Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 735I · model year
1987 BMW 735I
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1987BMW735I carries 4 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 1987 735I is steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion) with 1 filings, followed by visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system (1) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly (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 1987 735I. 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.
4
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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20011206TIRES
CHATROSTROPIC FAILURE LEAVING SIDEWALLS ONLY. COMPLETE TREAD/BODY SEPARATION. *AK (TIRESIZE: 185R15)
20010425STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
WHILE DRIVING 35MPH THE DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED. THE HEATING SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING, IT RUNS CONTINEOUSLY AND CANNOT BE SHUT OFF, AND IT LOSES WATER AND OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS.I BLEW AN ENGINE AT 55MPH, DISCOVERED THAT OIL WEREN'T REACHING THE ENGINE EVENTHOUGHT THE OILSTICK SHOWED FULL. I BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE FROM BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE, INSTALLED TOTAL SPENT $10,000.00, THE REPAIR OF THE SEAT AND AND HEATING SYSTEM IS STILL PENDING AND I AM REQUESTING SOME KIND OF RE-IMBURSEMENT FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR, NEED A NEW SEAT AND REPAIR OF THE HEATING SYSTEM. THE DRIVERS SEAT $1,500.00 AND THE HEATING SYSTEM 3,000.00 FOR A TOTAL OF $14,500.00. AS FOR THE DRIVERS SEATI'M VERY FORTUNATE TO EXCAPE SERIOU INJURY, BECAUSE WHEN THE SEAT BROKE MY FEET WENT STRAIGHT UP, BUT SOMEHOW I WAS ABLE TO GET MY BODY ERECT WHILE GRABBING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRING THE AUTO TO A STOP, A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, BECAUSE BOTH RINGS UNDER THE SEAT BUSTED OFF THE ROD, THESE ARE MEDAL RINGS THAT GAVE AWAY
20010425VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING 35MPH THE DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED. THE HEATING SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING, IT RUNS CONTINEOUSLY AND CANNOT BE SHUT OFF, AND IT LOSES WATER AND OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS.I BLEW AN ENGINE AT 55MPH, DISCOVERED THAT OIL WEREN'T REACHING THE ENGINE EVENTHOUGHT THE OILSTICK SHOWED FULL. I BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE FROM BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE, INSTALLED TOTAL SPENT $10,000.00, THE REPAIR OF THE SEAT AND AND HEATING SYSTEM IS STILL PENDING AND I AM REQUESTING SOME KIND OF RE-IMBURSEMENT FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR, NEED A NEW SEAT AND REPAIR OF THE HEATING SYSTEM. THE DRIVERS SEAT $1,500.00 AND THE HEATING SYSTEM 3,000.00 FOR A TOTAL OF $14,500.00. AS FOR THE DRIVERS SEATI'M VERY FORTUNATE TO EXCAPE SERIOU INJURY, BECAUSE WHEN THE SEAT BROKE MY FEET WENT STRAIGHT UP, BUT SOMEHOW I WAS ABLE TO GET MY BODY ERECT WHILE GRABBING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRING THE AUTO TO A STOP, A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, BECAUSE BOTH RINGS UNDER THE SEAT BUSTED OFF THE ROD, THESE ARE MEDAL RINGS THAT GAVE AWAY
20010425ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING 35MPH THE DRIVERS SEAT COLLAPSED. THE HEATING SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING, IT RUNS CONTINEOUSLY AND CANNOT BE SHUT OFF, AND IT LOSES WATER AND OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS.I BLEW AN ENGINE AT 55MPH, DISCOVERED THAT OIL WEREN'T REACHING THE ENGINE EVENTHOUGHT THE OILSTICK SHOWED FULL. I BOUGHT A NEW ENGINE FROM BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE, INSTALLED TOTAL SPENT $10,000.00, THE REPAIR OF THE SEAT AND AND HEATING SYSTEM IS STILL PENDING AND I AM REQUESTING SOME KIND OF RE-IMBURSEMENT FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR, NEED A NEW SEAT AND REPAIR OF THE HEATING SYSTEM. THE DRIVERS SEAT $1,500.00 AND THE HEATING SYSTEM 3,000.00 FOR A TOTAL OF $14,500.00. AS FOR THE DRIVERS SEATI'M VERY FORTUNATE TO EXCAPE SERIOU INJURY, BECAUSE WHEN THE SEAT BROKE MY FEET WENT STRAIGHT UP, BUT SOMEHOW I WAS ABLE TO GET MY BODY ERECT WHILE GRABBING ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRING THE AUTO TO A STOP, A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, BECAUSE BOTH RINGS UNDER THE SEAT BUSTED OFF THE ROD, THESE ARE MEDAL RINGS THAT GAVE AWAY
Compare 1987BMW735I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1987 BMW 735I have?▼
The 1987 BMW 735I has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1987 BMW 735I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1987 BMW 735I is STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1987 BMW 735I 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.