Gasoline Fuel System Related Problems of the 1997 BMW 740

Table 1 shows two common gasoline fuel system related problems of the 1997 BMW 740.

Table 1. Gasoline Fuel System related problems of BMW 740

Problem Category Number of Problems
Tank Filler Pipe And Cap problems
1
Tank Assembly problems
1

Tank Filler Pipe And Cap problem #1

Hi, I am not sure if this is a safety defect or not. I had a sound like an expanding and contracting of metal in the back underneath of car. It sounded like a cookie sheet when it is first heating up in the oven and it expands and contracts. The dealer couldn't find anything when I brought it in but said that they were going to call BMW technical support because they had a theory that a spider was clogging up the fuel line and that this had happened once before to their knowledge and resulted in the gas tank collapsing. I brought car in again and they said they removed a spider and put in a new pipe/line. The sound I had heard before was gone. Some people have told me, however, that the whole system is a closed system and that this couldn't have happened. Is it possible? is problem fixed?.

Tank Assembly problem #2

There seems to be a common defect in the '1995-'01 BMW 740 series gas tank. There is a problem that occurs that creates a vaccum in the tank which then makes the tank implode. It just crush in upon itself until it pops or a seam breaks somewhere. This happened to me yesterday while I was driving to work and had 17 gallons of gas spewing from underneath the car. I didn't notice it until I was in my parking garage which is in a 49 story building. The jersey city fire department came then brought in their hazmat team. They recovered/cleaned up maybe 7 gallons while in the garage so about 10 gallons spilled while I was driving. Needless to say this was an extremely dangerous situation that could have been prevented if BMW had recalled the car on this item. . Read more...


Gasoline Fuel System related problems in other BMW 740 model year vehicles:



740 Service Bulletins
740 Safety Recalls