Total Complaints
15 filings
BMW 735I · model year
1988 BMW 735I
15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BMW735I carries 15 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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 735I is seats with 3 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (2) and exterior lighting:tail lights (2). 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 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.
15
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| SEATS | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 BMW 735I. WHEN THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTIFREEZE FROM THE VENTS. THE ODOR WAS VERY STRONG AND FORCED HIM TO DRIVE WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN. INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS A FILM BUILD-UP OF ANTIFREEZE ON THE FRONT GLASS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE; THEREFORE, NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 172,000.
Mileage: 165,000
20010329ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR RADIATOR CAP. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
20010124ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RECALL 98V178000/ RADIATOR RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED IN JUNE 1999, BUT VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. *AK
20000426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CONSUMERS VEHICLE RECALLED UNDER RECALL (98V-178) FOR COOLING SYSTEM, DEALER REFUSED REPAIR BECAUSE THE RADIATOR WAS MELTED DOWN DUE TO THE DEFECT. NLM
19991219EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
MUSTARD COLORED RELAY (TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY) 61 31 1 378 052 SOLDER POINTS FAILED (SAME AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED LKM MOSULE)
19991129SEATS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE TILTING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MJS
19991029SEATS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE TILTING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MJS
19991029SEATS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS WERE TILTING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MJS
19990902CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER PROCEEDED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE WHEN THE BRAKE WERE APPLIED AND VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK
19990413CrashSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING SERVO VALVE LEAKS OIL/ ENGINE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING CAR TO CRASH, CAUSING INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. *MJS
19990413CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
POWER STEERING SERVO VALVE LEAKS OIL/ ENGINE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING CAR TO CRASH, CAUSING INJURY, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. *MJS
19990217EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
TAIL LIGHT FAILURE.
19990217UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO INFORMATION PROVIDED.
19981127ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
VEHICLE HAS HAD COOLING SYSTEM FAILURES CONTINUALLY ON SEVERAL COMPONENTS, RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR COOLING SYSTEM, HOWEVER VEHICLE DENIED DUE TO YEAR BUILT.
19981127SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE VIBRATION CONSTANTLY IN THE FRONT END CAUSING DAMAGE TO TIRES.
Compare 1988BMW735I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BMW 735I have?▼
The 1988 BMW 735I has 15 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BMW 735I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BMW 735I is SEATS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS.
Is the 1988 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.