NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–1999
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 3 owner complaints for the BMW 740iA, covering model years 1995 to 1999. The 1999 model year drew the most complaints (2), and Fuel System, Gasoline is the component owners name most often.
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.
See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.
The 1999 model year has the most complaints: 2 of 3, or 66.7%. Next come 1998 (1).
| Model year | Complaints | Reporting a crash | Reporting a fire | Reporting an injury | Reporting a death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| All model years | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.
Fuel System, Gasoline is the component named most often, in 1 complaint (33.3% of all 3), followed by Power Train (1) and Vehicle Speed Control (1).
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 33.3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 33.3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 33.3% |
One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.
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.
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.
Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name 740iA, newest first. The 4 campaigns cover model years 1995 to 1999. The 1999 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).
| 1995: 1 campaign | 1996: no campaigns | 1997: no campaigns | 1998: 1 campaign | 1999: 2 campaigns |
NHTSA campaign 99V005000
Reported
Model year 1999
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with a 5HP24 automatic transmission. Premature wear of the ring gear can occur, leading to the loss of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and reverse gears.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 99V004000
Reported
Model year 1999
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The thickness of the main positive electrical cable (generator to starter) insulation is less than specified, making it susceptible to being abraded or cut by the clip that secures the cable to the generator.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 98V178000
Reported
Model year 1995
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A malfunction or failure of a coolant system component, such as a thermostat, water pump, or fan belt, can result in significantly increased coolant temperature and system pressure. If the indications of a critical overheating condition is not noticed by the driver, it is possible that damage to, or failure of, a coolant system component could occur.
Filed by BMW of North America, LLC
NHTSA campaign 98V142000
Reported
Model year 1998
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The differential pinion shaft within the differential case assembly was produced without the appropriate surface hardening. This can result in the shaft experiencing premature wear.
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.
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.
| 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. |
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.
NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recall campaigns for the BMW 740iA, covering model years 1995 to 1999. The most recent, 99V005000, was reported on January 4, 1999 and is filed under “Power train”. The 1999 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).
The 1999 model year, with 2 of the 3 complaints in NHTSA’s file (66.7%). The next is 1998 (1). 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.
Fuel System, Gasoline is the component named most often: 1 complaint, or 33.3% of all 3. Power Train (1) and Vehicle Speed Control (1) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.
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.
Of the 3 complaints, 0 report a crash, 0 a fire, 0 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.
The BMW models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the BMW VIN decoder with every BMW model page, WMI code and VIN note.
All BMW models and WMI codesLook 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.