Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 BMW 735I
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
847.1%
Brakes
423.5%
Electrical System
423.5%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
15.9%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Nov 1999peak 12May 2002
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Chula Vista, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #561909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chula Vista, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #561909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Hollywood, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
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.
NHTSA complaint #870254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #870254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Hollywood, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #870254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES ROTORS AND PADS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKES ROTORS AND PADS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STALLING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REPLACEMENT OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR & CONTROL UNIT TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STALLING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REPLACEMENT OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR & CONTROL UNIT TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STALLING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REPLACEMENT OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR & CONTROL UNIT TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED STALLING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REPLACEMENT OF THE OXYGEN SENSOR & CONTROL UNIT TO RECTIFY PROBLEMS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKES ROTORS AND PADS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKES ROTORS AND PADS FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS, COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AFTER SEVERAL REPAIRS DUE TO OVERHEATING, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER EXPERIENCED FAILURES PRIOR TO NOTICE (98V-178). MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS, COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AFTER SEVERAL REPAIRS DUE TO OVERHEATING, RECALL ON COMPONENT HOWEVER EXPERIENCED FAILURES PRIOR TO NOTICE (98V-178). MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, REPAIRS COMPLETED SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL CAUSING SHORTING OUT OF COMPONENTS AND VEHICLE STALLING. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rancho SAN, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, REPAIRS COMPLETED SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL CAUSING SHORTING OUT OF COMPONENTS AND VEHICLE STALLING. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.