Bmw 318I problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
57 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
84,501 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1984 to 2003 model years. Data snapshot: . 18 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 57 complaints (14.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 8 | 14.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 7.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 7.0% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 3.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 3.5% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 3.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 8 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 4 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 4 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 8; Air Bags: 5; Vehicle Speed Control: 5; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Electrical System: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 5 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 39 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 10 |
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
2000: 11; 2001: 9; 2002: 11; 2003: 10; 2004: 7; 2005: 3; 2007: 2; 2012: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 8 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10088308 · 2004-08-21 (August 21, 2004)
1/12/04 BRAKE REPLACEMENT. 3/16/04 -ENGINE SMOKING. 3/17/04 RADIATOR HOSE,CLAMPS ANTIFREEZE,NEW RADIATOR $368.17 - 7/28/04 VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. MY DAUGHTER WAS SECONDS FROM BEING BURNED ALIVE. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088308 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10489268 · 2012-12-19 (December 19, 2012)
MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT HILL AND THE HAND BRAKE WAS PULLED UP TO ITS FULL CAPACITY. MY BROTHER SAT IN THE CAR AND SMOKED A CIGARETTE BEFORE GOING TO HIS APPOINTMENT. AFTER HE RETURNED FROM HIS APPOINTMENT, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE FOUND. AFTER LOOKING AROUND, HE REALIZED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ROLLED DOWN THE HILL, ACROSS A BUSY TWO-WAY MAIN ROAD IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OF THE CITY AND HIT THE WALL OF THE AT&T BUILDING. THANK GOD NO PEDESTRIAN WAS WALKING DURING THIS TIME AND NO CAR WAS PASSING BY. MY INSURANCE PAID $12,000 IN DAMAGES…
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10489268 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 761632 · 2002-05-07 (May 7, 2002)
I WAS TOLD A FEW YEARS BACK BY C.S.A.A. ABOUT A TSB ON THE BMW318I WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE HIGH SPEED IDLE TEST WHEN DOING THE SMOG TEST. I QUESTION THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM THAT I JUST NOTICED ABOUT THE COOLENT SYSTEM FAILURE TSB. MY CAR HAS QUIT RUNNING TWICE ON ME AND RESULTED ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND FULE PUMP. CAN THIS BE A RESULT OF THE FUEL PUMP OVERHEATING?*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 761632 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 890050 · 2001-06-08 (June 8, 2001)
WOULD BE DRIVING AND VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT FROM FIRST INTO 2ND GEAR. WOULD GET HUNG UP IN FIRST. THEN, IT WOULD SUDDENLY JERK AND SHIFT INTO 2ND. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC INDICATED PROBLEM OF SHIFTING WAS REPAIRABLE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 890050 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10063218 · 2004-03-15 (March 15, 2004)
CONSUMER HAS TROUBLE STARTING VEHICLE. IT TAKES HER ABOUT 5-6 TIMES TURNING THE KEY BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START. IT SOUNDS AS IF THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10063218 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10063442 · 2004-03-17 (March 17, 2004)
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FOR ABS AND AIRBAGS FAILED AT 124,000 MILES. *LA *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 124,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063442 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 749542 · 2001-08-01 (August 1, 2001)
TEMPERATURE GUAGE RISES AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT SPILL ENGINE OVERHEATS ENGINE STALLS I REALLY DON'T EXPECT THIS ON A BMW WHY DON'T HELP US WITH THE PROBLEM I'M REALLY DISAPOINTED THEY JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 749542 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10189353 · 2007-05-01 (May 1, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 BMW 318I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN RECALL # 98V178000 CONCERNING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND WOULD COST $800.00 TO REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HE FIRST NOTICED THE FAILURE APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO. AS A RESULT, HIS VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY , AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AGO THE FA…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10189353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10476000 · 2012-09-19 (September 19, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BMW 318I. WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT BECAME INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS THE CONTACT WAS CRASHING INTO THE SECOND VEHICLE, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE HORN JUST AS THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG STRUCK THE CONTACT IN THE LEFT ARM, CAUSING HIS LEFT SHOULDER TO BECOME DISLODGED. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE AIR BAG WAS LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THE HORN WAS ALSO LOCATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10476000 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 863739 · 2000-06-16 (June 16, 2000)
CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO A CAR WASH WHEN CONTROL BOX GOT WET, THEN THE FUEL INJECTOR FROZE OPEN, CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. CAR SPILLED GASOLINE ALL OVER THE GROUND. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO START VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR WHEN A CAR WASH ATTENDANT CAME OUT AND TOLD HER NOT TO START VEHICLE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BLOW UP. PRIOR CARS OF 1994 BMW HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 863739 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 1 |
| 1992 | 3 |
| 1993 | 2 |
| 1994 | 2 |
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2003 | 0 |
1991: 1; 1992: 3; 1993: 2; 1994: 2; 1995: 2; 1996: 1; 1997: 1; 1998: 0; 2001: 0; 2003: 0