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2016 BMW 7 Series problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 BMW 7 Series has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 25owner complaints
- 1crash report
- 0fire reports
- 11%fail the UK MOT
25 complaints, against an average of 14 for the other 12 BMW 7 Series model years.
Every BMW 7 Series model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 BMW 7 Series?
The components named most often in the 25 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2016 BMW 7 Series owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 25 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
Has the 2016 BMW 7 Series been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Air Bags: Frontal: Sensor/Control Module-Inactive BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 740Li, 750Li, and 750Lxi vehicles manufactured July 1, 2015, to December 11, 2015. The affected vehicles have an air bag control module that may randomly reset due to an electrical short circuit as a result of residual metallic particles from the manufacturing process.
Risk: In the event of a crash while the air bag module is resetting, the air bags may not deploy, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. The recall began on July 11, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Is the 2016 BMW 7 Series recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSAReplace the Engine Starter Motor
Risk: For affected vehicles there is a concern involving water ingress and corrosion to the starter motor for where a short circuit cannot be ruled out. It is strongly recommended to park the vehicle outdoors and not in the immediate vicinity of buildings until the repair has been carried out.
Fix: Replacement of the starter motor.
UK DVSAIn rare cases the starter motor can inadvertently be activated permanently presenting a risk of a thermal event
Risk: In rare cases the starter motor can inadvertently be activated permanently presenting a risk of a thermal event.
Fix: Rework the starter motor assembly.
UK DVSAUndetected EGR System leaks may cause thermal activity in the intake manifold
Risk: Undetected EGR System leaks may cause thermal activity in the intake manifold.
Fix: The engine management control unit (DDE) will be programmed with improved software incorporating the latest OBD functionality.
UK DVSAThe exhaust gas recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident
Risk: The Exhaust Gas Recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident.
Fix: On the affected vehicles the EGR cooler module will be replaced.
UK DVSAThe exhaust gas recirculation cooler could leak over time
Risk: Leaking glycol coolant could create in combination with soot and oil sediments in the EGR module ignitable deposits.
Fix: The EGR cooler will be internally inspected with an endoscope and replaced if evidence of leaking is found.
UK DVSAIf the head air bag is deployed the ignitor may separate from the inflator
Risk: Curtain airbags may have propellant which may have a humidity level higher than specification and in the event of a collision may not deploy correctly increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Replace the airbags on affected vehicles.
UK DVSAExhaust gas recirculation module cooler could leak
Risk: The EGR cooler may leakpresenting a fire risk
Fix: A visual inspection of the EGR cooler to check for leaks and excessive build-up of deposits. The EGR cooler will be replaced on all affected vehicles
UK DVSAExhaust gas recirculation cooler could potentially leak over time
Risk: The EGR cooler may leakpresenting a fire risk.
Fix: The EGR cooler will be replaced with an improved version.
UK DVSAOil cooler may leak
Risk: The engine oil cooler feed pipe may disconnect and leak oil. This may reach the front brakes and affect the braking efficiency.
Fix: On affected vehicles replace engine cooler pipe.
UK DVSAFront brake efficiency may be reduced
Risk: The connection sleeves of the engine oil cooler pipes (feed and return) may not have been crimped correctly. This may result in the connection sleeves becoming loose and engine oil suddenly escaping. If the oil gets to the front brake discs the efficiency could be adverely affected.
Fix: Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the connection sleeves for the engine oil cooler pipes. Where necessary replace the pipes.
UK DVSAAirbag may not function as intended
Risk: Due to vibrations particles inside the airbag control unit may cause a short circuit. This may reset the control module illuminating the airbag warning lamp and prevent the airbag(s) from acting as intended during a collision.
Fix: On affected vehicle replace the airbag control unit.
EU Safety GateWater may enter the starter motor and cause damage.As a result, the engine may no longer start, or the starter motor may short-circuit or remain continuously activated. This could cause local overheating of the starter motor or thermal overload of surrounding components and lead to a vehicle fire, including when the ignition is switched off.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 31/08/2026
EU Safety GateWater may come into contact with the starter relay and gradually cause corrosion.This could affect the electrical connection inside the relay and make the engine difficult to start. It may also result in a short circuit and could cause the starter to overheat leading to a fire when the vehicle is in motion or when it is parked with the ignition off.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe ignition unit of the head airbag may separate from the inflator and enter the vehicle's interior when the airbag is deployed.As a result, the inflation of the head airbag may be reduced or non-existent, increasing the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe crimping of the engine oil cooler line may be defective and lead to the hose detaching while the vehicle is being driven, which could…The crimping of the engine oil cooler line may be defective and lead to the hose detaching while the vehicle is being driven, which could lead to leakage of engine oil into the engine compartment, onto the road or onto the brake discs. Oil on a brake disc could lead to critical driving conditions, particularly at higher speeds.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 10/04/2017
How often does the 2016 BMW 7 Series fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2016, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2016 BMW 7 Series owners report?
12 of the 25 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The contact owns a 2016 BMW 750i. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Active Protection Restricted" was displayed. Additionally, a message advising to drive the vehicle slowly and carefully was displayed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the passenger's side front seat belt was faulty. The dealer recommended the seat belt replacement. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under a recall or warranty coverage, and the dealer referred the contact to the…
Last month, my 2016 BMW 750i XDrive displayed a warning message on the dashboard: “Extended action required. Active Protection restricted. You can continue driving. Roadside Assistance not required. Pre-tensioning of seatbelts not possible. If the problem recurs, have it checked by your service center.” When I took the vehicle to my local dealership, BMW of Gwinnett Place, the service advisor mentioned he had never seen this warning before. After diagnosing the vehicle, he informed me that the warning was related to the passenger seatbelt. He quoted me $1934.93 for parts and labor to replace…
Blind spot warning randomly works. Passenger seatbelt phantom seatbelt warning while driving alone!
