Total Complaints
11 filings
BMW 318 · model year
1996 BMW 318
11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. 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 1996BMW318 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 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 1996 318 is equipment:appliance:air conditioner with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (2) and air bags:frontal (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 1996 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.
11
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030701FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK AND 15 MINUTES LATER ALL THE GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, ENGINE, AND THE A/C PANEL WHICH INTERMITTENTLY WENT OUT. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 75,688
20030701SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK AND 15 MINUTES LATER ALL THE GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, ENGINE, AND THE A/C PANEL WHICH INTERMITTENTLY WENT OUT. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 75,688
20030701ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK AND 15 MINUTES LATER ALL THE GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, ENGINE, AND THE A/C PANEL WHICH INTERMITTENTLY WENT OUT. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 75,688
20030701EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE VEHICLE HAD A GAS LEAK IN THE TANK. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK AND 15 MINUTES LATER ALL THE GAS LEAKED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, ENGINE, AND THE A/C PANEL WHICH INTERMITTENTLY WENT OUT. *SCC *JB
Mileage: 75,688
19990729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
19990729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND WATER PUMP/FAN BELT AND RADIATOR FAILED. *AK
19990729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND WATER PUMP/FAN BELT AND RADIATOR FAILED. *AK
19990729ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND WATER PUMP/FAN BELT AND RADIATOR FAILED. *AK
19971208CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER, HEAD ON, SEATBELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY{DRIVER /PASSENGER}, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES AND BRUISES. *AK
19971208CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER, HEAD ON, SEATBELTS WERE WORN AT THE TIME, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY{DRIVER /PASSENGER}, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES AND BRUISES. *AK
19970527EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER INOPERATIVE.
Compare 1996BMW318 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 BMW 318 have?▼
The 1996 BMW 318 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 BMW 318?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 BMW 318 is EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1996 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 1996 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.