Total Complaints
17 filings
BMW 318 · model year
1992 BMW 318
17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992BMW318 carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1992 318 is engine and engine cooling:engine with 5 filings, followed by parking brake:conventional (2) and engine and engine cooling:cooling system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1992 318. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
17
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040510LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT DOOR WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DOOR WILL NOT HOLD. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. *JB
20010427ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STARTER, SHE HAS TAKEN IT BACK TO DEALER TWICE ALREADY TO HAVE IT REPLACED.*AK
20010427PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
19981106ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE AFFECTED GASKET IS KNOWN TO BE OF A DEFECTIVE NATURE AND IS PRONE TO FAILURE AT SOME POINT IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT. THE ORIGINAL PART AND REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE REFERENCED IN A BMW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 11 10 93 (3885). THUS FAR, BMW HAS CHOSEN ONLY TO EVALUATE EACH CASE INDIVIDUALLY AND SELECTIVELY REIMBURSE OWNERS FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR VEHICLES WHICH ARE OUT OF WARRANTY.
19981005FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CLAMP AND HOSE FROM GASOLINE TANK FAILED.
19970714ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
VEHICLES HAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLANT FROM THE ENGINE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER-BMW HAS ISSUED A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK
19970701ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE TIMING CHAIN/ENGINE MAIN HEAD GASKET FAILED. *AK
19970325ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED, ALLOWING A SUDDEN AND IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MOST OR ALL OF THE COOLANT (RADIATOR) WHILE TRAVELING.
19970320ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A GASKET WEARS OUT IN THE ENGINE VALVE TRAIN, CAUSING COOLANT LOSS. *AK
19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE GASKET FAILED, CAUSING COOLANT LEAK. *AK
19961023ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE PROFILE GASKET FAILURE, CAUSING LOSS OF HOT COOLANT, RESULTING IN A FOG OF WHITE STEAM WHICH COULD IMPAIR VISIBILITY. *AK
19960520VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
WITH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 95 DEGREES OR MORE REAR WINDOW EMPLODED WHILE NOT IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960313POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
5-SPD MANUAL TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR WITHOUT DIFFICULTY WHICH IS NOW BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960111VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
M/TRANS: ACCELERATOR STICKS DURING COLD WEATHER; ENGINE SPEEDS UP, EVEN WITH BRAKES APPLIED;NEARLY CAUSED REAR END ACCIDENT;NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL #91V219000
19960111SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
M/TRANS: ACCELERATOR STICKS DURING COLD WEATHER; ENGINE SPEEDS UP, EVEN WITH BRAKES APPLIED;NEARLY CAUSED REAR END ACCIDENT;NOT INCLUDED UNDER RECALL #91V219000
19950717ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEAD AND THE GASKETS AND THEY ARE PORUS AND THEY FALL APART. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950209CrashPARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
WHILE PARKED WITH BRAKE ON, EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED, VEHICLE ROLLED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
Compare 1992BMW318 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 BMW 318 have?▼
The 1992 BMW 318 has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 BMW 318?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 BMW 318 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM.
Is the 1992 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.