Total Complaints
4 filings
BMW 318 · model year
1984 BMW 318
4 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1984BMW318 carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1984 318 is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (1) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1984 318. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040819ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND LIFT UP THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE RADIATOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
20030522FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
THE ENGINE IDLED HIGH. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB
19961231VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
AFTER HAVING THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE ON THE HEATER CORE, THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE COOLING SYSTEM, CAUSING INCREASED PRESSURE THAT RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING ON CONSUMER'S FEET. RECALL#93V015000. *AK
19961231ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
AFTER HAVING THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE ON THE HEATER CORE, THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE COOLING SYSTEM, CAUSING INCREASED PRESSURE THAT RESULTED IN COOLANT LEAKING ON CONSUMER'S FEET. RECALL#93V015000. *AK
Compare 1984BMW318 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1984 BMW 318 have?▼
The 1984 BMW 318 has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1984 BMW 318?▼
The most-complained component for the 1984 BMW 318 is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 1984 BMW 318 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1984 BMW 318; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.