1996 BMW 318I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 318I years
- Not enough data 5th of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 BMW 318I. That ranks 5th out of 6 318I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (2 complaints, 67%). Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 3owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 BMW 318I problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 2 | 67% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 33% | 26,653 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 BMW 318I recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: The cruise control and throttle cables are attached to the same throttle valve actuating lever at the throttle housing. It is possible that the plastic bushing on either cable could break due to environmental influences coupled with vibration. If the bushing breaks, the outer cable housing can separate from the bushing. In this case, during application of the throttle pedal without cruise control being engaged, the outer tube could catch on the edge of the broken bushing.
Risk: This could cause the throttle valve to remain partially open. It his were to occur, the car might not decelerate as expected increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a spring steel clip on the outer tube of each cable in the area of the adjusting screw and plastic bushing. The clip is designed to prevent the outer tube from dislodging from the bushing.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
When the consumer shifted gears, the gear went into neutral. *jb replaced manual transmission and throw-out bearing due to excessive wear . *tt
Consumer states while driving approximately 40mph, she hit a cement wall and the airbags did not deploy.*jb vehicle totalled and consumer was injured.. *tt
While driving 70 mph, the vehicle pulled to the left and lost control. Hit an embankment. Upon impact, driver's and passenger's airbags did not deploy, which did not protect the occupant in this crash. Please provide further information. *ak
Other BMW 318I years
See all BMW 318I problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 BMW 318I?
Owners most often report air bags, power train problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 BMW 318I?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 BMW 318I a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 318I model years, the 1996 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.