RoadVitals

1993 BMW 318I Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Feb 11, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
91%
of 11 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 BMW 318I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Feb 11, 2002

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

NHTSA ID
758073
Incident
Jan 20, 2002
Engine
Filed Oct 29, 1999

ALL COOLANT LOST, SUDDENLY & W/O WARNING; COOLANT LOST INTO THE ENVIRONMENT; SUDDEN ENGINE TEMPERATURE RISE REQUIRED DANGEROUS EMERGENCY MANOUVER TO REACH SIDE OF ROAD BEFORE ENGINE DAMAGE; FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED & DRIVERS BLINDED BY LOST COOLANT

NHTSA ID
714056
Incident
Oct 20, 1999
Engine
Filed Aug 27, 1999

WELL KNOWN M42 ENGINE PROFILE GASKET FAILURE ALLOWS COOLANT TO SPILL AND RENDERS VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ID
710621
Incident
Aug 27, 1999
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 28, 1998

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. *AK

NHTSA ID
832725
Incident
Nov 29, 1998
Engine
Filed Dec 9, 1998

HEAD GASKET FAILURE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK. YH

NHTSA ID
701261
Incident
Feb 17, 1998
Engine
Filed Nov 22, 1998

TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET HAD CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. ALL COOLANT WAS LOST. COMPLETE DAMAGE (WARPED HEAD, ETC) UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. DEALER ESTIMATES $1000 TO REPAIR GASKET. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE (AS I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED). BMW HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL. SINCE THESE USUALLY GO BAD AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD, BMW SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL. BMW HAS A REPUTATION FOR QUALITY CARS. IN THIS CASE THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND IT'S COSTING CONSUMERS MANY DOLLARS DUE TO THEIR DESIGN FLAWS. IF BMW WILLN'T VOLUANTARILY ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE THEN NHTSA PLEASE ASSIST US CONSUMERS AND PUT PRESSURE ON THEM TO DO SO.

NHTSA ID
700832
Incident
Oct 11, 1998
Engine
Filed Jan 28, 1998

WATER LEAKS OUT OF THE ENGINE GASKET RIGHT ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. IT LEAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND WILL DRAIN THE RADIATOR DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE GASKET.

NHTSA ID
529605
Incident
Jan 20, 1998
Engine
Filed Jan 28, 1998

WATER LEAKS OUT OF THE ENGINE GASKET RIGHT ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. IT LEAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND WILL DRAIN THE RADIATOR DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE GASKET.

NHTSA ID
529596
Incident
Jan 20, 1998
Engine
Filed Jan 28, 1998

HEAD GASKET LEAKS RIGHT ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. IT LEAKS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND DRAINS THE RADIATOR.

NHTSA ID
52960
Incident
Jan 20, 1998
Engine
Filed Jan 27, 1998

ENGINE GASKET LEAKS WATER WHEN VEHICLE IS OFF AND WILL DRAIN DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE GASKET.

NHTSA ID
529760
Incident
Jan 20, 1998

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .