Total Complaints
13 filings
BMW 318IS · model year
1993 BMW 318IS
13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993BMW318IS carries 13 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 1993 318IS is engine and engine cooling:engine with 8 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition:module (1) 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 1993 318IS. 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.
13
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 | 8 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20031119VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING CAR ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. MADE SURE CARPET WASN'T ON PEDAL. HAPPENED FEW TIMES DURING WINTER. RPM'S GOING VERY HIGH. VERY HARD TO STOP THE CAR. VERY UNSAFE. BMW TOLD ME THERE IS RECALL BUT MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED. DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT CAR. TOLD ME TO CALL BACK WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN*AK
20020816ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING COOLING SYSTEM CRACKED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
20011005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THERE IS A COOLANT LEAK IN ENGINE BECAUSE AN INFERIOR FORM OF RUBBER SEALANT IS USED ON ENGINE. COOLANT GOES BACK INTO ENGINE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THEY KNEW ABOUT LEAK AND ITS A FREQUENT PROBLEM, BUT NOT UNDER WARRANTY.*AK THE HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, THE PROBLEM IS A RUBBERIZED GASKET, KNOWN AS THE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET. *JB
20010312CrashSUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. EHICLE ALSO SLIDES AND FISHTAILS ON OTHER THAN DRY ROAD. CONSUMER HAS HAD 3 ACCIDENTS. *AK
20001115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE GASKET FAILED. BMW DENIES DEFECT.*AK
19990929ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING CAR OVERHEATED. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *AK
19990428ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROFILE GASKET MATERIAL WEAK CAUSING IT TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE RESULTING IN SMOKE COMING FROM THE CAR.
19990325ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH A CARWASH THE COMPUTER FOR THE VEHICLE SHORT CIRCUITED AND SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN. DEALER HAS TO REPLACE TOTAL COMPUTER. *AK
19990325ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC COMMAND CONTROL BOX WAS FLOODED DUE TO WATER ENTERING THE BOX. DEALER CONTACTED AND AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAD REPAIR WORK DONE AT OWNER'S EXSPENSE. TSB 410393 (3914). *AK
19980930ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT ON THE ROADWAY AND VEHICLE OVERHEATING.
19980904ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE GASKET FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK OUT ANDTHE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.
19980612ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN THE GASKET GOES ALL OF THE COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR LEAKS OUT OF THE CAR, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. BECAUSE WATER IN THE COOLANT IS OUT OF THE CAR, IT IS NOTHING THAT THE CONSUMER CAN DO. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
19970819ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE TIMING CASE PROFILE GASKET FAILS AND CAUSES COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT.
Compare 1993BMW318IS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1993 BMW 318IS have?▼
The 1993 BMW 318IS has 13 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 BMW 318IS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 BMW 318IS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 8 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH.
Is the 1993 BMW 318IS 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.