1996 Bmw 318TI: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
110,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 6 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 16.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 16.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 3 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cables | 1 |
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 3; Electrical System:Ignition: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1; Vehicle Speed Control:Cables: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 2 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 |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
2002: 1; 2003: 1; 2006: 2; 2009: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10037953 · 2003-08-29 (August 29, 2003)
WHEN TAKING THE KEY OUT OFIGNITION VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037953 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10158878 · 2006-06-02 (June 2, 2006)
I AM AN ENGINEER WHO PERFORMS FAILURE ANALYSIS - MY OBSERVATIONS ARE BASED ON SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN THIS FIELD. THE CAR IS A 1996 BMW 318TI WITH A 5 SPD MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE ENGINE IS STOCK. I WAS DRIVING MY 318TI ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT THE SPEED WAS INCREASING WITHOUT THROTTLE INPUT. I TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF THINKING THAT IT SOMEHOW HAD MALFUNCTIONED - THE SPEED CONTINUED TO INCREASE. WHEN THE SPEED PASSED 80 MPH, I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH, WHICH OF COURSE ALLOWED THE CAR TO SLOW, BUT THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158878 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10162024 · 2006-07-10 (July 10, 2006)
THE WINDOWS FALL OFF TRACK ON MY 1996 BMW E36 318TI. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO BOTH WINDOWS ON MY CAR REGULARLY FOR THE PAST 2.5 YEARS I HAVE OWNED THE CAR AND HAS RUINED THE TINT ON BOTH WINDOWS. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER 318TI OWNERS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS A HIGHLY COMMON FAILURE AND NORMALLY COSTS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPAIR, ONLY TO BREAK AGAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE WINDOWS COULD SHATTER WHEN THEY FALL INTO THE DOOR OR POSSIBLY HARM PASSENGERS BY FALLING INTO THE CAR WHILE IN THE OFF-TRACK PO…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162024 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10273026 · 2009-06-07 (June 7, 2009)
MY 1996 BMW 318TI - DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDOW HAS 3 TIMES IN LAST 5 YEARS FALLEN INTO THE DOOR INTERIOR WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED NOW 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS AT A TOTAL COST TO BE OF $1300. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC DESIGN AND SAFETY PROBLEM THAT OCCURS NOT MOST OF THE 3 SERIES BMW FROM 1995 TO 2002. BMW UTILIZES A VERY POOR CHANNEL DESIGN TO RETAIN THE WINDOW SAFELY AND SECURELY WITH 3 CHEAP INADEQUATE PLASTIC / METAL CLIPS THAT FAIL CONSISTENTLY AND REPEATEDLY AFTER REPAIR OVER A SHORT TIME IT IS A HUGE DESIGN PROBLEM AND THERE S…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10273026 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10324431 · 2010-04-08 (April 8, 2010)
THIS IS THE 8TH TIME PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW OF MY 1996 BMW318TI IS IN NEED OF REPAIR. MOTOR REPLACED ONCE, THAN REGULATOR, FOLLOWED BY NUMEROUS REPAIRS FOR SLIDES OR CLIPS TO BE FIXED. WHEN PUTTING UP WINDOW THERE IS A LOUD CRACK AND THE WINDOW GOES OFF TRACK, SO IT CAN NEITHER GO UP OR DOWN. THIS IS A COSTLY COMPLAINT FROM MANY OWNERS OF THIS CAR SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF PROBLEM OR DEFECT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10324431 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 770538 · 2002-12-06 (December 6, 2002)
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF CAR, KEY MOVED TO OFF POSITION WITHOUT RESISTANCE BUT DID NOT TURN OFF CAR. SWITCH LOCKED IN OFF POSITION BUT KEY WOULD MOVE AND CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. KEY COULD BE REMOVED AND REINSERTED BUT COULD NOT TURN OFF CAR. HAD TO PULL FUSE ON THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM TO STALL ENGINE AND DISCONNECT BATTERY TO TURN OFF POWER TO CAR. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE COMMON IN A LARGE NUMBER OF BMWS. INABILITY TO TURN OFF ENGINE COULD POSE HAZARD IF SITUATION REQUIRED DRIVER TO CUT POWER TO ENGINE. ALS…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 770538 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
97V131000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1997-08-19 (August 19, 1997)
THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
NHTSA campaign record ↗