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1998 Bmw 740i Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

12 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.50 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious10E021000

Steering:Linkages:Drag:Link:Connection

THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT, WITHOUT WARNING, IN IMMEDIATE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Remedy & full details

FCP GROTON WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE TIE ROD WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JUNE 1, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FCP GROTON TOLL-FREE AT 1-877-634-0063.

FCP GROTON IS RECALLING CERTAIN STEERING CENTER DRAG LINKS, P/N 32 21 1 096 057, SOLD FROM DECEMBER 1, 2009 THROUGH APRIL 9, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 2001 BMW 740I, 740IL, AND 750IL PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SHAFT OF THE STEERING CENTER TIE ROD MAY SHEAR OFF.

Complaint volume

12 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

1Crashes
0Fires
1Injuries
0Deaths

Across 12 complaints. Severity Index 0.50.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine And Engine Cooling…2 · 17%Electrical System2 · 17%Vehicle Speed Control1 · 8%Unknown Or Other1 · 8%Visibility · Glass, Side/…1 · 8%Air Bags · Frontal1 · 8%Visibility1 · 8%Engine And Engine Cooling1 · 8%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 2 reports
  2. Electrical System — 2 reports
  3. Vehicle Speed Control — 1 reports
  4. Unknown Or Other — 1 reports
  5. Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear — 1 reports
  6. Air Bags:Frontal — 1 reports
  7. Visibility — 1 reports
  8. Engine And Engine Cooling — 1 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 1 reports
  10. Power Train — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (5) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (3) · 1998 · 1999 (1) · 2000 (2) · 2001 (4) · 2012 (1) · 2013 (1) · 2014 (1) · 2015 (1) · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 (1) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (2) · 2023 (9) · 2024 (5)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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