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1995 BMW 318

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1995 BMW 318

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 19 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 7 reports
  • Power Train: 4 reports
  • Electrical System: 3 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 2 reports
  • Equipment: 2 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    16
    1992    17
    1993    20
    1994    19
    1995    5
    1996    5
    1997    3
    1998
    Compare all 318 years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Air Bags
    7    Power Train
    4    Electrical System
    3    Engine And Engine Cooling
    2    Equipment
    2
    All reported categories
    Exterior Lighting
    2    Seat Belts
    2    Steering
    2    Seats
    1    Tires
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    Limited mileage data: 0 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

    NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

    What to inspect

    Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

    • Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

    What owners actually said

    19 reports
    Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2003
    Exterior Lighting

    TAIL LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. CAUSE OF FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #10034135

    Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2003
    Air BagsSeat BeltsCrash

    CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS IN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON TIME.THE CONSUMER STATES HER HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL THEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AT 30MPH DURING IMP…

    Read full complaint

    CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS IN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ON TIME.THE CONSUMER STATES HER HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL THEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. ALSO PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AT 30MPH DURING IMPACT. CONSUMER ALSO STATES THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

    NHTSA ODI #10002365

    Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2002
    Electrical System

    THE VEHICLE BEGAN BLOWING FUSES CAUSING MANY OF THE SYSTEMS TO QUITE FUNCTIONING. WE REPLACE WITH FUSES THE SAME SIZE AS IT ASK FOR AND IT STARTED MELTING FUSES CAUSING FUEL PUMP TO QUIT WORKING ADQUATELY. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #763662

    Mileage unknown · May 9, 2002
    Seats

    DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT SHIFTS AROUND WHILE DRIVING, MAKING DRIVER LOSE PEDAL, AND STEERING CONTROL.*AK *MJ

    NHTSA ODI #8009555

    Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1999
    Air Bags

    AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #849925

    Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
    Air Bags

    AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND REMAINS ILLUMINATED EVEN AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #849560

    Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 1999
    Power Train

    I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE AND SPEED OF FAILURE. MY CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOWER SPEED. IT WOULD ALSO POP OUT OF GEAR ON THE ROAD. BMW REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ON WARRANTY, AND SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE JUST HEARD FROM ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE 318TI WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. I AM CO…

    Read full complaint

    I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE AND SPEED OF FAILURE. MY CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR WHEN SHIFTED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOWER SPEED. IT WOULD ALSO POP OUT OF GEAR ON THE ROAD. BMW REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ON WARRANTY, AND SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE JUST HEARD FROM ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE 318TI WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON BMW'S PART BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE DANGER OF HAVING YOUR TRANSMISSION GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #707899

    Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 1997
    Air BagsCrashInjury

    AIR BAG: DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WHEN A CAR AHEAD STOPPED. RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BMW INVESTIGATOR SAID AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OFF. *AK DRIVER'S HEAD SMASHED HIS HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD DURING THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

    NHTSA ODI #819657

    Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 1997
    Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

    DURING A FRONT IMPACT ACCIDENT, AT 30 MPH. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS, WERE INOPERATIVE. *AK

    NHTSA ODI #802728

    Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 1996
    Tires

    THE TIRES ARE AFTER MARKET TIRE S( BRIDGESTONE BOIZZOAK) THERE IS A RUBBER DUST ON THE CAR FROM THE TIRE . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

    NHTSA ODI #805805

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No recalls in this snapshot.

    Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.