RoadVitals

1989 BMW 735I

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Jul 5, 2001
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 4, 1998
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1989 BMW 735I, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and electrical categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 1 manufacturer communication is on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine350.0%
  • Brakes116.7%
  • Electrical116.7%
  • Visibility116.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
98V178000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Aug 4, 1998
340,000 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
The risk: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Jul 5, 2001

PRIOR TO RECALL #98V178 CONSUMER HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM, CONSUMER STATES ENGINE WENT OUT DUE TO AN OVERHEATED SYSTEM WITHOUT ANY WARNING, IT WAS THEN REPAIRED AND LESS THAN ONE YEAR LATER THE SYSTEM OVERHEATED AGAIN, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM, AS RECENT AS JUNE 2001 THE VEHICLE ONCE AGAIN BLEW A HOSE CONSUMER, WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER BEFORE THE ENGINE WAS LOST.*JB

NHTSA ID
561909
EngineVisibility
Filed Sep 12, 2000

THERMOSTAT BROKE AND BLEW A HOSE/HEATER DEVELOPED A CRACK, AND THIS FOGGED UP THE WINDOW. CONSUMER COULDN'T SEE. ALSO, ANTIFREEZE SMELL WAS IN THE CABIN, AND WATER PUMP BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
870254
Incident
Sep 2, 2000
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 26, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, REPAIRS COMPLETED SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL CAUSING SHORTING OUT OF COMPONENTS AND VEHICLE STALLING. MJS

NHTSA ID
547534

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 735I by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2003002—
2002002—
2001000—
1995110—
1994010—
1993010—
1992630—
1991230—
1990420—
1989Viewing310—
1988111046.2
1987200—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.