1998 BMW 318TI Problems
- Complaints
- 11filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 110,000miles, 4 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 24 mpgcombined, 1.9L 4-cyl RWD · 20 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 BMW 318TI (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 1998 BMW 318TI. The part named most often is tires, with 4 complaints (36% of the total), followed by visibility (4) and exterior lighting (2). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 110,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year. Visibility complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Tires4 36%
- Exterior lighting2 18%
- Suspension2 18%
- Engine cooling1 9.1%
- Vehicle speed control1 9.1%
Example complaints
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 tires could be seen and felt on the sidewalls. The tire can not be used. Major safety problem if the spare (small spare) is used with potential sidewall failure due to poor spare tire mount design.”
NHTSA complaint #748180, filed 2001-07Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “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 owner community and reactions at dealers is oh yea happens all the time. I propose this could present an egress issue in event of an emergency.”
NHTSA complaint #10163835, filed 2006-07, 144,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
0% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 84,000 and 136,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1998 BMW 318TI version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 318ti RWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 20 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| 318ti RWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,900 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1998 BMW 318TI in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10249437Jan 16, 2024Electrical system, Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors). The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
Other model years of the BMW 318TI
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 11 | 110,000 | 0 | — | 24 | — | Not enough data |
| 1996 | 8 | 110,000 | 1 | — | 23 | — | Not enough data |
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 BMW 318TI have?
NHTSA recorded 11 consumer complaints for the 1998 BMW 318TI as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1998 BMW 318TI is reported most often?
Tires is named most often, in 4 complaints (36% of the total), followed by visibility with 4.
Has the 1998 BMW 318TI been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1998 BMW 318TI get?
The EPA rates the 1998 BMW 318TI (318ti, 1.9L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 20 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1998 BMW 318TI reported?
Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 110,000 miles and the middle half falls between 84,000 and 136,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.