FaultScore

Worst years for a BMW 318

Owners have filed 169 complaints about the BMW 318 with NHTSA across model years 1984 to 2001. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

1995 BMW 318

28 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly airbags.

Cleanest on record

1996 BMW 318

11 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every BMW 318 year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2001 6 0 1 Engine & Cooling
1998 3 2 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
1997 6 1 0 Engine & Cooling
1996 C 11 2 0 Engine & Cooling
1995 D 28 8 1 Airbags
1994 D 26 3 0 Electrical System
1993 D 17 2 0 Engine & Cooling
1992 17 1 0 Engine & Cooling
1991 47 6 0 Engine & Cooling
1990 2 0 0 Fuel & Propulsion
1985 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
1984 4 0 0 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a BMW 318

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 63 37.3%

Worst in 1991

Airbags 21 12.4%

Worst in 1995

Electrical System 19 11.2%

Worst in 1994

Fuel & Propulsion 11 6.5%

Worst in 1994

Transmission & Drivetrain 10 5.9%

Worst in 1995

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 7 4.1%

Worst in 1991

Brakes 6 3.6%

Worst in 1992

Seat Belts 6 3.6%

Worst in 1995

Equipment & Accessories 6 3.6%

Worst in 1995

Steering 5 3.0%

Worst in 1991

Seats 4 2.4%

Worst in 1991

Acceleration & Cruise Control 3 1.8%

Worst in 1994

Lights 3 1.8%

Worst in 1995

Body & Structure 2 1.2%

Worst in 1994

Exactly what failed on a BMW 318

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Engine 31 35.6%
Frontal 13 14.9%
Cooling System 11 12.6%
Radiator Assembly 9 10.3%
Ignition 5 5.7%
AIR Conditioner 4 4.6%
Tank Assembly 4 4.6%
Automatic Transmission 4 4.6%
FAN 3 3.4%
Fuses AND Circuit Breakers 3 3.4%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every BMW 318, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Feb 1995 peak 15 Nov 2011

Compare the BMW 318

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.