The 2008 BMW 7 Series has 1 safety recall and 11 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is air bags (5 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints11filed by owners
Crashes · fires2 · 1reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths2 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Power assist › Vacuum
NHTSA recall 10V446000 · Oct 1, 2010 · 198,352 vehicles
Problem: BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2010 5-SERIES, 6-SERIES, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2008 7-SERIES VEHICLES. A CHECK VALVE OF THE BRAKE VACUUM PUMP MAY LEAK A SMALL AMOUNT OF LUBRICATING OIL. OVER TIME THIS COULD RESULT IN CONTAMINATION OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
Risk: POWER ASSIST BRAKING PERFORMANCE COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IN EXTREME CASES THERE COULD BE A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AN UNEXPECTED REDUCTION OR LOSS IN POWER BRAKING ASSIST MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: BMW WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 24, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BMW AT 1-800-525-7417.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2008 BMW 7 Series 4-DR w/SAB
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Air bags Side/window; Frontal › Sensor/control module
5
1
0
0
138,250 mi
Structure Body; Body › Door
2
0
0
0
—
Equipment
1
0
0
0
—
Wheels
1
0
0
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
1
0
0
—
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
2
—
Exterior lighting
1
0
1
0
—
Tires
1
0
0
0
—
Seats
1
0
0
0
—
Seat belts
1
0
0
0
—
Power train
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Dec 2, 2018 · 185,500 milesAir bags GETTING ERROR "FAULT IN PASS.-RESTRAINT SYSTEM AFFECTING AIRBAG, BELT TENSIONER OR BELT-FORCE LIMITER. FASTEN AND CONTINUE TO WEAR BELTS. PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST BMW CENTER." IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FIXED ON 06 07 BMW 750LI BY RECALL WHAT MAKES 08 DIFFERENT?
Jul 2, 2018 · 185,000 milesPower train WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A UPWARD INCLINE THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION FAULT LIGHT WOULD COME ON. I WOULD STOP THE VEHICLE AND RESTART THE ENGINE. IT WOULD ONLY HAPPEN AND I STARTED TO DRIVE ON A UPWARD INCLINE. NOW THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION DEFAULT LIGHT REMAINS ON.
Jun 2, 2014 · 91,000 milesAir bags THE VERY SAME ISSUE THAT BMW HAS RECALLED THEIR 2006 - 2007 7 SERIES IS AFFECTING MY 2008 7 SERIES AND BMW IS REFUSING THE FIX THE ISSUE. HTTP://BRANDILAWBLOG.FILES.WORDPRESS.COM/2013/12/BMW-RECALL.PDF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT THAT DETERMINES IF AND HOW THE PASSENGER FRONTAL AIR BAG SHOULD DEPLOY IN A CRASH MAY FATIGUE AND DEVELOP CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO A SYSTEM FAILURE. CONSEQUENCE: SHOULD THE SYSTEM FAIL, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS WOULD BE DEACTIVATED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V-564 COMPONENTS: AIR BAGS AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE. *TR
Apr 29, 2014 · 82,000 milesStructure › Body › Door I PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA APPROXIMATELY 1 WEEK AGO TO REPORT THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ON MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED LATCHING CLOSED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED BMW CENTER IN PRINCETON NJ TO HAVE THIS ISSUE DIAGNOSED AND RESOLVED. THEY REPLACED THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND THE DOOR LATCHED CLOSED AS IT SHOULD FOR ABOUT A WEEK. 1 WEEK LATER (TODAY) THE SAME DOOR LATCH EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEM, ONLY THIS TIME IT BECAME UNLATCHED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD. THE DOORS WERE LOCKED PRIOR TO THE DRIVER SIDE OPEN SWINGING OPEN AND PROCEEDING TO UNLOCK. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE DOOR LATCH ACTUATOR WAS NOT THE PROBLEM, AND THERE IS A MUCH BIGGER…
May 25, 2013 · 65,470 milesStructure › Body DOOR OPEN LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING AFTER HITTING BUMPS EVEN WHILE LOCKED .DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE AND LATCH AFTER STOPPING TO FUEL OR OTHER STOPS. HAVE TO HOLD CLOSED BY HAND TO GET HOME. THE CAR WAS JUST PURCHASED THE DAY THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED . SINCE THEN 3 TIMES IT HAS FAILED TO LATCH . IT DOES HAVE COMFORT ACCESS AND SOFT CLOSE DOORS . THE COMFORT ACCESS HAS NOT WORKED SINCE I GOT THE CAR. *TR
Aug 1, 2011Tires MICHELIN 245/35 21 TIRES, SIDEWALL BUBBLES AFTER LESS THEN 2500 MILES WEAKENING TIRE POTENTIAL CRASH CAUS. *TT
Feb 2, 2011 · fireExterior lighting TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 750 (NA) EQUIPPED WITH HID CONVERSION KIT 8000K. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AND AS HE EXITED, THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED INDEPENDENTLY. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 06E034000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
Oct 2, 2010 · 2 injuriesLatches/locks/linkages THE DOORS OF THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED WITH NO PROMPTING AFTER SECURING MY 2 BABIES IN THE CAR WITH MY PURSE, KEYS, AND EVERYTHING LOCKED INSIDE. *TR
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
EA12002 · opened Apr 10, 2012 · closed Jan 24, 2013 · led to recall 12V502000Vehicle 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 pressing the engine start / stop button) without inserting the key fob into the vehicles key slot in the instrument panel.Subject vehicles not equipped with the Comfort Access option require the key fob be inserted the key slot to start the engine.Upon removal of the key from the key slot the vehicle will automatically shift to Park if the driver has not done so using the gearshift lever.Sunject vehicles equipped with the Comfort Access option are designed such that when the…
PE11025 · opened Aug 5, 2011 · closed Apr 23, 2012Vehicle 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. ODI has also identified 3 additional reports in its database alleging vehicle rollaway incidents of which 2 resulted in crashes.The subject vehicles are all equipped with push-buttons (Start/Stop button) to control starting/stopping the engine and Shift-by-Wire gearshift systems controlled by a column mounted selector lever behind the steering wheel. The Start/Stop button also controls switching the ignition and the radio ready state On and Off. Shift-by-wire systems replace the traditional…