2008 BMW 750LI: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 65 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (24% of complaints); the 2009 and 2010 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall May 2017
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I have a 2008 bmw 750li lost power transmission fault light came on drive moderately wont go into over drive stay in 1st gear wont go into passing gear. Is ther been a recall on the vehicle for this problem the car has 111,000 miles. The vehicle is staionary.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2019
“I have a 2008 bmw 750li and seat belt and airbag light is on will not rest took to dealer light still on. Are there any recall on this vehicle this was involved in a hit run accident.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2019
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 750li. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with soft close doors where the doors closed just a little bit, and an engine finished latching the door shut completely. The contact stated that the doors popped open with him just leaning against it while the vehicle was parked. The driver's door and rear driver's side door were not automatically shutting. The manufacturer stated that there was no recall for the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 130,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Dec 2018
Show 7 more owner reports
“I was driving and out of nowhere, my car started to slow down, and I received an warning light on my dash telling me I was having a "transmission failure and drive moderately". I only have 88,900 miles on the car. This seems to be a manufacturing issue on 750 series models from 2005-2008. There should be a recall for this, as it's costly and very dangerous to drive with.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 750li. While driving approximately 15 mph, the driver's side door inadvertently opened. A dealer was not contacted. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Jun 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 750li. While making a right turn, the front driver side door independently opened. The contact had to hold the door to keep it from opening. In addition, the door ajar warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to braman bmw west palm beach (2901 okeechobee blvd, west palm beach, fl 33409, (561) 609-0130) where a diagnostic test was performed, but the contact was unaware of the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17v328000 (latches/locks/linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Jun 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 750li. While driving unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled and the transmission indicator illuminated. In addition, the message 'do not drive' was displayed. The contact stated that the failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and it was diagnosed that a component in the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 160,569.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2018
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 bmw 750li. The contact stated that the driver side door slightly opened, while driving at 60 mph. The door ajar warning light illuminated. The contact coasted to the side of the road and attempted to close the driver side door but it failed to close. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 17v328000 (latches/locks/linkages). The contact called bmw of america manufacturer at (800) 525-7417, where it was informed that it would take three days before they could get back to him and did not offer further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 47,000.”Owner report · Structure · Sep 2017
“Drivers side door will not lock or close forcing me to drive to a safe place to stop and left me stranded due to me not being able to resume driving. Door is impossible to close and vehicle is completely unsafe to drive.”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2017
“The driver side door will not close. The suction mechanism does work and there is no backup system to ensure the door latches. It is a most severe safety flaw. There many complaints of this issue all over the internet for bmw cars. This is definitely a recall issue and the grosses of safety neglect by the car manufacturer. The car was stationary when this occurred. There is currently no recall for this safety flaw which is just completely absurd. Given the many complaints and the fact that this is a 2008 vehicle.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jan 2017
When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
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 transmission to Park when the driver presses the Start/Stop button to shutdown the engine. If the driver presses the engine Start/Stop button 2 or 3 times within a short time interval, the system may shift the transmission to Neutral rather than Park. If using the electronic key (Comfort Access mode), there would be no protection from the ignition interlock that prevents key removal if the vehicle is not in Park.
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.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2008 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact 750LI by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2008 BMW 750LI reliable?
NHTSA has 65 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2008 BMW 750LI. The most complained-about area is power train (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2008 BMW 750LI problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 85,425 miles or less.
Does the 2008 BMW 750LI have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning power train:automatic transmission. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.