1987 BMW 735I Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 BMW 735I, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine125.0%
- Steering125.0%
- Tires & wheels125.0%
- Visibility125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
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, IF I HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC DURING 40 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL THIS STORY TODAY. I'M TOLD THAT THIS CANNOT BE REPAIRED, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, AND I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW PARTS. I'M ALSO AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE HEATING SYSTEM MIGHT EXPLODE DAMAGING THOSE INSIDE. I BLEW THE ENGINE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF BESIDE THE HIGHWAY AN INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THERE WERE AN UNUSUAL STOPPAGE OF THE FLOW OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE SYSTEM WAS STOPPED UP OR JUST MALFUNCTIONED,HOWEVER I HAD TO PAY THE BILL FOR THIS SCENARIO. THE HEATING SYSTEM OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS, THE WINDOWS STEAMS UP, WATER DISSPPEARS, AND I REPLACED THE WHOLE FANT BELT SYSTEM FOR $900.00 BECUSE IT WAS WORN AND VERY LOOSE AND COULD BE MOVED AROUND BY HAND. THIS HELPED, BUT DID NOT FIX THE OCCASION OVERHEAT PROBLEM OR THE HEAT CONTROL INSIDE THE AUTOMOBILE. I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR A NEW CAP AND PLAN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEW REDIATOR CAP
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
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, IF I HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC DURING 40 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL THIS STORY TODAY. I'M TOLD THAT THIS CANNOT BE REPAIRED, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, AND I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW PARTS. I'M ALSO AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE HEATING SYSTEM MIGHT EXPLODE DAMAGING THOSE INSIDE. I BLEW THE ENGINE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF BESIDE THE HIGHWAY AN INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THERE WERE AN UNUSUAL STOPPAGE OF THE FLOW OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE SYSTEM WAS STOPPED UP OR JUST MALFUNCTIONED,HOWEVER I HAD TO PAY THE BILL FOR THIS SCENARIO. THE HEATING SYSTEM OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS, THE WINDOWS STEAMS UP, WATER DISSPPEARS, AND I REPLACED THE WHOLE FANT BELT SYSTEM FOR $900.00 BECUSE IT WAS WORN AND VERY LOOSE AND COULD BE MOVED AROUND BY HAND. THIS HELPED, BUT DID NOT FIX THE OCCASION OVERHEAT PROBLEM OR THE HEAT CONTROL INSIDE THE AUTOMOBILE. I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR A NEW CAP AND PLAN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEW REDIATOR CAP
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
CHATROSTROPIC FAILURE LEAVING SIDEWALLS ONLY. COMPLETE TREAD/BODY SEPARATION. *AK (TIRESIZE: 185R15)
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
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, IF I HAD BEEN IN TRAFFIC DURING 40 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TELL THIS STORY TODAY. I'M TOLD THAT THIS CANNOT BE REPAIRED, BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, AND I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW PARTS. I'M ALSO AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE HEATING SYSTEM MIGHT EXPLODE DAMAGING THOSE INSIDE. I BLEW THE ENGINE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF BESIDE THE HIGHWAY AN INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THERE WERE AN UNUSUAL STOPPAGE OF THE FLOW OF OIL TO THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE SYSTEM WAS STOPPED UP OR JUST MALFUNCTIONED,HOWEVER I HAD TO PAY THE BILL FOR THIS SCENARIO. THE HEATING SYSTEM OVERHEATS ON OCCASSIONS, THE WINDOWS STEAMS UP, WATER DISSPPEARS, AND I REPLACED THE WHOLE FANT BELT SYSTEM FOR $900.00 BECUSE IT WAS WORN AND VERY LOOSE AND COULD BE MOVED AROUND BY HAND. THIS HELPED, BUT DID NOT FIX THE OCCASION OVERHEAT PROBLEM OR THE HEAT CONTROL INSIDE THE AUTOMOBILE. I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR A NEW CAP AND PLAN TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEW REDIATOR CAP
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .