Owners filed 4 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 3 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
1
0
0
0
Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
1
0
1
1
Air Bags
1
0
0
0
3 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System98V178000
Filed Aug 4, 1998340,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
Risk. IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
Vehicle Speed Control97V131000
Filed Aug 19, 1997410,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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.
Equipment › Other › Labels95V071000
Filed Apr 3, 19955,200 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke
Defect. AN OVERSTATEMENT WAS MADE OF THE VEHICLE LOAD CAPACITY AND DESIGNATED SEATING CAPACITY ON THE TIRE INFORMATION PLACARD. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS."
Risk. CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: LOADING OF THE VEHICLE BEYOND THE CAPACITY WEIGHT CAN CAUSE TIRE AND VEHICLE DAMAGE THAT CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. OWNERS WILL BE MAILED A REVISED PLACARD CONTAING THE CORRECT VEHICLE AND DESIGNATED SEATING CAPACITIES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THE PLACARD ON THEIR VEHICLES. IF OWNERS PREFER, THEIR DEALER CAN INSTALL THE PLACARD FOR THEM.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire1 injured
Filed Oct 22, 2006PA
I PURCHASED A 318IC FROM A USED CAR LOT AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. I HAVE OBTAINED INFORMATION ON THE VEHICLE WHICH THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE MADE ME AWARE OF, INCLUDING RECALL INFORMATION. THE RECALL AND THE INFORMATION WAS NOT DISCLOSED. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AS A RESULT OF THE OBTAINED INFORMATION. *NM
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Dec 2, 200398,000 milesFL
THE TWO FRONT SEAT BELTS AND THE TWO REAR SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 7, 2001SC
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS SET THE ONLY WAY TO TURN OFF IS TO MANUALLY PULL HANDLE DOWN. BRAKE PEDAL WILL NOT RELEASE CRUISE CONTROL. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Air Bags
Filed Jul 7, 2001MA
BMW 3 SERIES +Z3 KNOWM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM/DEALER WOULDN'T FIX NOT UNDER WARRANTY HAD TO FIX IT MYSELF. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
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: Aug 4, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.