There are two grill shutter actuators. One for the upper and one for the lower. Different part numbers. NHTSA issued a TSB for N63R in 2019: MC-10160279-9999 (G12 (N63R)/G30 (B58M) RADIATOR GRILL UPPER AND LOWER ACTIVE AIR FLAPS: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS/120,000 MILES). My vehicle is a N62R and there are hundreds perhaps thousands of reports of the IDENTICAL part numbers from BROSE Manufacturing (USA / Germany) failing. For example, my upper failed in APR 2023 after a repair I paid for in SEP 2022 with a P/N manufactured in 2021. Then, the lower actuator failed which has a…
Active Air Flap fault, Upper and Lower Actuator is not working and that is why engine is overheating. BMW has extended this warranty to 10 years/120K miles for 750 and 550 series manufactured up to Aug 2019. But they have not done that on 740 series. My vehicle has the same problem and should be covered under the same in order to avoid engine damage. Please advice the next step. The fault code are: P05A0, P05AE, P05A2, P059F.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES BLANK WHICH YOU CAN NOT SEE HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE CAR, HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING OR ANYTHING. WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD.
NOT REALLY SURE IF THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY COMPLAINT, BUT IT COULD LEAD TO PROBLEMS IF NOT CORRECTED. THE UPPER RADIATOR SHUTTLE WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THIS CAN CAUSE RESTRICTED CLIMATE CONTROL IN THE VEHICLE INTERIOR, REDUCTION OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND POSSIBLY ENGINE OVERHEATING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MODEL YEARS 2016+. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I TURNED ON THE CAR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THERE IS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE SHUTTER. THE LINK BELOW IS FOR ANOTHER MODEL OF BMW, BUT SHOWS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM…
AUDIO CONTROL SYSTEM FREEZES ON THE BMW 740I. IT HAPPENS THAT AUDIO IS GONE COMPLETELY, SYSTEM DOES NOT RESPOND TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TO RAISE VOLUME: 1. GESTURE COMMANDS TO RAISE VOLUME (THE SYSTEM DOES NOT EVEN SHOW GESTURE IS INVOLVED ON THE DASH DISPLAY) 2. FROM THE POWER BUTTON BY MANUALLY ADJUSTING HIGHER, THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM SYSTEM AT ALL AND DASH SCREEN DOES NOT SHOW VOLUME INCREASE IS BEING ATTEMPTED. 3. FROM THE VOLUME UP BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AGAIN NO SIGN ON DASH SCREEN THAT VOLUME INCREASE IS BEING ATTEMPTED.
THE PROBLEM IS CENTERED AROUND ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM OF BMW 740I 2016. BMW 740I CAN'T DETECT VEHICLES FROM THE RIGHT CORNER OR LEFT CORNER WHEN TWO LANES MERGE INTO ONE AND THE BMW IS APPROACHING THE OTHER VEHICLE WHERE THE OTHER VEHICLE IS EITHER AT FRONT RIGHT OR LEFT RIGHT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS OF THIS PROBLEM: FIRST SYMPTOM, BMW 740I IS NOT TRACKING ANY VEHICLE AND COCKPIT DOES NOT SHOW A TRACKED VEHICLE. A CAR OR BIG TRUCK IS IN THE SECOND LANE MERGING FROM EITHER CORNER, BMW 740I DOES NOT DETECT THOUGH THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME AND DISTANCE TO DETECT. IN ONE EXAMPLE THERE WAS…
VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL AND PEDESTRIAN DETECTION FEATURE. THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MISSES TO ADAPT SPEED OR STOP OR DETECT A VEHICLE IN FRONT REQUIRING DRIVER INTERVENTION TO AVOID A COLLISION. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING. SYMPTOM 1: VEHICLE BMW WITH ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL IS TRACKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ADAPTING SPEED HOWEVER FOR UNKNOWN REASON IT LATER FAILS TO START THE PROCESS OF SLOWING DOWN AND COLLISION ALARM IS SOUNDED SYMPTOM 2: VEHICLE BMW IS TRACKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ADAPTING SPEED ON LANE 1; UPON BMW SWITCHING LANES TO…
RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 16V-173: AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT RECEIVED THE ATTACHED FROM BMW STATING THEY ARE READY TO PERFORM THE REPAIR PER THIS RECALL. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THIS PART.% MONTHS LATER STILL NO WORD OF REPLACEMENT PART. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND THEY FINALLY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DEALERSHIP.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. TH CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW 750LI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V173000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2016 BMW 7 Series: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 BMW 7 Series reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 25 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW 7 Series; the most common categories were electrical system (4, 16%), engine (4, 16%), seat belts (4, 16%). There is 1 safety recall. 1 complaint mentions a crash.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW 7 Series?
Across 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are electrical system (16% of complaints), engine (16% of complaints), seat belts (16% of complaints), air bags (12% of complaints), vehicle speed control (12% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 BMW 7 Series have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2016 BMW 7 Series; the most recent (campaign 16V173000, 2016-03-25) concerns Air Bags: Frontal: Sensor/Control Module-Inactive. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2016 BMW 7 Series overheat?
4 of the 25 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 BMW 7 Series (16%) describe the engine overheating or coolant loss. One owner wrote: "Active Air Flap fault, Upper and Lower Actuator is not working and that is why engine is overheating. BMW has extended this warranty to 10 years/120K miles for 750 and 550 series manufactured up to Aug 2019. But they have not done that on 740 series." (NHTSA complaint 11483478, September 2022). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own 7 Series
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only; combines NHTSA's entries for 740I, 740LI, 750I, 750LI, 750LXI and 750XI.