RoadVitals

1985 BMW 318I 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.
7
Latest Nov 8, 2017
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.
2
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 Jan 8, 1999

What this page shows

Our database holds 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1985 BMW 318I. 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 1–7 of 7

Electrical
Filed Nov 8, 2017

1985 BMW 318I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ODOMETER FRAUD. *LD UPDATED 11/8/2017*JS

NHTSA ID
11031228
Incident
Sep 1, 2017
BrakesEngine
Filed Aug 21, 2004
Fire reported1 injury reported

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. *JB

NHTSA ID
10088308
Incident
Jul 28, 2004
Mileage
145,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed May 7, 2002

I WAS TOLD A FEW YEARS BACK BY C.S.A.A. ABOUT A TSB ON THE BMW318I WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE HIGH SPEED IDLE TEST WHEN DOING THE SMOG TEST. I QUESTION THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM THAT I JUST NOTICED ABOUT THE COOLENT SYSTEM FAILURE TSB. MY CAR HAS QUIT RUNNING TWICE ON ME AND RESULTED ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND FULE PUMP. CAN THIS BE A RESULT OF THE FUEL PUMP OVERHEATING?*AK

NHTSA ID
761632
Incident
May 3, 2002
Fuel system
Filed Nov 30, 2000

CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE, UPON INSPECTION THE CONUSMER FOUND A SIX INCH PIECE OF RUBBER HOSE LEAKING. NLM

NHTSA ID
558183
Visibility
Filed Dec 27, 1999

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED UP WITH STEAM. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER NOT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL CAR OVER. CAR WAS TOWED TO CONSUMER'S HOME. CONSUMER SAYS THAT THE HEATER CORE BLEW UP. SERVICE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS AFFECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
854435
Incident
Dec 4, 1999
Visibility
Filed Dec 14, 1999
1 injury reported

HEATER CORE FAILED CAUSING HOT WATER TO HIT CONSUMER'S LEGS AND FOGGED WINDOWS RESULTING IN NO VISIBILITY AND INJURY TO CONSUMER (2ND DEGREE BURNS). *MJS

NHTSA ID
549958
Incident
Apr 10, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 8, 1999
Fire reported

SMOKE COMMING FROM DASH INTERIOR AND THEN FLAMES BURST OUT CONSUMED CAR IN 15 MINUTES, CAR TOTALED OUT

NHTSA ID
702005
Incident
Jan 7, 1999

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .