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1997 BMW 318

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →
5Owner complaints

Model-year median: 4

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
20
199419
19955
19965
19973
1998
Compare all 318 years →

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

What owners reported most

Air Bags
2Engine And Engine Cooling
1Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1Steering
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: 1 of 5 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

5 reports
218,800 miles · Nov 14, 2011
Steering

STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. IT WON'T BUDGE. YOU CAN CRANK THE CAR..NO PROBLEM, BUT THE WHEEL IS LOCKED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10435546

Mileage unknown · Jun 27, 2001
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY THERE WAS A FLYING TIRE ON THE ROAD, AND TIRE HIT VEHICLE. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #891400

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONVERTER FAILURE AT <20000 MILES SEEMS UNUSAUL. IN TALKING TO TWO DEALERS, BOTH SERVICE DEPARTMENTS INDICATED THAT THE "318'S HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CONVERTERS THAT YEAR". SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THEY HAD A PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD FIX RATHER THAN WAITING FOR IT TO BREAK, THEN MY HAVING TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK, AND RENT A CAR WHILE …

Read full complaint

CONVERTER FAILURE AT <20000 MILES SEEMS UNUSAUL. IN TALKING TO TWO DEALERS, BOTH SERVICE DEPARTMENTS INDICATED THAT THE "318'S HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CONVERTERS THAT YEAR". SEEMS TO ME THAT IF THEY HAD A PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD FIX RATHER THAN WAITING FOR IT TO BREAK, THEN MY HAVING TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK, AND RENT A CAR WHILE MINE IS IN FOR REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #707542

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 1998
Air Bags

AIR BAG SAFETY LIGHT KEEPS GOING OFF. THE MANUAL STATES THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, COULD PREVENT SYSTEM FROM RESPONDING TO A HIGH INTENSITY FRONTAL IMPACT OCCURRING WITHIN NORMAL RESPONSE RANGE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED THREE TIMES AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826132

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 1997
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

THE VEHICLE'S GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER, WHEN THINKING OF STEPPING ON THE BRAKES DRIVER IS ACTUALLY STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #816061

Official recalls

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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.