Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2011 BMW 7 Series, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine1
- Power train1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
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
Registered new in Europe in 2011
8,356 new BMW 7 Series cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2011; the largest markets were Germany (4,602), the United Kingdom (1,474), France (392).
- Average mass
- 1,976 kg
- Average power
- 208 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 87% · Petrol 13%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2011 BMW 7 Series cars on Dutch roads are the 4.4 petrol (300 kW, 402 hp) and 3.0 petrol (240 kW, 322 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 4.4 petrol | 300 kW 402 hp | 36 |
| 3.0 petrol | 240 kW 322 hp | 20 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
106 first registered in 2011 are on Dutch roads; 71% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €146,148.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde59
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm35
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld23
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen21
- Band onvoldoende profiel19
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm13
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd11
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af9
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
662 cars built in 2011 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 194 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, 910 of these cars first registered in 2011 took their annual MOT test. 79% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2011 the figure was 63%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 1.3% | 7.3% |
| Suspension | 1.0% | 14.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 0.4% | 16.0% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.3% | 3.6% |
| Road Wheels | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Visibility | 0.3% | 5.4% |
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
85 of these cars first registered in 2011 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 281,000 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
84 2011 cars are on the New Zealand register; 51% arrived as used imports, 43% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2011 BMW 7 Series.
| 2024544 15 Aug 2024 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "N… |
| 2018195 19 Apr 2018 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the auxiliary water pump (which cools the turbocharger after the engine is turned OFF) can overheat and fail. This could result in a vehicl… |
| 2011376 21 Oct 2011 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the auxiliary water pump (which cools the turbocharger after the engine is turned OFF) can overheat and fail. This could result in a vehic… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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 2011 BMW 7 Series: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 10249027 | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 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. |
| 10215024 | The engine?s intake charge-air duct limited warranty extension to 10 years/120,000 miles applies to ?eligible USspecification |
| 10059005 | ENGINE FAILURE WARNING AND REDUCED ENGINE OUTPUT WILL OCCUR DUE TO HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP FAILURE. *MA |
| 10058483 | BMW: PROCEDURAL INFORMATION ON THE INSTALLATION OF FUEL SYSTEM LOW PRESSURE SENSOR AND NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED WILL LEAD TO FAILURE OF LOW PRESSURE SENSOR AND METAL SUPPLY LINE. MODEL 2008-14. *PE |
| 10057568 | BMW: ON SOME VEHICLES, WHEN STARTING, LOW BEAM, WITH 0552 OPTION, WOULD BRIEFLY FLASHES, DUE TO A FAULTY LED MAIN LIGHT MODULE THAT NEEDS REPLACING. MODEL 2008-14 F01, F02, F06, F07, F10, F12, F13, F25. *PE |
| 10057527 | BMW: SELECTIVE CATALYST REDUCTION MODULE (SCR) HAS A STORED FAULT, PRESSURE BUILD UP IS LOW, CAUSING SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. * |
| 10057341 | BMW: MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT FOR ENGINE IS ILLUMINATED DUE TO PURGE AIR SYSTEM MICRO LEAKAGE AND VENTILATION OF FUEL TANK FROM CONTAMINATION. *PE |
| 10057338 | BMW: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, ENGINE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR EARLY STAGES OF WEAR, AND A REPAIR SOLUTION SHOULD BE PROVIDED. *PE UPDATED 9/25/15. *PE UPDATED 10/6/15. *PE |
| 10057337 | BMW: DUE TO DEBRIS ENTERING OIL PASSAGE OF ENGINE, IT WILL KNOCK AND LOSE POWER, DURING CYLINDER HEAD MATING SURFACES AND CLEANING OF ENGINE BLOCK AFTER REPAIR TO ENGINE. *PE |
| 10056099 | BMW: WHEN USING IPHONE, VARIOUS CONNECTIVITY FAILURES OCCUR, SUCH AS DISCONNECTION OF CALL, LIST OF CONTACTS INCOMPLETE, DUE TO THE VARIANTS AND SOFTWARE USED. MODEL 2008-2014. |
| 10056095 | BMW: THE POSITION OF AN AFFECTED TIRE IS INCORRECTLY DISPLAYED, WHEN TIRE PRESSURE IS LOW, IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND CONTROL DISPLAY (CD), DUE TO SOFTWARE ERROR. MODEL 2011 F 01, 02, 04, 07, 10, 12, 13, 25 (X3). *PE |
| 10052366 | BMW: ON SOME ACTIVEHYBRID (3,5,7), THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY IS COOLED BY REFRIGERANT AND IS REGULATED BY EXPANSION VALVE AT BASE OF BATTERY AND IT CAN BECOME STUCK IN OPEN POSITION, EITHER PERMANENTLY OR INTERMITTENTLY. MODELS F02H, F10H, F30H. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10052365 | BMW: WARNING LAMPS ARE ILLUMINATED FOR THE DSC, ABS AND BRAKE AND A POSSIBLE WARNING IN CONTROL DISPLAY FOR CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE. MODELS 2012 F25, 30, 01, 02, 07, 10, 12, 13, E70, 71, 84. *PE |
| 10052359 | BMW: ON SOME VEHICLES, THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL INJECTOR, CAN LEAD TO AN INTERNAL FAILURE DUE TO INCORRECT OPERATION AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND/OR REPLACED. MODELS F01, 02, 04, 07, 10, 12, 13, E70, 71. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10052012 | BMW: BATTERY HAS AN INCREASED DEMAND DUE TO DEVELOPEMENTAL PROCESS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS IS CAUSING THE BATTER TO NEED TO UNDERGO AN ENERGY DIAGNOSIS. *KB |
| 10052011 | BMW: FUEL TANK PRESSURE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE WITH A FAULT CODE OF 19401B. THIS LIGHT INDICATES THAT THE PRESSURE MAY BE LOW AS OPPOSED TO AMBIENT. *KB |
| 10051970 | BMW: HIGH BATTERY DISCHARGE WARNING: BATTERY NEEDS REPLACEMENT. THE "HIGH BATTERY DISCHARGE WARNING" WILL ILLUMINATE ON THE CENTRAL INFORMATION DISPLAY (CID). *KB UPDATED 05/13/2013 *JS UPDATED 11/1/13. *PE |
| 10046859 | BMW: DUE TO DAMAGED SEAL RING, DURING ASSEMBLY, ENGINE OIL IS LEAKING FROM ENGINE OIL PUMP VOLUME CONTROL VALVE GASKET SEAL RING. MODELS E70, E71, F01, F02, F04, F07, F10, F12, F13. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
| 10045300 | BMW: CRUISE CONTROL IS OPERATING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY DISCHARGES, DUE TO POSSIBLY INSTALLED INCORRECT OR NON APPROVED SIZE TIRES AND WHEELS ON VEHICLE. *PE |
| 10045282 | BMW: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, AT TIMES WOULD BE ROUGH RUNNING; WHITE OR BLUE SMOKE SEEN EXITING EXHAUST SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE OIL IS CONSUMED ABOVE SPECIFICATIONS. *PE UPDATED 1/11/13. *PE |
| 10044281 | BMW: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008-2011 VEHICLES, A DEFECT INVOLVING THE ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP CAN OVER HEAT OR FAIL TO COOL ENGINE AND FIRE MAY OCCUR IN VEHICLE OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)