FaultScore report
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1993 BMW 318 with NHTSA between 1995 and 1999. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 3 of 4 worst.
FaultScore 63/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the BMW 318.
How this is worked out17
Complaints
2
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
2 crashes, 0 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
AIR BAG WIRING FAILURE
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. TT
NHTSA complaint #977073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON FRONTAL IMPACT ESTIMATED SPEED 25-30 MPH, AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #968210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
ENGINE LOST COOLANT, ENGINE MELTED, REPLACED ENGINE.
NHTSA complaint #715827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROFILE GASKET LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #781995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #781108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY VEER FROM THE THIRD LANE TO THE SHOULDER BY THE FIRST LANE.
NHTSA complaint #535363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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.
NHTSA complaint #522517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROFILE GASKET FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE.
NHTSA complaint #523087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROFILE GASKET FAILED DUE TO DESIGN PROBLEM, CAUSING COOLANT LEAKS.
NHTSA complaint #520888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE ENGINE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT.OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY.
NHTSA complaint #815476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROFILE GASKET FAILED/REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #518858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FAILED HEAD GASKETS CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT.
NHTSA complaint #520333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO ROADWAY.
NHTSA complaint #513580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REPLACED THE LEAKING TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET.
NHTSA complaint #809176 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. TT
NHTSA complaint #977073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK, VERY HARD TO SNAP THE BUCKLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #976813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
UPON FRONTAL IMPACT ESTIMATED SPEED 25-30 MPH, AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
NHTSA complaint #968210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE ENGINE BELTS ARE UNDER ENGINEERED AND THEY DISINTEGRATE. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
NHTSA complaint #962995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PURCHASED CAR WITH BARE WIRE EXPOSED IN WIRING LOOM WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. TT
NHTSA complaint #959482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.