Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2001 BMW 7 Series, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train1
- Engine and engine cooling1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
103 first registered in 2001 are on Dutch roads; 66% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €98,688.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen54
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde29
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm25
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect25
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm19
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan10
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld10
- Afgedekt onderdeel niet beoordeeld 5.1b.38
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
227 cars built in 2001 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 388 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 345 of these cars first registered in 2001 took their annual MOT test. 71% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2001 the figure was 59%.
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
22 of these cars first registered in 2001 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 297,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
54 2001 cars are on the New Zealand register; 87% arrived as used imports, 11% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2001 BMW 7 Series.
| 2001301 15 Jan 2002 | Tires Certain 740ILA, 750IL and M5 vehicles equipped with 18-inch tires. (18-inch tires are standard equipment on the M5 and optional equipment on the 7-series models… |
| 2001182 9 Jul 2001 | Engine Certain passenger vehicles. The engine auxiliary/cooling fan operation, including variable speed, is electronically controlled. Failure of the fan motor can cau… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 2001 BMW 7 Series.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 2001 BMW 7 Series: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633475 | SUBJECT REGARDING A DAMAGED THROTTLE HOUSE ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE ACTION INVOLVES E65 AND E66 VEHICLES WITH N62 ENGINES WHICH WERE PRODUCED FROM 8/20/2001 - 12/28/2001. *TT |
| 633455 | SERVICE ACTION TO REPLACED THE TRUNK SWITCH. *TT |
| 633440 | SERVICE ACTION TO REPLACE TRUNK SWITCH ON E65 (7SERIES) VEHICLES PRODUCED SEPTEMBER 3, 2001 - DECEMBER 14, 2001. *TT. |
| 621535 | SUBJECT REGARDING NEW VEHICLE PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 618601 | SUBJECT REGARDING NEW VEHICLE PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. *TT |
| 618531 | STARTING WITH 03/00 PRODUCTION, THE NEW DIGITAL CPT 7000 CELLUAR PHONE BECOMES STANDARD ON ALL E38'S VEHICLES. *TT |
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 10247567 | Engine will crank but not start. There is no communication with the integrated fuel module (TFE) whendiagnosing with ISTA. The following two fault codes will be stored in the DME: 032B43 - Low fuel pressure system, electric fuel pump: pressure value too low CDA594 - Message (- 0x33E) missing, receiver DME, transmitter TFE |
| 10245422 | Customers may state that the alarm system (DWA) is not active after locking their unoccupied vehicle. Depending on the vehicles equipment and settings, no acoustic or optical confirmation (folding the mirrors/blinking confirmation) is noticeable. Additionally, the red anti-theft alarm LED in the interior mirror does not briefly flash every 2 seconds, indicating the alarm is armed. |
| 10244242 | Various functions of the camera-based driver assistance systems (ADCAM system) can lead to customer complaints. |
| 10051519 | BMW: THE HIGH-VOLTAGE (HV) BATTERY CELLS COULD BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS PREVENTED FROM ENTERING SLEEP MODE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. UPDATED 03/11/2013 *JS |
| 10044024 | BMW: WIPERS LIGHTS AND FRONT POWER WINDOWS ARE INOPERATIVE. THIS SITUATION MAY START AND LEAD TO A PERMANENT FAULT. ALSO INCLUDED MODEL F07 (5 SERIES GRAN TURISMO) MODEL YEARS UP TO MARCH 2012. *JS |
