Total Complaints
3 filings
BMW 318 · model year
1998 BMW 318
3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998BMW318 carries 3 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, 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 1998 318 is vehicle speed control with 1 filings, followed by power train:manual transmission (1) and air bags:frontal (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 1998 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.
3
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990929CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 10 MPH. WHILE PULLING FROM A STOP LIGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE RIGHT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. *AK
19990617POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION KEPT POPPING OUT OF GEAR. ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED IN 1 YEAR. BMW STATES THAT IT ISN'T WORTHY OF RECALL BECAUSE IT IS TOO RARE. IT CAN'T BE THAT RARE IF IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE, AND TO A FRIEND ONCE IN THE LAST YEAR. *AK
19980505CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING A COLLISION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Compare 1998BMW318 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 BMW 318 have?▼
The 1998 BMW 318 has 3 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW 318?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 BMW 318 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1998 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.