seat Heater/Cooler

Seats

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Control Module (TCM/PCM/TECM)