BMW 735I Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 17 consumer complaints across the 2 model years of the BMW 735I (1988–1992) that have at least 5 complaints. 1988 has the most, with 11. Across all years, the part named most often is engine cooling (8 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All 735I model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 6 | — | 3 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
| 1988 | 11 | 165,000 | 1 | 1 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Engine cooling8 44%
- Vehicle speed control2 11%
- Seats2 11%
- Exterior lighting2 11%
- Suspension1 5.6%
- Steering1 5.6%
- Other or unknown1 5.6%
- Latches, locks and linkages1 5.6%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1992: “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.”
NHTSA complaint #746946, filed 2001-061988: “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.”
NHTSA complaint #10253562, filed 2009-01, 165,000 milesOther BMW models
3,165 complaintsBMW 328I
2,576 complaintsBMW X3
2,016 complaintsBMW 325I
1,377 complaintsBMW Z4
1,271 complaintsBMW 3 Series
832 complaintsBMW 528I
830 complaintsBMW 330I
813 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology