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BMW 318isYears to avoid, problems & recalls

NHTSA has 32 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on record for the BMW 318is.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaintsBest years—Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints32Top: Engine and engine coolingSafety recalls41991–1997 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

BMW 318is years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the 318is median. Tap a year for its full report.

'91'92'93'94'95'96'97
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1997Not rated–/1002 complaints · 1 recall1996Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1995Not rated–/1003 complaints · 2 recalls1994Not rated–/1005 complaints · 2 recalls1993Not rated–/10013 complaints · 2 recalls1992Not rated–/1003 complaints · 3 recalls1991Not rated–/1006 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common BMW 318is problems

All model years combined: 32 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling180
Electrical system40
Structure40
Vehicle speed control20
Visibility20
Steering11
Suspension11
Seat belts11
Fuel system, gasoline10
3 other systems31
4 recalls

BMW 318is recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Engine and engine cooling: cooling system98V-178 · 1992–1995 · Aug 4, 1998 · 340,000 vehicles–Vehicle speed control97V-131 · 1992–1997 · Aug 19, 1997 · 410,000 vehicles–Air bags: frontal96V-110 · 1992 · Jul 1, 1996 · 75,000 vehicles–Air bags: knee bolster91V-054 · 1991 · Apr 10, 1991 · 13,500 vehicles