Owners filed 17 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 2 times.
Most common 1993 BMW 318 problems
13 of the 17 complaints (76%) are about the engine.
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine · engine
11
0
0
0
Air Bags › Frontal · airbags
2
2
0
5
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys · engine
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System · engine
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Wiring
1
0
0
0
2 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings94V066000
Filed Apr 11, 1994116,300 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. FEED FUEL HOSES CAN HARDEN AND "SET" OVER TIME, ALLOWING A SEEPAGE OF FUEL AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING. THE CLAMP USED TO HOLD THE HOSE TO THE FITTING IS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HARDENING OF THE FEED FUEL HOSE.
Risk. FUEL SEEPAGE BETWEEN THE FEED FUEL HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING CAN RESULT IN FREE FUEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy. A REDESIGNED FEED FUEL HOSE AND HOSE CLAMP WILL BE INSTALLED TO ALLEVIATE THE FUEL SEEPAGE.
Filed Feb 17, 199423,500 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. THE ADHESIVE MATERIAL OF THE TWO PIECE THROTTLE BODY HEATER MIGRATES INTO THE CIRCULATION CHAMBER CAUSING BUILD UP OF IMPURITIES AND RESTRICTION OF FLOW WITHIN THE CHAMBER. THIS CONDITION AND WATER VAPORS FROM THE CRANK THAT FREEZES AT LOW AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES PREVENTS THE THROTTLE PLATE FROM CLOSING AS THE DRIVER RELEASES THE GAS PEDAL, CAUSING LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL.
Risk. IF LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL FROM THE FROZEN THROTTLE BODY OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy. BMW DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY HEATER WITH A MODIFIED HEATER.
All 2 campaigns on file, newest first.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Dec 8, 1999TX
ENGINE LOST COOLANT, ENGINE MELTED, REPLACED ENGINE. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 2, 1999IN
PROFILE GASKET LEAK.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Oct 10, 1998IN
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed May 8, 1998GA
ENGINE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY VEER FROM THE THIRD LANE TO THE SHOULDER BY THE FIRST LANE.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 29, 1997CA
PROFILE CASE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING ALL ENGINE FLUID TO SPILL ONTO FREEWAY AT SPEED. THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 9, 1997PA
PROFILE GASKET FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Sep 19, 1997UN
PROFILE GASKET FAILED DUE TO DESIGN PROBLEM, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKS. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 19, 1997PA
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE ENGINE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Aug 15, 1997VA
PROFILE GASKET FAILED/REPLACED. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jul 29, 1997NC
FAILED HEAD GASKETS CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 18, 1997FL
REPLACED THE LEAKING TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 9, 1997AL
TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO ROADWAY.
Air Bags › FrontalCrash4 injured
Filed Dec 28, 1995SC
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. TT
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Dec 19, 1995CA
SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK, VERY HARD TO SNAP THE BUCKLE. TT
Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 5, 1995DC
UPON FRONTAL IMPACT ESTIMATED SPEED 25-30 MPH, AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Apr 4, 1995SC
THE ENGINE BELTS ARE UNDER ENGINEERED AND THEY DISINTEGRATE. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
Electrical System › Wiring
Filed Feb 2, 1995CA
PURCHASED CAR WITH BARE WIRE EXPOSED IN WIRING LOOM WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. TT
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Apr 11, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.