Reliable Auto DB

2012 BMW 740i reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2012 BMW 740i has 6 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most 740i years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including CV joint.

2012 BMW 740i
Photo by Rudolf Stricker, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

6

Per year

1

Recalls

1

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 6), then Seat belts (2) and Electrical system (1).

Next to 2013

The 2013 740i has 1 complaint, 0 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 BMW 740i. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall powertrain, driveline, CV joint 2017-02-02 · NHTSA campaign 17V067000
Summary BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 135i Coupe, 1 Series M Coupe and 135i Convertible vehicles, 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i, 335i, 335d, 335i Coupe, 335is Coupe, 335i Convertible, 335is Convertible, 535i, 535i xDrive, 535i Gran Turismo and 550i xDrive Gran Turismo vehicles and 2012 740i and 740Li vehicles. The rear driveshaft constant velocity (CV) joint on the affected vehicles may fatigue and break.
Remedy BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear driveshaft CV joint and, based on its production date, will replace it, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Complaints by component (6 total)

Engine
2
Seat belts
2
Electrical system
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Seats
1
Visibility
1
Wheels
1
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12012220131201422019
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "LOW ENGINE OIL COMES ON EVERY FEW MONTHS AND I HAVE TO ADD OIL AT THAT TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OIL IS GOING BUT LEVEL IS DOWN TO MINIMUM. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR."
    Engine · filed 2019-04-16
  • "I PULLED IN TO MY HOME TO DISCOVER THAT MY BMW WAS LEAKING OIL AFTER TAKING IT TO A BMW SERVICE CENTER THEY DIAGNOSED AND INDEED I HAD AN OIL LEAK FROM THE GASKET HOUSING SEAL CAR WAS STILL OPERATING FINE UNTIL I TURN…"
    Seat belts, Engine · filed 2019-03-06
  • "WE WERE TRAVELING I-75 SOUTH NEAR GAINESVILLE, FL., AND THE VEHICLE JUST SHUT DOWN. WE WERE IN THE FAST LANE AND HAD TO STRUGGLE TO STEER IT TO GET IT OFF THE HWY. LIGHT CAME ON SAYING DRIVETRAIN MALFUNCTION. DANGEROUS…"
    Electrical system · filed 2014-05-19
  • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BMW 740I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN RESTING HIS LEFT KNEE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, HE WOULD INADVERTENTLY DEPRESS THE SIDE VIEW MIRROR BUTTONS. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD MOVE…"
    Visibility, Seats · filed 2013-10-17
  • "ON OR ABOUT THE ABOVE DATE, I TRIED TO DRIVE MY NEW CAR IN 2 INCHES OF SNOW,UP A MODERATE GRADE. DESPITE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND HAVING BRAND NEW TIRES, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE ANYWAY BUT SIDEWAYS. THE VEHICLE…"
    Seat belts, Wheels, Unknown or other · filed 2013-08-30

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 BMW 740 I 4 DR RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
740i 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 17 25 20 MPG $4000

Specs and fitment

Tracked generation(s), 2012–present
Body styles Sedan
Oil SAE 0W-30 (2012–2018 N55); SAE 0W-20 (2019–2022 B58); SAE 0W-12 (2023+; confirm under-hood label)
Tire size 245/45R18–245/40R20 (2012–2022), 255/45R20–255/40R21 (2023+; trim-dependent) front / 245/45R18–275/35R20 (2012–2022), 255/45R20–255/40R21 (2023+; trim-dependent; staggered) rear

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA complaints and recalls for BMW 740i vehicles in the tracked years include air-bag, braking (vacuum pump lubrication campaigns such as 13V-454 on related N20 engines), lighting, and electrical themes shared across BMW 3/4/5/7/M lines. Confirm each campaign by VIN; many unit totals span multiple BMW models.

Compare

See every BMW 740i model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 BMW 740i reliable?

The 2012 BMW 740i has 6 complaints with NHTSA after 15 years, or 1 per year. That is more complaints per year than most 740i years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including CV joint.

What are common problems with a 2012 BMW 740i?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (2 of 6), then Seat belts (2) and Electrical system (1).

Is the 2012 BMW 740i more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 740i has 1 complaint, 0 per year. The 2012 has more complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 BMW 740i been recalled?

The 2012 BMW 740i has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 BMW 740i?

Owners have filed 6 complaints about the 2012 BMW 740i with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 BMW 740i get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 BMW 740i is 20 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US BMW 740i use?

SAE 0W-30 (2012–2018 N55); SAE 0W-20 (2019–2022 B58); SAE 0W-12 (2023+; confirm under-hood label)

What tire sizes fit a US BMW 740i?

Published US specs commonly list front 245/45R18–245/40R20 (2012–2022), 255/45R20–255/40R21 (2023+; trim-dependent) and rear 245/45R18–275/35R20 (2012–2022), 255/45R20–255/40R21 (2023+; trim-dependent; staggered); confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US BMW 740i?

NHTSA complaints and recalls for BMW 740i vehicles in the tracked years include air-bag, braking (vacuum pump lubrication campaigns such as 13V-454 on related N20 engines), lighting, and electrical themes shared across BMW 3/4/5/7/M lines. Confirm each campaign by VIN; many unit totals span multiple BMW models.