FaultScore

BMW 318I engine problems

35 of the 113 complaints filed about the BMW 318I are about the engine — 31% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1993.

35

Complaints

31%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

1

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

1984 318I 3 8.6%
1985 318I 1 2.9%

Median failure at 145,000 miles

1991 318I 4 11.4%

Median failure at 69,999 miles

1992 318I 5 14.3%

Median failure at 57,484 miles

1993 318I 10 28.6%
1994 318I 7 20.0%
1995 318I 1 2.9%

Median failure at 80,000 miles

1997 318I 1 2.9%

Median failure at 89,002 miles

1998 318I 1 2.9%
2001 318I 1 2.9%
2003 318I 1 2.9%

Median failure at 2,900 miles

What owners said

1995 BMW 318I at 80,000 miles Nutley, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 BMW 318I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN RECALL # 98V178000 CONCERNING ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND WOULD COST $800.00 TO REPAIR. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. HE FIRST NOTICED THE FAILURE APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO. AS A RESULT, HIS VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY , AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PUMP. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AGO THE FAILURE RECURRED ,AND WOULD COST $800.00 TO REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT SERVICE THE RECALL, AND THAT THE VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 121,471, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *AK THE CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED THE INVOICE FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATES THAT THE CONSUMER NEEDS A RING REPLACED IN THE STEERING COLUMN TO REPAIR THE HORN WHICH IS INOPERABLE AND SEATBELT TENSION TO REPAIR AIRBAG LIGHT. UPDATED 05/23/07

NHTSA complaint #10189353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I Manassa, VA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE OVERHEATED RANDOMLY. THE ENGINE HEAD WAS REPLACED TWICE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE REPAIRS WERE COSTLY. HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER FOR ONE REPAIR, BUT WILL NOT DO IT AGAIN. CONSUMER STATE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE ENTIRE HEAD OF THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE DEALER DID NOT STATE THE REASON FOR THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING.

NHTSA complaint #10132605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 BMW 318I at 89,002 miles Winston-Salem, NC

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT REMAINED ON, AND EXHAUST FUMES WERE COMING INTO THE VEHICLE WHILE THE WINDOWS WERE CLOSED. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON WEBSITE CONCERNING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OXYGEN SENSOR . NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THAT INFORMATION IN OUR DATA BASE.

NHTSA complaint #10090217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 BMW 318I at 145,000 miles S. Pasadena, CA Fire 1 injured

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1/12/04 BRAKE REPLACEMENT. 3/16/04 -ENGINE SMOKING. 3/17/04 RADIATOR HOSE,CLAMPS ANTIFREEZE,NEW RADIATOR $368.17 - 7/28/04 VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. MY DAUGHTER WAS SECONDS FROM BEING BURNED ALIVE.

NHTSA complaint #10088308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 BMW 318I at 57,484 miles Crestview, FL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

FAULTY PROFILE GASKET ON 1992 BMW 318I ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10080772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 BMW 318I at 71,117 miles Barre, VT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE PROFILE GASKET FOR M42 ENGINE 4CYL, 16 VALVE HAS FAILED ALLOWING ALL COOLANT FLUID TO LEAK FROM ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10067830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 BMW 318I at 68,881 miles Novelty, OH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK. *JB THE COOLANT LEAKED FROM A FAULTY PROFILE GASKET. THE FAULTY GASKET WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL BUT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER REVIEWED THE CASE AND DECIDED NOT TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER HAS THE OLD PART IN HER POSSESSION. *TS *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10032495 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 BMW 318I at 2,900 miles Aberdeen, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CONSUMER STATES WHEN VEHICLE IDLES IT SHUTS OFF. DEALER STATES THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10024648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1984 BMW 318I Syracuse, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

NHTSA#93-V-015-000 COOLANT TEMPERATURE RESULTING INCREASE IN SYSTEM PRESSURE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE OVERHEATED, ALL READY WAS CHANGE WATER PUMP, THERMOTATS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHEWR INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #8021743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 BMW 318I Emerson, NJ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THIS COMMON DEFECT HAS STRUCK MY VEHICLE. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE RECALLED, BMW ACKNOWLEDGES PROBLEM, BUT WON'T RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED.

NHTSA complaint #758073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I Pasadena, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

TEMPERATURE GUAGE RISES AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT SPILL ENGINE OVERHEATS ENGINE STALLS I REALLY DON'T EXPECT THIS ON A BMW WHY DON'T HELP US WITH THE PROBLEM I'M REALLY DISAPOINTED THEY JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #749542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I Pasadena, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TEMPERATURE GUAGE RISES AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF COOLANT SPILL ENGINE OVERHEATS ENGINE STALLS I REALLY DON'T EXPECT THIS ON A BMW WHY DON'T HELP US WITH THE PROBLEM I'M REALLY DISAPOINTED THEY JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #749542 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I NEW Rochelle, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY, VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND RED LIGHT CAME ON, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AND WAS ADVISED THAT HEAD GASKET CONTAINED A CRACK WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE HEAD, CONSUMER WAS ALSO ADVISED BY REPUTABLE BMW DEALERS THAT VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A FAULTY PART CALLED THE PROFILE GASKET AND IT IS WELL KNOWN, BUT MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM, CONSUMER HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS TWICE, THE FIRST REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RADIATOR AND ALSO THERE WAS A RECALL ON RADIATOR CAP.

NHTSA complaint #560955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I NEW Rochelle, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY, VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND RED LIGHT CAME ON, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AND WAS ADVISED THAT HEAD GASKET CONTAINED A CRACK WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE HEAD, CONSUMER WAS ALSO ADVISED BY REPUTABLE BMW DEALERS THAT VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH A FAULTY PART CALLED THE PROFILE GASKET AND IT IS WELL KNOWN, BUT MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO RECOGNIZE IT AS A PROBLEM, CONSUMER HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEMS TWICE, THE FIRST REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE RADIATOR AND ALSO THERE WAS A RECALL ON RADIATOR CAP.

NHTSA complaint #560955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 BMW 318I Bryn Mawr, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

COOLING FAN FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STRAND PASSENGERS AT SIDE OF ROAD IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC.

NHTSA complaint #745447 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 BMW 318I Hamden, CT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED CONTINUALLY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME FOR ENGINE/THROTTLE RELATED PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE INTERMITTENTLY AND EXPERIENCE NO START CONDITIONS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING, THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED VEHICLE HOWEVER THE CONSUMER DOES NOT FEEL VEHICLE IS REPAIRED PROPERLY. MJS

NHTSA complaint #559680 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 BMW 318I NEW Rochelle, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THE OVER-HEATING LIGHT CAME ON, DEALER FOUND HEAD GASKET TO BE CRACKED, CONSUMER SAYS THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW TO THE PROFILE GASKET WHICH CAN LEAK AND OVER A PERIOD OF TIME CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #556440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1984 BMW 318I Miami, AZ

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERNCE TO RECALL NUMBER 98V178000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 93V015. DEALER CORRECTED RECALL PROBLEM. HOWEVER, DEALER NEGLECTED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR CAP WHICH HAS MELTED DUE TO RADIATOR OVERHEATING. PLEASE PROIVDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #866380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1984 BMW 318I Amith, AR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE OVERHEATED. ENGINE WAS STEAMING AND THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #865259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 BMW 318I Dublin, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE HAD BLOWN AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET AT 46,000 MILES.ALSO, IGNITION WAS NOT WORKING. HAD NO WARNING PRIOR TO SEEING STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SHUT VEHICLE DOWN & THEN RESTARTED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STILL CAME BACK ON.

NHTSA complaint #832725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.