Total Complaints
9 filings
BMW 318I · model year
1991 BMW 318I
9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. 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 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports 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). 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 1991 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
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 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 1991 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.