1998 BMW 318I Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 318I years
- Not enough data 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 BMW 318I. That ranks 2nd out of 6 318I model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (3 complaints, 38%). Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 8owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 | 38% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 38% | 78,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 13% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 BMW 318I recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1998 BMW 318I.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 bmw 318i. While traveling 35 mph, the contact became involved in a crash with another vehicle. As the contact was crashing into the second vehicle, the contact applied the horn just as the air bag deployed. The air bag struck the contact in the left arm, causing his left…
Cruise control does not disengage when brakes are applied and obviously does not decelerate when expected. I would like to refer to nhtsa recall no.: 97v131. *nm
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE KEY STARTED ROTATING IN IGNITION WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND REMOVED KEY. ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. ONLY WAY TO SHUT OFF VEHICLE WAS TO DISCONNECT BATTERY. EMAIL: [redacted] *LA
Consumer was inside of vehicle and went to put key in the ignition to start vehicle, she took the key out of the ignition to turn vehicle off and vehicle was still running, she drove vehicle to the dealership. Mechanic told her that cylinder lock switch needed to be replaced.*ak *jb
The vehicle has been serviced continually for extended period of time for engine/throttle related problems, the vehicle would surge intermittently and experience no start conditions and the check engine light illuminating, the dealership repaired vehicle however the consumer does not feel vehicle…
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 1998 BMW 318I?
Owners most often report electrical system, vehicle speed control, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 BMW 318I?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.