Most common 2006 BMW 750li problems
Share of the 216 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 750li complaints by model year
Best 750li years: 2020, 2009, 2014. Years to avoid: 2006, 2007, 2008. Compare all years →
2006 BMW 750li recalls (4)
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2005-2008 745i, 745Li, 750i, 750Li, 760i, 760Li, and B7 Alpina vehicles equipped with both the Comfort Access and Soft Close Automatic options. In these vehicles, the doors may appear to be closed and latched, but, in fact, may inadvertently open.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the door latch system, free of charge. The recall began February 8, 2018. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Air bags › Sensor › Occupant classification
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans and 325xi sports wagons, model year 2007 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi sedans and 328i and 328xi sports wagons, model year 2006-2007 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i sedans and 530xi sports wagons, model year 2006 760i sedans, model…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners with an interim notification letter in January 2014 since parts are not currently available. When parts are available, BMW sent a second letter in August and dealers will repair the occupant…
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
BMW is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 7-Series vehicles, equipped with both Comfort Access and Soft Close Automatic options, and manufactured August 23, 2004, through September 3, 2007. Due to a software problem, the doors may appear to be closed and latched, but, in fact, may inadvertently open.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners and dealers will update software. The recall began on December 12, 2012. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
BMW is recalling certain model year 2005-2008 7-Series vehicles, equipped with the Comfort Access option, and manufactured August 23, 2004, through July 24, 2008. The affected vehicles have an electronic key and an electronic connection between the gear shifter and the transmission (shift-by-wire) that automatically shifts the…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners beginning in November 2012. The remedy became available in March 2013. Owners may call BMW at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 4 possible defects involving the 2006 BMW 750li:
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.
BMW airbag light illumination
In certain my 2005 through my 2006 BMW vehicles, the occupant classification system (ocs) for the passenger frontal airbag May malfunction and render the passenger airbag inoperative.in June 2006, BMW issued a technical service bulletin (si b 72 02 06) regarding the illumination of the airbag warning light and the passenger airbag status lamp.illumination of these lights warn that an open electrical circuit May be…
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…
BMW airbag light illumination
BMW is conducting a safety recall campaign on approximately 200,000 my04 through my06 subject vehicles built through 11/30/05 to correct the front passenger seat air bag occupant detection mat. The specific vehicles included in the recall aremy04- 06/ 5-series with standard and sport seats, my04-06/ x3-series and my06/ 3-series with sport seats.
What 2006 BMW 750li owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 80 →
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 750Li. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the message "Transmission Fault - Drive Moderate" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the contact was advised that the vehicle would need to be kept over the weekend, but the contact declined. The vehicle was taken to Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 159,857.
The contact owns a 2006 BMW 750LI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the gear shifter independently shifted into park. The contact also stated that water was entering the trunk of the vehicle. The contact stated that the battery had been replaced twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Air bags all 40 →
Airbags never popped open, door handle opened and is still not shutting correctly. Since my car was paid in full, I did not carry full coverage only liability so I did not file a claim. I paid the damages out of my own pocket and just this week I've paid the last $1200.00 of the part ordered for last of repairs. In total ive paid a little over 15,000 out of my own money.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW 750li. On several occasions, while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the rear driver and passenger side door opened and closed independently without warning. The contact also stated that the passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact notified BMW of north America llc (300 chestnut ridge rd, woodcliff lake, nj 07677 [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the driver's side air bag needed to be replaced as part of a recall. The dealer stated that the passenger side air bag was not included in the recall and the contact would need to pay a fee for repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the failure was not part of a recall and that the contact would need to contact a dealer. The recall details were not provided. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.
Locks & latches all 34 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW 750li. While the vehicle was being driven or while parked, the driver side door failed to latch correctly. The contact mentioned that the failure worsened over the years and he currently has to hold the driver's door handle to keep the door from opening. When the failure first occurred, the vehicle was taken to irvine BMW (9881 research dr, irvine, ca 92618 [phone]), but was not diagnosed due to the diagnostic fees. Several months later, a recall was issued and the contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17V328000 (latches/locks/linkages). The parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The failure mileage was 150,000. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW 750li. The contact stated that while driving at any speed, the alarm sounded and the message board displayed "door open". The contact stated that the rear passenger side door opened. The contact stated that the door latches on both the drivers and passengers side doors failed to lock the doors. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was unable to be replicated. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V504000 (latches/locks/linkages). The approximate failure mileage was 103,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 01/06/16; updated 4/10/18
2006 BMW 750li engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.8L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 BMW 750li a good car?
Based on 216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 750li rates avoid: 6.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the 750li at the same age. It is one of the 750li years we suggest avoiding. 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 2006 BMW 750li?
The transmission & drivetrain — 80 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the air bags (40) and locks & latches (34).
How many recalls does the 2006 BMW 750li have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2006 BMW 750li, the most recent from May 18, 2017 (latch). 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 750li?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2009 and 2014. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2007 and 2008. See the full BMW 750li years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 BMW 750li problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 9% 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.