RoadVitals

1997 BMW 318TI

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
1
Latest Apr 23, 2006
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Aug 19, 1997
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
0

Overview

Our database contains 1 NHTSA owner-reported complaint for the 1997 BMW 318TI, most frequently naming the driver assistance category. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance1100.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
97V131000

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Aug 19, 1997
410,000 units potentially affected
The defect: THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
The risk: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistance
Filed Apr 23, 2006

MY 1997 BMW 318TI SUFFERED FROM UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. HERE'S HOW IT HAPPENED: I PULLED OUT ONTO THE STREET AFTER GETTING MY CAR WASHED. I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR DOWN HARD AS I PULLED OUT. THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND THE WET TIRES SPUN ON THE PAVEMENT. I LET OFF ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR RACED FORWARD ON ITS OWN. I APPLIED BOTH FEET TO THE BRAKES. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT ITS MAXIMUM POSSIBLE REVOLUTIONS AND THE WHEELS WERE SCREECHING FORWARD. THE ABS SYSTEM WAS KICKING IN CONTINUALLY IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT IT WOULD NOT STOP AND I COULD BARELY CONTAIN IT. THE ODOMETER KICKED UP TO 130 MPH EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT GOING MORE THAN 25 MPH. I TRIED TO PULL THE SHIFT LEVER INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE ENGINE JUST REVVED FASTER AND WOULD NOT STOP LUNGING FORWARD. WHILE STANDING ON THE BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET, I SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. THE ACCELERATION IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. MY HAZARD LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON AT THE TIME BECAUSE THE CAR WASH PEOPLE TOLD ME TO TURN THEM ON (APPARENTLY TO ALERT THE STAFF PEOPLE THAT I HAD PAID EXTRA FOR A CLEAR COAT FINISH...). AFTER I GOT THE CAR SHUT OFF AND TURNED THE HAZARD LIGHTS OFF, THE CAR RESTARTED NORMALLY. I AM AWARE OF A VERY FAMOUS UNINTENDED ACCELERATION CASE ALSO INVOLVING HAZARD LIGHTS CALLED THE "HOLIDAZZLE ACCIDENT" IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA ON DECEMBER 5, 1998. THE BEHAVIOR OF MY VEHICLE WAS THE SAME AS THAT REPORTED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DURING THIS PARADE ACCIDENT THAT KILLED TWO PEOPLE. THE ULTIMATE FINDING IN THE CASE WAS THAT THE USE OF HAZARD BLINKERS CAUSED THE FORD VAN TO SUFFER UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I AM NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT I THINK THE HAZARD LIGHTS MIGHT HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THERE WAS ALSO NOTHING OBSTRUCTING THE GAS PEDAL SUCH AS FLOOR MATS OR ANYTHING ELSE. THERE DOES APPEAR TO BE A STICKINESS TO THE GAS PEDAL SWITCH ITSELF THAT WILL BE EXAMINED BY THE DEALER. BY PETER F. BARRY (612) 379-8800. *JB

NHTSA ID
10155915
Incident
Apr 23, 2006
Mileage
149,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

72 08 97

AIR BAGS

VARIOUS INFORMATION REGARDING DEACTIVATION OF AIRBAGS. *YC

12 15 96

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

ROUGH IDLE

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.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 318TI by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
1999100—
1998110034.2
1997Viewing110—
1996810—
1995310—

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.