Total Complaints
1 filings
BMW 740ILA · model year
1988 BMW 740ILA
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BMW740ILA carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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 1988 740ILA is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly with 1 filings. 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 740ILA. 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.
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20070724ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
FAULTY RADIATORS THAT HAVE A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS FOR THE RADIATOR NECK TO BREAK OFF WITHOUT NOTICE AND SPRAY HOT COOLANT EVERYWHERE. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN JUST VISIT ROADFLY.ORG E38 MESSAGE BOARD AND SEARCH FOR "RADIATOR NECK." THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS BETWEEN 50,000-70,000 MILES. MY RADIATOR BLEW AT 62,380 MILES WHILE DRIVING AT CLOSE TO 45MILES PER HOUR. COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL CRASH AS THERE WAS SMOKE EVERY WHERE. *TR
Mileage: 62,380
Compare 1988BMW740ILA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BMW 740ILA have?▼
The 1988 BMW 740ILA has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BMW 740ILA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BMW 740ILA is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1988 BMW 740ILA 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.