Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 318I · model year
1985 BMW 318I
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category 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). 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 1985 318I. 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.
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 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.