Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 BMW 318i, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system2
- Tires2
- Visibility1
- Engine and engine cooling1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 4 variants: combined 10.0–10.5 L/100 km (about 22–24 mpg US), CO₂ 230–242 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 318i/is · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 11.6 | 8.0 | 10.0 |
| 318i Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 11.8 | 8.2 | 10.2 |
| 318i Convertible · Minicompact · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 8.3 | 10.5 |
| 318i/is · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 12.2 | 8.3 | 10.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 1997 BMW 318i: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 6089811 | ROUGH IDLE |
| 600874 | INFORMATION ON EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL AND FUEL FILLER CAP / FILLER DOOR LABELS. *YC |
| 600300 | VARIOUS INFORMATION REGARDING DEACTIVATION OF AIRBAGS. *YC |
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)