RoadVitals

1992 BMW 318 Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
16
Latest May 10, 2004
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 9, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 16 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1992 BMW 318. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–16 of 16

Interior & seats
Filed May 10, 2004

THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DOOR WILL NOT HOLD. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB

NHTSA ID
10073413
Brakes
Filed Apr 27, 2001

PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

NHTSA ID
886964
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Electrical
Filed Apr 27, 2001

CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STARTER, SHE HAS TAKEN IT BACK TO DEALER TWICE ALREADY TO HAVE IT REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID
886962
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Engine
Filed Nov 6, 1998

THE AFFECTED GASKET IS KNOWN TO BE OF A DEFECTIVE NATURE AND IS PRONE TO FAILURE AT SOME POINT IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT. THE ORIGINAL PART AND REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE REFERENCED IN A BMW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 11 10 93 (3885). THUS FAR, BMW HAS CHOSEN ONLY TO EVALUATE EACH CASE INDIVIDUALLY AND SELECTIVELY REIMBURSE OWNERS FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR VEHICLES WHICH ARE OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID
700360
Incident
Oct 31, 1998
Fuel system
Filed Aug 25, 1998

CLAMP AND HOSE FROM GASOLINE TANK FAILED.

NHTSA ID
539321
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Jul 14, 1997

VEHICLES HAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT FROM THE ENGINE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER-BMW HAS ISSUED A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
814141
Engine
Filed Jul 1, 1997

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN/ENGINE MAIN HEAD GASKET FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
517919
Incident
Jul 16, 1996
Engine
Filed Mar 20, 1997

A GASKET WEARS OUT IN THE ENGINE VALVE TRAIN, CAUSING COOLANT LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID
515317
Incident
Nov 11, 1996
Engine
Filed Jan 31, 1997

TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, ALLOWING A SUDDEN AND IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MOST OR ALL OF THE COOLANT (RADIATOR) WHILE TRAVELING.

NHTSA ID
514334
Engine
Filed Dec 10, 1996

ENGINE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING COOLANT LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID
512156
Incident
Oct 3, 1996
Engine
Filed Oct 23, 1996

ENGINE PROFILE GASKET FAILURE, CAUSING LOSS OF HOT COOLANT, RESULTING IN A FOG OF WHITE STEAM WHICH COULD IMPAIR VISIBILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID
510498
Incident
Oct 12, 1996
Visibility
Filed May 20, 1996

WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 95 DEGREES OR MORE REAR WINDOW EMPLODED WHILE NOT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
984689
Incident
May 19, 1995
Transmission
Filed Mar 13, 1996

5-SPD MANUAL TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT DIFFICULTY WHICH IS NOW BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
980691
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 11, 1996

M/TRANS: ACCELERATOR STICKS DURING COLD WEATHER; ENGINE SPEEDS UP, EVEN WITH BRAKES APPLIED;NEARLY CAUSED REAR END ACCIDENT;NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL #91V219000

NHTSA ID
977525
Incident
Nov 15, 1992
Engine
Filed Jul 17, 1995

THE HEAD AND THE GASKETS AND THEY ARE PORUS AND THEY FALL APART. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID
968899
Incident
Jul 14, 1995
Brakes
Filed Feb 9, 1995
Crash reported

WHILE PARKED WITH BRAKE ON, EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, VEHICLE ROLLED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ID
959802
Incident
Jan 27, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .