1992 BMW 318IS — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
3
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1992 BMW 318IS
The 1992 BMW 318IS has received a total of 3 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. The most commonly reported problems involve the Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch (1 complaint), Structurebody (1 complaint), and Structurebodydoor (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 1992 BMW 318IS
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 1992 BMW 318IS, potentially affecting up to 825,000 vehicles.
Recall 98V178000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
| 340,000 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD...
Consequence: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
View full details →Recall 97V131000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 410,000 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 96V110000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
| 75,000 vehicles affected
Defect: THE AIR BAG CONTACT RING LOCKING TAB LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY CAN BREAK WITHOUT WARNING.
Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE CONTACT RING WIRING COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE AIR BAG READINESS INDICATOR LAMP (SRS OR AIRBAG) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL ILLUMINATE, AND THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT VEHICLE COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOCKING TAB WITH ONE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1992 BMW 318IS
3 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1992 BMW 318IS. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebodydoor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
MAY 5, 2004 INCIDENT: DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH FAILS TO WORK ... SO THAT THE DOOR FLIES OPEN WHILE DRIVING ... AND CAN NOT BE COMPLETELY CLOSED AND/OR LOCKED WHEN PARKED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1992 BMW 318IS 2-DOOR SEDAN WITH ONLY 34,319 MILES. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN DRIVEN OCCASIONALLY OVER THE YEARS (ONLY BY MYSELF) AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM: I UNLOCKED AND DROVE MY CAR TODAY (MAY 5, 2004). I WENT TO TWO DESTINATIONS AND CLOSED AND LOCKED THE CAR EACH TIME WITHOUT A PROBLEM. AFTER MY SECOND STOP, I UNLOCKED THE CAR, ENTERED IT, AND CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND ME WITHOUT REALIZING THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I DROVE AWAY AND WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE DOOR SUDDENLY FLEW OPEN. I WAS ABLE TO STOP IN A SAFE AREA WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT. I LOOKED AT THE DOOR'S LATCH AND WHERE IT CONNECTS WITH THE BODY AND SAW NOTHING WRONG ... BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE OR LATCH SECURELY. I CHECKED THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR AND IT LOOKED SIMILAR TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. I THEN DROVE MY STICK-SHIFT CAR HOME, WHILE HOLDING THE DRIVER'S DOOR AS CLOSED AS POSSIBLE WITH MY (RECENTLY, SURGICALLY OPERATED ON) LEFT ARM. I THEN PHONED THE NHTSA. OBVIOUSLY, A CAR'S DOORS MUST CLOSE AND LOCK PROPERLY TO KEEP ITS PASSENGERS SAFE. A CAR DRIVEN OCCASIONALLY, WITH ONLY 34,319 MILES, CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. FORTUNATELY, I WAS JUST A FEW MILES FROM HOME AND THE CAR IS ALWAYS GARAGED. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR REVIEWING THIS CASE. SINCERELY, CHARLES DREYFUSS P.S. I'VE INDICATED '3 FAILURES' ONLY BECAUSE I'VE TRIED TO CLOSE AND LOCK THIS CAR SEVERAL TIMES ONCE I GOT IT IN MY HOME'S GARAGE WITH NO SUCCESS.
DRIVER'S INSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHICH CAUSED DOOR NOT TO OPEN FROM INSIDE. IN EVENT OF A EMERGENCY DRIVER CANNOT GO OUT FROM DRIVER'S DOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
AFTER CAR PASSED THROUGH CAR WASH, WOULD NOT START; TOWED CAR TO DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IS 3-SERIES MODELS AND WAS QUOTED $1500 TO REPAIR. DEALER DID COMPLETE SERVICE 8 WEEKS EARLIER AND DID NOT INFORM ME OF WATER INTRUSION PROBLEMS DUE TO WEATHERING TRIM.*AK
Safety Rating for the 1992 BMW 318IS
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1992 BMW 318IS in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1992 BMW 318IS
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1992 BMW 318IS
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW 318IS
- 1991 BMW 318IS — 7 complaints
- 1992 BMW 318IS (current)
- 1993 BMW 318IS — 13 complaints
- 1994 BMW 318IS — 6 complaints
- 1995 BMW 318IS — 6 complaints
- 1996 BMW 318IS — 0 complaints
- 1997 BMW 318IS — 2 complaints