Total Complaints
6 filings
BMW 318 · model year
1997 BMW 318
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997BMW318 carries 6 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 1997 318 is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:catalytic convertor with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages (1) and air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (1). 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 1997 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.
6
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:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20111114STEERING
STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED. IT WON'T BUDGE. YOU CAN CRANK THE CAR..NO PROBLEM, BUT THE WHEEL IS LOCKED. *TR
Mileage: 218,800
20010627CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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
19990614ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
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
19990614ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYIC 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
19980731AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
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
19970905SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
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
Compare 1997BMW318 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 BMW 318 have?▼
The 1997 BMW 318 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW 318?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 BMW 318 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE.
Is the 1997 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.