Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 5 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1996 BMW 318, most frequently naming the engine, heating & air conditioning and airbags categories. 3 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| Dec 1997 | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 1999 | 2 | 4 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 5 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK AND 15 MINUTES LATER ALL THE GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, ENGINE, AND THE A/C PANEL WHICH INTERMITTENTLY WENT OUT. *SCC *JB
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND WATER PUMP/FAN BELT AND RADIATOR FAILED. *AK
WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER, HEAD ON, SEATBELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY{DRIVER /PASSENGER}, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES AND BRUISES. *AK
AIR CONDITIONER INOPERATIVE.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
REPLACEMENT OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TW
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CENTRAL LOCKING SWITCH - CERTAIN CENTRAL LOCKING SWITCHES MAY BE OVERLY SENSITIVE TO VIBRATION, SUCH AS THAT ENCOUNTERED WHEN DRIVING OVER ROUGH ROAD SURFACES - IN SUCH CASES, THE DOORS OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE CENTRALLY LOCKED WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CENTRAL LOCKING SWITCH. *TW
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE FAULT CODE 40. *TW
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.