Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 735 · model year
1988 BMW 735
9 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BMW735 carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 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 1988 735 is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by steering (1) and vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal (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 1988 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.
9
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20121204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BMW 735 I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD LOCK AUTOMATICALLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO BECOME TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ANTI- THEFT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 202,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 202,300. ## VIN PASSED ## BMW 735I 1988 ##
Mileage: 202,000
20000923TIRES
REAR PIRELLI TIRE BLEW BLEWOUT WHILE GOING 65MPH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES & DAMAGES. TIRES WERE AFTERMARKET & HAD ONLY 1,000 MILES. TIRE SIZE P245/45WR17. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S COST. DOT XTCBXKAW259. *SLC
20000131ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE COOLING SYSTEM CAUSED RADIATOR TO MELT AND WATER PUMP TO FAIL. YH
19990810CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE ENGINE TOOK OFF, AND THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK WHEN APPLIED. CAR WENT THROUGH A GATE AND A BACKYARD. OWNER HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SEEN. *AK
19990430CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO HIT ANOTHER ANOTHER VEHICLE. IN WHICH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19980729CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
CONSUMER'S WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE WHEN IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, INJURING CONSUMER'S WIFE. CONSUMER STATED THAT IT SEEMED AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK. *AK VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *SLC
19980729CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER'S WIFE ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE WHEN IT ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE, INJURING CONSUMER'S WIFE. CONSUMER STATED THAT IT SEEMED AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK. *AK VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *SLC
19980528AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. *AK
19950818STEERING
STEERING WHEN COMING AROUND CORNERS LOSS OF STEERING BINDING LOSS OF POWER. TT
Compare 1988BMW735 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BMW 735 have?▼
The 1988 BMW 735 has 9 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BMW 735?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BMW 735 is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Is the 1988 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.