NHTSA Data Explorer

BMW 318i

Data refreshed October 26, 2026

Select a model year to filter results to that year of the BMW 318i.

Complaints

220

Active records

Recalls

17

Active records

TSBs

107

Active records

Filing history

Monthly totals over the last 20 years. Click a legend item to show or hide that series.

Reported severity

Based on consumer complaints filed since 2000. Recalls and TSBs do not include severity data.

Deaths

0

Injuries

26

Crashes

29

Fires

4

Top reported issues — BMW 318i

Click a category to expand its values.

Fluid issue

44

Safety restraint issue

44

Condition issue

42

Operating state

39

Engine behavior

25

Safety restraint behavior

25

Reporting mechanism

18

Thermal issue

13

Transmission/drivetrain behavior

13

Electrical issue

9

Driver assistance issue

8

Access/entry issue

7

Noise

7

Performance issue

7

Starting behavior

6

Braking behavior

5

HVAC behavior

5

Lighting behavior

3

Powering on/off behavior

3

Steering behavior

3

Recent change

2

Ride/handling behavior

1

Smell

1

Vibration/harshness

1

Wiper/washer behavior

1

Recent filings

The 10 most recent filings for each type.

1998 BMW 3 SERIES

Filed Dec 31, 2017


THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PARTS TO SERVICE THE RECALL ANY TIME I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS OR HAVE CALLED ABOUT THE RECALL.

1995 BMW 318IA

Filed Nov 7, 2017


WHENEVER I PRESS GAS TO ACCELERATE WHILE ON INTERSTATE THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO IN TO SOME KIND OF LOCK OUT MODE AND I HAVE TO TRY TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE AND TURN OFF THE CAR TO RESET THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC WARNING SYSTEM

1995 BMW 318I

Filed Dec 19, 2016


THE GAS PEDAL IS STUCK AND CANNOT STOP AND RPM ARE RED LINING. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. LUCKILY I WAS PULLING INTO WORK TO PARK AND THAT'S WHEN THE GAS PEDAL GOT STUCK AND THE ENGINE STARTED REVVING UP HIGH TO 500 RPM. *TR

1998 BMW 3 SERIES

Filed Oct 4, 2016


AT APPROXIMATELY 4:45 P.M. CT ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016, I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE HOME FROM WORK. I WAS ON STATE HIGHWAY 75 IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA, HEADING SOUTH. I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC RECOLLECTION OF MY SPEED AT THAT EXACT MOMENT, BUT WOULD ESTIMATE IT TO BE IN THE AREA OF 55-60 MILES AN HOUR, AS THERE WAS SOME TRAFFIC, BUT IT WAS NOT HEAVY. I WAS IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE ON A PART OF THE HIGHWAY WHERE THERE IS NO CURB. I DID NOT SWERVE OFF THE SHOULDER. TULSA ROADS ARE…

1997 BMW 3 SERIES

Filed Nov 26, 2015


IT SHOWS SEATBELT SIGN AND AIRBAG SIGN

1997 BMW 3 SERIES

Filed Aug 14, 2015


WHEN I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, MY ENGINE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REVVE HIGHER. IT DID NOT TAMPER DOWN UNTIL I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REVVE WHEN I BEGAN TO DRIVE AGAIN UNTIL I CAME TO MY DESTINATION AND PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. IT DROVE FINE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT THAT DAY. BEFORE THE INCIDENT I HAD TURNED ON THE A/C. ON TUESDAY (2 DAYS LATER) IT UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED…

1994 BMW 318I

Filed Dec 19, 2012


Crash

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…

1998 BMW 318I

Filed Sep 19, 2012


1 injured
Crash

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…

1996 BMW 3 SERIES

Filed Dec 19, 2011


FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. *TR

1997 BMW 318

Filed Nov 14, 2011


STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. IT WON'T BUDGE. YOU CAN CRANK THE CAR..NO PROBLEM, BUT THE WHEEL IS LOCKED. *TR

Data sourced from NHTSA's public datasets. Issue classifications are generated by Repair Surge. About this data.

Updated October 26, 2026. Refreshed nightly.