| 10043689 | BMW: AFTER A FEW MILES OR SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES, CHECK CONTROL MESSAGE, HYBRID MALFUNCTION, MAY APPEAR AFTER PROGRAMMING OF SOFTWARE FOR VEHICLE. *PE |
| 10037700 | BMW: THERE MAY BE EXCESSIVE CRANKING BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT MAY ALSO BE ON WITH A LACK OF ENGINE POWER. *RM |
| 10037025 | BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM |
| 10036979 | BMW: A NEW TECHNICAL PROCESS HAS BEEN CREATED FOR BMW TO IDENTIFY CAUSES OF STEERING COMPLAINTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MODELS. *RM |
| 10035246 | BMW VEHICLES: REPLACED SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR MAT WILL NOT ENABLE. AFTER REPLACING A CIS (CAPACITIVE SENSING PASSENGER OCCUPANCY MAT), THE NEW MAT WILL NOT ENABLE WHEN USING ISTA/P. HOWEVER, ISTA/P SHOWS THAT THE ACSM (ACTIVE CRASH SAFETY MODULE) WAS CODED CORRECTLY. THE FOLLOWING FAULTS ARE STORED IN THE ACSM CONTROL MODULE:9309ED, 9309F4 AND 930A23. ADSM CODING *PE |
| 10035244 | BMW VEHICLE: ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS. A CHECK CONTROL (CC) MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED FOR THE ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS. THE HEADLAMPS NO LONGER TURN WITH STEERING WHEEL MOVEMENT. FAULT CODE 800FC6 IS ENTERED IN THE FOOTWELL MODULE (FRM3). A SECOND TURN SIGNAL REQUEST IS MADE AT THE EXACT MOMENT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS AUTOMATICALLY CANCELLING FROM A PREVIOUS TURN SIGNAL REQUEST. F07 (5 SERIES), F01, F02, F07 (7 SERIES). *PE |
| 10033132 | BMW VEHICLES: N63 TURBOCHARGER AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAULTS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP IS ILLUMINATED WITH THE FOLLOWING FAULT CODES STORED IN THE DME CONTROL MODULE. TURBOCHARGER COOLANT PUMP, CONTROL LINE, ELECTRIC, 0X1016-LINE INTERRUPTION. AN INTERNAL COMPONENT FAULT OF THE AUXILIARY WATER PUMP WILL CAUSE IT TO NOT POWER UP INTERMITTENTLY. IMPROVED PUMPS WENT INTO PRODUCTION ON 6/3/09. MODELS E70, E71, E72, F01, F02, F04, F07, F10. *PE UPDATED 2/7/11. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10033130 | BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10032990 | BMW: DIAGNOSIS OF DME ME 9.2 MAP THERMOSTAT FAULT 2EF4/279B. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE DOES NOT OVERHEAT AND THE MAP THERMOSTAT OPERATES PROPERLY. POSSIBLE CAUSES ARE DETERIORATION OF COOLANT QUALITY; INCREASED CONTACT RESISTANCE BETWEEN THE THERMOSTAT TEMPERATURE SENSOR, THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AND THE DME CONNECTOR; INTERNAL DEFECT OF A MAP COOLING THERMOSTAT. *PE UPDATED 11/17/10. *PE |
| 10029964 | BMW: THE SAFETY BELTS FOR THE FRONT SEATS HAVE AN ELECTRIC MOTOR-DRIVEN REEL (EMA) WHICH WILL RETRACT/PRETENSION THE SEAT BELT A SPECIFIED AMOUNT WHEN CERTAIN HAZARDOUS DRIVING SITUATIONS ARE PRESENT. *PE |
| 10029684 | BMW: SERVICE ENGINE SOON LAMP OR THE CHECK GAS CAP WARNINGS ARE ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. WHEN DIAGNOSED, THE DME HAS STORED FAULTS FOR SMALL LEAK, MICRO LEAK, SUPER FINE LEAK, OR LARGE LEAK IN RELATION TO THE TANK VENTILATION OR EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM *PE UPDATED 10/27/09. *PE |
| 10029605 | BMW SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. THE AIRBAG WARNING LAMP (AWL) IS ILLUMINATED, TOGETHER WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG STATUS LAMP (POL). THE PROBLEM MAY BE INTERMITTENT. MICROCRACKS IN THE OC3 SEAT MAT. *PE UPDATED 9/30/11. *PE |
| 10029604 | BMW: VEHICLE MAY INTERMITTENTLY EXHIBIT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: HARD TO START OR MAY NOT START; ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND LACKS OR LOSES POWER; ENGINE POWER REDUCED. VAPOR LOCK IN THE FUEL SYSTEM COULD OCCUR UNDER CERTAIN ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS, WHICH THEN WOULD CAUSE A DROP IN THE LOW SIDE FUEL PRESSURE. *PE UPDATED 7/22/09. MODELS F01 AND F02. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)