Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 318I · model year
1991 BMW 318I
9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991BMW318I carries 9 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 1991 318I is engine and engine cooling:engine with 3 filings, followed by unknown or other (2) and electrical system:ignition:switch (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 1991 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
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:ENGINE | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040426ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE PROFILE GASKET FOR M42 ENGINE 4CYL, 16 VALVE HAS FAILED ALLOWING ALL COOLANT FLUID TO LEAK FROM ENGINE.*AK
Mileage: 71,117
20030808ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK. *JB THE COOLANT LEAKED FROM A FAULTY PROFILE GASKET. THE FAULTY GASKET WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL BUT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIRS AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER REVIEWED THE CASE AND DECIDED NOT TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONSUMER HAS THE OLD PART IN HER POSSESSION. *TS *NLM
Mileage: 68,881
20020410SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL LATCH INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK MANUFACTUER AND DEALER UNWILLING TO HELP, CONSUMER REPLACED WITH SECOND HAND PARTS. *TT
20001208CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN STRIKING A WALL HEAD-ON AT 40 MPH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
20000918UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED HOW MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE (BMW E30 M42) HAVE BEEN PLAQUED WITH THIS EXACT FAILURE. WITH SO MANY VEHICLES AFFECTED ISN'T A RECALL IN ORDER? THIS REPAIR/FIX COST ME $1258.43 AND BMW KNEW THE PROBLEM EXISTED!
20000914UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED HOW MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE (BMW E30 M42) HAVE BEEN PLAQUED WITH THIS EXACT FAILURE. WITH SO MANY VEHICLES AFFECTED ISN'T A RECALL IN ORDER? THIS REPAIR/FIX COST ME $1258.43 AND BMW KNEW THE PROBLEM EXISTED!
20000719ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CONSUMER PUT KEY INTO IGNITION AND IT WOULDN'T TURN AT ALL. *AK
19990120ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE GASKET FAILURE.
19970325ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKETS FAILED WHICH IN TURN RELEASES ALL COOLANT IN THE SYSTEM.
Compare 1991BMW318I to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 BMW 318I have?▼
The 1991 BMW 318I has 9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 BMW 318I?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 BMW 318I is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 1991 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.