1997 BMW 318Is

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control › cruise control. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails

Component	Reports		Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control	1		0	0	0
Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly	1		1	0	0

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings

Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod AssemblyCrash

Filed Mar 28, 200535,550 milesLA

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, SUDDENLY A POPPING NOISE OCCURRED IN THE FRONT END, THE STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERED BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH ASC PLUS T (AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL PLUS TRACTION) AND IT WAS TRYING TO GAIN BACK CONTROL. THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVER CRASHING INTO A TREE HEAD ON. DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE WHICH CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DEPLOYED.. THE CAUSE OF THE TIE ROD BREAKING WAS STILL BE INVESTIGATED.*AK

Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control

Filed Sep 2, 2004NC

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND CRUISE CONTROL WON'T RELEASE. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. *AK

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1993

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Assessment
1997 — this page	2	1	Routine
1996	0	1	Routine
1995	3	2	Routine
1994	5	2	Routine
1993	13	2	Routine
1992	3	3	Routine
1991	6	1	Routine

Compare every 318Is year →

Other BMW models

All BMW models →

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Reading this record

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 19, 1997. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.