The 1993 BMW 318i has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 750,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING98V1780001998-08-04340,000 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…
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.
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…
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.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
1
Total complaints15
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“This common defect has struck my vehicle. This defect should be recalled, bmw acknowledges problem, but won't recall. No safety defect listed. *ak”
“All coolant lost, suddenly & w/o warning; coolant lost into the environment; sudden engine temperature rise required dangerous emergency manouver to reach side of road before engine damage; following vehicles may have been damaged & drivers blinded by lost coolant”
“Well known m42 engine profile gasket failure allows coolant to spill and renders vehicle undrivable without warning.”
“Vehicle had blown an engine head gasket at 46,000 miles.also, ignition was not working. Had no warning prior to seeing steam coming from under the hood. Shut vehicle down & then restarted. Engine check light still came back on. *ak”
“Vehicle had blown an engine head gasket at 46,000 miles.also, ignition was not working. Had no warning prior to seeing steam coming from under the hood. Shut vehicle down & then restarted. Engine check light still came back on. *ak”
“Vehicle had blown an engine head gasket at 46,000 miles.also, ignition was not working. Had no warning prior to seeing steam coming from under the hood. Shut vehicle down & then restarted. Engine check light still came back on. *ak”
“Timing case profile gasket had catastrophic failure. All coolant was lost. Complete damage (warped head, etc) unknown at this time. Dealer estimates $1000 to repair gasket. This is a well known problem with this vehicle (as I have recently discovered). Bmw hasn't issued a recall. Since these…”
“Alternator had to be replaced, along with regulator. Power windows and sunroof stopped working shortly after that. Is there some electrical problem with this car that would have caused the alternator to short out.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1993 BMW 318i as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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