NHTSA Data Explorer

BMW 318is

Data refreshed October 26, 2026

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

Complaints

222

Active records

Recalls

16

Active records

TSBs

87

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

25

Crashes

28

Fires

3

Top reported issues — BMW 318is

Click a category to expand its values.

Fluid issue

53

Condition issue

45

Safety restraint issue

38

Operating state

31

Engine behavior

26

Safety restraint behavior

24

Thermal issue

18

Reporting mechanism

16

Electrical issue

11

Access/entry issue

10

Transmission/drivetrain behavior

10

Driver assistance issue

7

Noise

7

Braking behavior

6

Performance issue

6

Starting behavior

6

HVAC behavior

4

Powering on/off behavior

4

Lighting behavior

3

Recent change

3

Steering behavior

3

Ride/handling behavior

2

Vibration/harshness

2

Smell

1

Wiper/washer behavior

1

Recent filings

The 10 most recent filings for each type.

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

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…

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

1995 BMW 318IS

Filed Jul 30, 2008


PASSENGER WINDOW FALLS OFF THE TRACKS - RESULTS IN HIGH BILLS TO GET IT FIXED. NUMEROUS INCIDENTS. I AM UNABLE TO SELECT WINDOW OR ANYTHING RELATED TO IT IN THE DROP DOWN MENUS. TO PROCEED I HAVE HAD TO MAKE SELECTIONS THAT HAVE NO RELEVANCE. *TR

1995 BMW 318I

Filed 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…

1995 BMW 318I

Filed Mar 16, 2007


AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED. THE CAR, HOWEVER, CAN BE DRIVEN WITHOUT AN ISSUE. THE ABS LIGHT THEN DISAPPEARS AFTER ABOUT THREE MINUTES. THE DEALER HAS TWICE TURNED-OFF THE LIGHT BY RESETTING THE VEHICLE COMPUTER. BOTH TIMES AFTER THE THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM AND A PERSON SEATS ON THE BACK SEAT THE LIGHT WILL AUTOMATICALLY COME ON AGAIN. FOR CLARIFICATION: I JUST IMPORTED MY (U.S. SPECIFICATIONS) VEHICLE FROM GERMANY BOTH OF THESE OCCURENCES TOOK PLACE IN THE COUNTRY…

1995 BMW E36

Filed Jul 10, 2006


3 SERIES MODELS (E36) AND NOTABLY THE 318TI BMW AUTOMOBILES HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR THE WINDOW REGULATORS. ITS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE TO REPAIR THEM ANNUALLY AT A COST OF APPROX 300 DOLLARS PER DOOR. THE FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE WINDOW TO JAM, OR FALL INSIDE THE DOOR. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DOCUMENTED PROBLEM AMONG THE OWNER COMMUNITY AND REACTIONS AT DEALERS IS OH YEA HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. I PROPOSE THIS COULD PRESENT AN EGRESS ISSUE IN EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. *NM

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

Updated October 26, 2026. Refreshed nightly.