2008 BMW 750Li Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2008 BMW 750Li ranks 2nd-worst of 15 model years with a Complaint Index of 93 and 65 complaints, earning an Avoid verdict. Structure & Body issues, mainly door latch failures, account for 43% of complaints, followed by transmission problems at 31%.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 93/100
- #2 of 15 750Li years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 65
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 5
- Top issue
- Structure & Body
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 15 city / 23 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
Top 2008 BMW 750Li problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Structure & Body28 (43%)
- Transmission & Powertrain20 (31%)
- Electrical System13 (20%)
- Airbags10 (15%)
- Engine8 (12%)
- Other7 (11%)
- Brakes6 (9%)
- Seat Belts5 (8%)
- Fuel System2 (3%)
- Steering1 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Doors, including driver and rear doors, spontaneously open or fail to latch while driving, in some cases at highway speeds near 73 mph.
- The transmission hesitates or hard-shifts between gears, and some owners report it unexpectedly dropping from drive into park at moderate speeds.
- Owners describe the mechatronics system failing, requiring dealer replacement of transmission control components.
- Takata airbags reportedly deployed improperly during a crash, releasing hot gas and metal fragments instead of protecting the occupant.
- Some owners report oil or brake booster pump leaks that left the vehicle undrivable while they searched for the cause.
- The ABS/DSC module reportedly overheated after a crash, triggering warning lights and stability control faults.
2008 BMW 750Li recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 17V328000May 18, 2017Structure & Body45,484 vehicles
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.
Risk: The door may unexpectedly open due to road or driving conditions or occupant contact with the door. The sudden opening may result in occupant ejection or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
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 [email protected].
- NHTSA 12V502000Oct 17, 2012Electrical System45,500 vehicles
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 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.
Risk: If the driver exits the vehicle with the transmission in Neutral and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may rollaway. Unattended rollaway incidents often result in a crash or cause injury to pedestrians attempting to stop or enter the vehicle or to other bystanders in the path of the vehicle.
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 [email protected].
2008 BMW 750Li fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 18 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $4,450
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2008 compared with other 750Li years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 BMW 750Li reliable?
- Compared to other 750Li model years, the 2008 ranks 2nd-worst out of 15 years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 93 and 65 NHTSA complaints, so it carries an Avoid verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 2008 BMW 750Li?
- Structure & Body complaints, mostly door latch failures, make up 43% of reports, followed by Transmission & Powertrain issues at 31% and Electrical System issues at 20%.
- Does the 2008 BMW 750Li have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists two recalls: one for a Comfort Access electronic key issue (campaign 12V502000) and one for a door latch update affecting the Structure & Body system (campaign 17V328000).
- At what mileage do 2008 750Li problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 84,850 miles, with Structure & Body failures around 86,000 miles and Electrical System failures around 96,000 miles.
- Which BMW 750Li years are worse or better than 2008?
- The 2006 model is the worst with a Complaint Index of 100, while 2014 is the best-rated year at an index of 43; the 2008 sits near the bottom of the range at 93.