2011 BMW 7 Series

Typical pattern

3.3% of complaints about the 2011 BMW 7 Series came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2011 vehicle — around the middle of the 203 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.1 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (21 complaints), typically at 6.8 yr or about 66,000 miles.

Covers 6 variants: 750LI (39), 740LI (16), 750I US (10), 750I (8), 750XI (6), 750LIX (6)

Complaints: 92
Median age at failure: 7.1 yr
Median mileage: 78,000 n=78
Crash / fire / tow: 9.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 1

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

18V248000 2018-04-18

Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:turbo/supercharger

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2011-2012 BMW 550i, 550i xDrive, 550i Gran Turismo, 550i Gran Turismo xDrive, 750i, 750Li, 750i xDrive, 750Li xDrive, 760Li, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, ActiveHybrid7, MINI Cooper S Convertible, John Cooper Works (JCW) Convertible, Cooper S Countryman, Cooper S Countryman ALL4, Cooper S, JCW, Cooper S Clubman, JCW Clubman, Cooper S Roadster, JCW Roadster, Cooper S Coupe, JCW Coupe and Rolls-Royce Ghost, 2011 BMW X6 Hybrid and 2012 BMW 650i Coupe, 650i xDrive Coupe, 650i Convertible and 650i xDrive Convertible vehicles. The elect

If the circuit board were to overheat, it can increase the risk of a fire.

In owners’ own words

Power train 47,049 mi 6.8 yr in service

ELECTRIC AUXILIARY WATER PUMP FAILURE ON MY 2011 BMW 750LI XDRIVE. SHOULD BE COVERED IN RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V521000). HOWEVER, BMW REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL. TOOK IN TO RAY CATENA BMW OF WESTCHESTER (543 TARRYTOWN RD., WHITE PLAINS, NY 10607, 914-761-5555) ON 6/27/2017. SHOWED THEM PRINTOUT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V521000. SERVICE MANAGER SAID EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL INCLUDED THE 2011 BMW 750LI XDRIVE, MY SPECIFIC CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAD TO COME OUT OF POCKET $949.31 TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED. *JS

Power train 66,000 mi 4.7 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 740I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC FLOOR SHIFTER INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FROM PARKING TO NEUTRAL AND THE TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC FLOOR SHIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

Power train 135,522 mi 9.9 yr in service

THE GEAR SHIFTER BLINKS IN NEUTRAL WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. A NOTIFICATION ON THE DISPLAY SAYS "SECURE VEHICLE WITH PARKING BREAK WHEN STATIONARY.

Engine 31,600 mi 3.3 yr in service

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BMW 740I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,600.

Other 7 Series model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2011 BMW 7 Series

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other 7 Series model years

How to read this