2004 BMW 745I Problems and Recalls (24 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2004 BMW 745I is Transmission / driveline (29% of 24 owner reports). There are 0 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 24 complaints · 0 recalls

What problems show up on the 2004 BMW 745I?

7 of 24 filings named Transmission / driveline (29% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Brakes (4 reports).

This snapshot lists no safety recalls for this year. That is not a clean bill of health. Still check the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

The 2003 has 32 reports on file; this year has 24. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2004 BMW 745I

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov even if this page lists none.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 7 complaints · 29.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 3
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 7 of 24 owner complaints (29.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 7 complaints, 29.2% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 · 29.2% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 4 complaints, 16.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 · 16.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 12.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 crash reports 3 · 12.5% Engine (ENGINE): 3 complaints, 12.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 3 · 12.5% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 2 complaints, 8.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 fire reports 2 · 8.3% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 fire reports 1 · 4.2% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 1 crash reports 1 · 4.2% Wheels (WHEELS): 1 complaints, 4.2% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 1 · 4.2% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 4 complaints, 16.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 4 · 16.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 7 29.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 16.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 12.5% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 3 12.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 8.3% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 1 4.2% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 1 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 4 16.7% 1 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2011. 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2011 Jul 2022 Investigation EA12002 ● Investigation EA12002
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q1 Owner reports 3
2012-Q2 Owner reports 2
2012-Q3 Owner reports 4
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 4
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2015-Q1 Owner reports 2
2015-Q3 Owner reports 1
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
Defect investigation 1 EA12002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (0)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

No safety recalls are on file for this model year in this snapshot.

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 24 complaints · page 1 of 1
2022-09-08Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11483481
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The electric parking gear shift slipped out of park on it own. When I stepped out of the car and the gear was placed in P park position, I got out the car was completely in park and not moving, I went to open my garage and planned to come back and drive car in garage. The car automatically with no one driving slipped into another gear on its own, I looked up as I was opening garage the car was driving towards me and pinned me in between the garage and car. I was stuck and screaming for help I almost lost my life a neighbor ran over and put it in reverse and saved my life. I was car flighted to trauma unit with fractured hips and pelvic area. I was almost killed in this accident.
2020-07-23Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11341221
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BMW 745I 2004 ..ERROR CODE FOR HEADLIGHTS APPEAR ON DASH..I WENT AND REPLACE ALL LIGHT BULBS THEN NOTICED ALL THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT UNIT ARE BRIDLE AND BROKEN DOWN CAUSING SHORTAGES AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS...VERY DANGEROUS IF DRIVING CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE A FIRE
2016-12-06Wheels (WHEELS)
NHTSA ODI 10930109
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY WHEELS HAVE BEEN SEEPING AIR FOR A YEAR NOW. I TAKE THE RIM IN TO GET REPAIRED.TECH NOTIFIED ME THE WHEEL IS USELESS AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHILE SHIPPING AROUND, NO WHEEL SHOP HAS BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT, INCLUDING THE DEALER WHO SOLD IT TO ME. I PAID OVER 2600 FOR WHEELS AND TIRES EXPECTING AT LEAST THE WHEELS THE LIFE OF THE CAR CONSIDERING THE WHEELS BEING LUXURY. DURING A EXTENSIVE SEARCH FOR A REMEDY WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY A NEW SET OF WHEELS I CAME ACROSS THIS WEBSITE REGARDING A RECALL OF OVER 1500 WHEELS MADE BY SEVAS MODEL S10. HOW DO I GO BY TO HONOR THIS RECALL...I STILL HAVE WHEELS AND ORIGINAL TIRES. *TR
2015-12-22Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10811653
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 BMW 745I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUALLY LOUD NOISE AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE EXPLODED INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT'S CLOTHES CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN FRONT OF A FIRE STATION WHERE THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. BOTH FIRE AND POLICE REPORTS WERE FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. WHEN NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE EXPLOSION COULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE AIR BAGS; HOWEVER, BMW DID NOT USE TAKATA AIR BAGS. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
2015-08-06Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10746875
CrashFireInjuryDeath
ON JULY 15, 2015, I WAS DRIVING ON FAR LEFT LANE OF HIGHWAY 65 HEADED TOWARD I80 TO SACRAMENTO WHEN I STARTED SMELLING HAIR BURNING AND FELT INTENSE HEAT ON MY LOWER BACK WHICH WAS PRESSING AGAINST THE DRIVER SEAT BACK. QUICKLY SMOKE STARTED COMING UP BETWEEN BY LEFT ARM AND ACROSS MY BODY. I WAS UNSURE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING SO ATTEMPTED TO MOVE ACROSS HIGHWAY TO FAR RIGHT LANE PULL OVER ONTO HIGHWAY SHOULDER. AS SOON AS I COULD, I PARKED THE CAR JUMPED OUT OF THE DRIVER SEAT AND SAW THE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK, I GRABBED MY BOTTLE OF WATER AND POURED IT ONTO THE SEAT WHERE AN APPARENT HOLE HAD BURNED THRU. WHEN SAFE, DROVE HOME AND CALLED BMW DEALERSHIP IN ROSEVILLE, CA TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON 7/16. THEY HAVE REPORTED IT AS A FAULTY HEATING MECHANISM TO BMW CORPORATE OFFICE. HOWEVER, THERE IS YET NO RESPONSE FROM CORPORATE AND NO RESOLUTION. BMW CORPORATE APPEARS TO BE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE US/OWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS. IT HAS BEEN 22 DAYS SINCE THE INCIDENT AND DESPITE MULTIPLE CALLS, EMAILS AND COMMUNICATIONS, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THE FAULTY HEATING MECHANISM. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. BY THE GRACE OF GOD MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING AND I WAS ABLE TO GET ACROSS THE FREEWAY SAFELY BEFORE ANY HARM OR DAMAGE WAS DONE. WE DON'T WANT OTHERS TO SUFFER ANY CONSEQUENCES BECAUSE OF FURTHER DELAYS AND LACK OF ATTENTION TO THIS CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE.
2015-02-17Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 10683789
CrashFireInjuryDeath
LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. HAPPENS WHEN YOU ACCELERATE QUICKLY SPECIALLY WHILE CHANGING THE LANE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GOES DARK, THEN I NEED TO PULL OVER SHUT THE CAR AND RESTART. WHEN THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT, BASED ON THE DTC CODE, HE FIRST RECOMMENDED CHANGING THE BATTERY, WHICH I DID. THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME, AND BASED ON THE DTC CODE CHANGED THE ALTERNATOR. AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. BMW REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THEY SAY THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR. I DON'T EXPECT THAT A BMW TRANSMISSION SHOULD GO BAD UNDER 73K MILES, EVEN IF THE CAR IS 10+ YEARS OLD. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW/ICE, STAYS IN GARAGE FROM OCT - APRIL. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT BMW REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH. HAVE BEEN READING VARIOUS FORUMS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS ISSUE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILSAFE MESSAGE COMES. I WOULD LIKE BMW TO STEP UP AND TAKE THE OWNERSHIP OF GETTING THIS ISSUE FIXED. *TR

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2004 BMW 745I?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 7 of 24 reports (29%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2004 BMW 745I?

NHTSA lists 0 safety recall campaigns. This snapshot lists none, which is not a clean bill of health. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2004 BMW 745I?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources