CHATROSTROPIC FAILURE LEAVING SIDEWALLS ONLY. COMPLETE TREAD/BODY SEPARATION. *AK (TIRESIZE: 185R15)
1987 BMW 735I
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →Model-year median: 2
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1987 BMW 735I
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 2 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
- Steering: 1 reports
- Tires: 1 reports
- Visibility: 1 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 735I years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
2 reportsWHILE 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 …
Read full complaint
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
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.
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