Most common 2002 BMW 745li problems
Share of the 36 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 745li complaints by model year
Best 745li years: 2005, 2002. Years to avoid: 2003. Compare all years →
2002 BMW 745li recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, due to a software error, a desynchronization of the valvetronic motors for engine banks I and ii May occur. If this occurs, the engine could stall.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the digital engine management control unit. Owner notification began July 8, 2003. Owners should contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
On certain passenger vehicles, the electric fuel pump runs at a rotational speed that could result in reduced lubrication of its internal components. Over an extended period of time, wear-induced internal damage to the fuel pump could result in insufficient fuel supply to the engine when the fuel tank contains one-third or less…
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the fuel pump control system. Owner notification began June 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2002 BMW 745li:
Vehicle Rollaway
In response to the Office of Defects Investigation's (ODI) Information Request (IR) for PE11-025, BMW provided ODI with 1 complaint and 46 field reports relating to either incidents of unattended vehicle rollaway or vehicle movement after the driver expected the vehicle gearshift to automatically shift to park. ODI's analysis of the data provided by BMW identified 14 crashes and 5 alleged injuries.
Vehicle Rollaway
In a letter dated October 16, 2012, BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR), NHTSA Recall No. 12V-502 to NHTSA identifying a safety defect involving the possibility of unattended vehicle rollaway in MY 2005 through 2008 BMW 7-Series (approximately 45,000) vehicles equipped with the Comfort Access Option.The Comfort Access option allows the driver to start and stop the engine (by…
What 2002 BMW 745li owners say
Electrical system
Car stalled and all the lights are flashing on the dash... Will not start back up... Almost had a serious wreck at 75mph car just went off...had no steering and barley made it to the side of the road... Damaged the front end after hitting the curb trying to get off the highway to safety... Had it towed home then to a BMW dealer who told me my cass went out and the computer was not responding and could be many things told me it would cost me over $4K to fix the car... I had the car towed home and it sits in my back yard now and has been sitting there for almost a year... And I am so tired of all the problems with the car... I have tried everything myself to fix it.. And really don't have $4K to give to a dealer to fix it... I wish BMW would do something about this like take the car back and pay me for all the money I have put in this car... Its a beautiful car but has many problems.. …
I have replaced my antenator twice now, when I replaced it the first time my generator light kept coming on and off so I replaced alternator and it was still doing it, so I replaced it the 2nd time and now it does not light up the generator light but every other light comes on, looks like a xmas tree on my dash...also my hood is locked and my hood light pops on often.I had a new battery installed and registered and still acts up.every now and again in the mornings my car wont start have to jump start it..jus don't know what else to do BMW a lot of people having this same problem, system not charging correctly...please help
Air bags
I have read that there was a safety recall on some model of the BMW. And I would like to know why haven't the NHTSA haven't put out a bulletin on the BMW 745li about the seats blets and the airbags. When there are alot of complaints about this problem. I feel that we are driving a very unsafe car. Now on my vehicle the passenger seat belt will not retrack. And I am un able to carry anyone in the front seat. On the driver side I had that broblem to but the seat belt is able to fasten. This happen when I was driving.
The airbag and seatbelt tensioner was recalled for same manufacturer for cars from 2004 and up. The 2002 and 2003 model had the same issue but was not part of the recall. I was driving on the freeway and the light for the seatbelt tensioner and the passenger airbag came on. This is a serious safety concern since airbags May not deploy and the seat belt May not tighten in an event of an accident.
Transmission & drivetrain
I just came across NHTSA action number : pe11025 and wanted to make you aware of the following: I parked my car in front of my daughter's day care center (the goddard school, suwanee) on the Monday before easter in 2010 (March 29, 2010). When I came out, I discovered the car approximately 40 yards away crashed into the embankment of the neighboring parking lot, at an incline of approximately 45 degrees. My car was damaged, as was the landscaping at the crash site, however, no one was injured. In response to my inquiry, BMW indicated that there were no recalls related to issues such as the one I experienced. The repair shop was baffled by the issue as well and said it might be attributable to a faulty parking brake actuator. The vehicle still gives occasional transmission fault error messages and indicators. I had to file an insurance claim and can contact the company for details. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 BMW 745 li. The contact stated that while reversing, the gear shifted into neutral independently. The failure was experienced intermittently. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 106,112 and the current mileage was 106,313.
2002 BMW 745li engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 BMW 745li a good car?
Based on 36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 745li rates average: 17% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 745li at the same age. It is one of the best 745li years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 BMW 745li?
The electrical system — 10 complaints, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (10) and transmission & drivetrain (8).
How many recalls does the 2002 BMW 745li have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 BMW 745li, the most recent from July 1, 2003 (engine and engine cooling). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 745li?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003. See the full BMW 745li years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 BMW 745li problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 98,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.