Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW 735 · model year
1985 BMW 735
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985BMW735 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 735 is tires:tread/belt with 1 filings, followed by seats (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1985 735. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20171111SEATS
I WAS DRIVING MY BMW 735I 1985 CAR IN THE CITY AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW MY SEAT TOTALLY WENT ALL THE WAY BACK I WAS ON MY BACK LUCKILY I DIDN'T HIT ANYBODY LATER ON I LOOKED AT MY SEAT I SAW THE POCKET THE LEATHER POCKET ON THE BACK OF THE SEAT I GOT INTO IT I FOUND A BRACKET A BAR SUPPORT BAR THAT HOLDS THE SEAT TOGETHER TOTALLY SNAPPED IN HALF I HAVE TRIED TO FIND THE SEAT AND REPLACE IT I'VE HAD NO LUCK AT ALL AND GETTING ANYTHING THAT WILL WORK THE SEATS ARE CONSIDERED BUFFALO SEATS THAT'S THE STYLE IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE I HAVE THINGS PROPPED UP BEHIND THE SEAT TO HOLD THE SEAT UP I CAN'T USE MY CONTROLLERS TO ADJUST THE SEAT BECAUSE THE MAIN BRACKET IS TOTALLY SNAPPED IN HALF IF I DO GET AN ACCIDENT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A WINDOW
Mileage: 91,642
20040108TIRES:TREAD/BELT
VEHICLE'S LEFT FRONT TIRE CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING. *MR WHEN THE TIRE CAME OFF THE VEHICLE ANOTHER MOTORIST TRIED TO AVOID HITTING THE TIRE BUT INSTEAD RAN ONTO THE MEDIAN HAD MINOR BUMPER DAMAGE. *SC THE CONSUMER STATED HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS CHANGED. *JB
Compare 1985BMW735 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 BMW 735 have?▼
The 1985 BMW 735 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 BMW 735?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 BMW 735 is TIRES:TREAD/BELT with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEATS.
Is the 1985 BMW 735 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.