Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 318I · model year
1985 BMW 318I
9 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 1985BMW318I carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 3 fires, 3 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 1985 318I is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (2) and electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (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 1985 318I. 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.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
3
Fires
3
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 | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20171108ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
1985 BMW 318I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ODOMETER FRAUD. *LD UPDATED 11/8/2017*JS
20040821FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1/12/04 BRAKE REPLACEMENT. 3/16/04 -ENGINE SMOKING. 3/17/04 RADIATOR HOSE,CLAMPS ANTIFREEZE,NEW RADIATOR $368.17 - 7/28/04 VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. MY DAUGHTER WAS SECONDS FROM BEING BURNED ALIVE. *JB
Mileage: 145,000
20040821FireSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
1/12/04 BRAKE REPLACEMENT. 3/16/04 -ENGINE SMOKING. 3/17/04 RADIATOR HOSE,CLAMPS ANTIFREEZE,NEW RADIATOR $368.17 - 7/28/04 VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND EXPLODED. MY DAUGHTER WAS SECONDS FROM BEING BURNED ALIVE. *JB
Mileage: 145,000
20020508FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
I WAS TOLD A FEW YEARS BACK BY C.S.A.A. ABOUT A TSB ON THE BMW318I WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE HIGH SPEED IDLE TEST WHEN DOING THE SMOG TEST. I QUESTION THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM THAT I JUST NOTICED ABOUT THE COOLENT SYSTEM FAILURE TSB. MY CAR HAS QUIT RUNNING TWICE ON ME AND RESULTED ME HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND FULE PUMP. CAN THIS BE A RESULT OF THE FUEL PUMP OVERHEATING?*AK
20010129FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE, UPON INSPECTION THE CONUSMER FOUND A SIX INCH PIECE OF RUBBER HOSE LEAKING. NLM
20010123FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE, UPON INSPECTION THE CONUSMER FOUND A SIX INCH PIECE OF RUBBER HOSE LEAKING. NLM
20000322VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED CAUSING HOT WATER TO HIT CONSUMER'S LEGS AND FOGGED WINDOWS RESULTING IN NO VISIBILITY AND INJURY TO CONSUMER (2ND DEGREE BURNS). *MJS
19991227VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED UP WITH STEAM. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER NOT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL CAR OVER. CAR WAS TOWED TO CONSUMER'S HOME. CONSUMER SAYS THAT THE HEATER CORE BLEW UP. SERVICE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS AFFECTED. *AK
19990108FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
SMOKE COMMING FROM DASH INTERIOR AND THEN FLAMES BURST OUT CONSUMED CAR IN 15 MINUTES, CAR TOTALED OUT
Compare 1985BMW318I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 BMW 318I have?▼
The 1985 BMW 318I has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 3 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 BMW 318I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 BMW 318I is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1985 BMW 318I 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 1985 BMW 318I; 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.