Total Complaints
11 filings
BMW 535 · model year
1989 BMW 535
11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989BMW535 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1989 535 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by structure:body:door (2) and visibility:power window devices and controls (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1989 535. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
11
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19960628ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILS. *DH
19960509VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUN ROOF OPENED ALL THE WAY PRIOR TO FAILING. *DSH
19960509VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOWS FAILED.
19960509STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED.
19960502CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO SURGE/LOSS OF CONTROL. *DSH
19960425CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD
19951109STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED, CAUSING DOORS NOT TO OPEN.
19951109VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
POWER WINDOWS FAILED. *AK
19951109LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WITH SUNROOF PARTIALLY OPENED, SUNROOF OPENED FULLY AND FAILED TO OPERATE.
19950608VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE GAS PEDAL JAMMED (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). *TW
19950306ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
HORN WILL NOT BLOW DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT OR WIRING FAILURE. REPAIRED TWICE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Compare 1989BMW535 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 BMW 535 have?▼
The 1989 BMW 535 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 BMW 535?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 BMW 535 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR and VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS.
Is the 1989 BMW 535 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1989 BMW 535; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.