1998 BMW 318ti recalls & complaints
Source: NHTSA, updated daily. Last checked 2026-10-18. Recalls apply to specific VINs — run your VIN to confirm.
Recalls: check by VIN
Useful for owners
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Most complained-about parts: Visibility (wipers / glass) (4), Wheels / tires (4), Transmission / drivetrain (3), Suspension (2), Lights (2).
Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.
Read recent complaints (8)
12/28/2007 · Visibility (wipers / glass)
1. WINDOW MOVEMENT STOPPED 2. WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR AND THE TINT GOT SCRATCHED 3. THE DEALER QUOTED 300 TO FIX IT, REPLACED REGULATOR AND BRUSHING. *TR
03/23/2007 · Visibility (wipers / glass)
BMW318TI - BOTH DRIVER-SIDE AND PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS . REPLACED THE PASSENGER-SIDE REGULATOR TWICE ALREADY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. FORTUNATELY ONCE WAS WITHIN THE ONE-YEAR WARRANTY OF WHEN IT BROKE THE FIRST TIME SO THE EXPENSE WAS JUST THE LABOR, STILL EXPENSIVE. JUST THIS WEEK THE DRIVER'S SIDE REGULATOR FAILED. NOT A CH…
07/28/2006 · Visibility (wipers / glass)
3 SERIES MODELS (E36) AND NOTABLY THE 318TI BMW AUTOMOBILES HAVE AN EXTREMELY HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR THE WINDOW REGULATORS. ITS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE TO REPAIR THEM ANNUALLY AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY 300 DOLLARS PER DOOR. THE FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE WINDOW TO JAM, OR FALL INSIDE THE DOOR. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DOCUMENTED PROBLEM AMONG THE O…
02/08/2006 · Wheels / tires · crash
PIRELLI P205 60R 15 TIRE BLOW OUT RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO CLIENT. *JB
07/10/2001 · Wheels / tires
CAR HAS A SAFETY DESIGN FLAW. SPARE TIRE MOUNT DESIGN ALLOWS THE SIDEWALL OF THE SPARE TIRE (MOUNTED UNDER THE TRUNK) TO RUB AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUNK DURING NORMAL DRIVING. UPON TAKING OUT THE SPARE, THE TIRE WAS FOUND TO HAVE PRONOUNCED MARKS AND GROOVES ON THE TIRE SIDEWALLS FROM THE RUBBING. THE MARKS WERE DEEP ENOUGH THAT THE BELTS IN THE TIRE…
04/13/1999 · Transmission / drivetrain
VEHICLE LACKS TIRE ROAD GRIP ON SOME TURNS AND THE REAR OF THE CAR SLIDES OUT.
04/13/1999 · Suspension
THE SUSPENSION DOES NOT SOAK UP BUMPS WITHOUT HOPPING.
04/13/1999 · Transmission / drivetrain
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY.