BMW 735I · model year

1992 BMW 735I

7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992BMW735I carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1992 735I is engine and engine cooling:cooling system with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly (2) and seats:front assembly:recliner (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 1992 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.

7
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

7 filings

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

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY2
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH1

Recent Complaints

20020416ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

CAR OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE TOP RADIATOR HOSE TO FAIL AND ALSO THE THERMOSTAT TO FAIL AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RECALL. THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS THERE RESPONIBITY TO FIX THE FAILURES. THE $466.30 IS THERE ESTIMATE.*AK

20020416ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

CAR OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE TOP RADIATOR HOSE TO FAIL AND ALSO THE THERMOSTAT TO FAIL AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE RECALL. THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS IS THERE RESPONIBITY TO FIX THE FAILURES. THE $466.30 IS THERE ESTIMATE.*AK

20020320LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

WHILE DRIVING AT STATE SPEED THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT HAND SIDE OF VEHICLE AND WITHOUT WARNING FRONT RIGHT DOOR AND REAR RIGHT DOOR OPENED.*AK

20010621ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

I ENDED UP TO REPLACE EVERY COMPONENT IN THE COOLING SISTEM OF A TOTAL COST APROX. $ 2500 AND LATER ON I FOUND HERE ON THE NET THAT THE 735I'S HAVE A RECALL ON THEIR COOLING SISTEM. AFTER ALL THE REPLACEMENTS IN THE ENGINE COOLING SISTEM , MONTHS AFTER, I RECEIVED A NOTE FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE RADIATOR CAP. TO LATE. I ALLREADY LOST MORE THAN 2500USD IN REPAIRS. MY QUESTION IS: CAN I GET A REFUND FROM THE BMW MANUFACTURER FOR ALL THE LOSES ? I HAVE ALL THE RECEIPTS FROM MY MECHANIC.THANK YOU. *AK

20010424ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

RECALL #98V-178 REPLACES THE RADIATOR CAP BECAUSE THE COOLING SYSTEM IS NOT ROBUST ENOUGH TO HOLD THE PRESSURE OF AN OVERHEATED ENGINE. BMW STATES THAT THE RESULT CAN BE A RUPTURED HEATER CORE AND POSSIBLE HOT COOLAND EXPELLED ON THE DRIVERS LEGS AND STEAMED WINDOWS OBSCURING VISION. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS DO OCCUR AND DID OCCUR ON MY CAR BEFORE THE RECALL. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE HEATER CORE COST IS ABOUT $2,000. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BMW SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIR OF AN ADMITTED DEFECT AND THE REPLACEMENT OF A $10.00 RADIATOR CAP IS NOT GOING TO HELP. I REPLACED MY CAP BEFOR THE RECALL AFTER THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. WHY DOESNT THE NHTSA DEMAND BMW TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE FAILURES CAUSED BY DESIGN FLAWS?

19990914FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE, HARNESS WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME. DEALER CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

19981231SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT RECLINE CABLE SLIPS OUT OF ITS MOTOR ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO SUDDERLY FALL BACK UNTILL IT RESTS ON THE REAR SEAT. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING AND CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I REPORTED THIS FAILURE TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT REPLACING THE CABLE WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEIR MECHANICS INSERT A PIECE OF WELDING ROD INTO OR ONTO THE CABLE HOUSING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. BUT THEY DECLINED TO PERFORM THIS FIX FOR ME WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I PURCHASED A NEW CABLE BUT THERE IS SOME CONFUSION AS TO WHICH REPLACEMENT PART IS THE CORRECT ONE. I PURCHACED BOTH OF THE TYPES LISTED AND THEY ARE THE SAME LENGTH AS THE OLD CABLE AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE PARTS MAN AT KUNI TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AN SEVERAL MODELS OF BMW NOT JUST THE 735I.

Compare 1992BMW735I to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 BMW 735I have?
The 1992 BMW 735I has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 BMW 735I?
The most-complained component for the 1992 BMW 735I is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1992 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.