How many recalls does the 1996 BMW 318ic have?

The 1996 BMW 318ic has 1 NHTSA safety recall campaign on record.

How do I check if my 1996 BMW 318ic has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA's official recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see open, unrepaired recalls for your specific vehicle. Recall repairs are free.

What do owners complain about most on the 1996 BMW 318ic?

Of 3 NHTSA complaints on file, the most-reported component is electrical system.

1996 BMW 318ic Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1996 BMW 318ic has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 410,000 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 97V131000 1997-08-19 410,000 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…

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

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

Total complaints3

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Repeated instance of seat belt lock failure as relating to air bag. Drivers side bracket has been replaced 4 times. It seems the wiring or switch keeps failing and the airbag light stays on. Especially true after hard stops. Shop says air bag may fail to deploy if not repaired. *jb”

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY · reported 2006-09-08

“Repeated instance of seat belt lock failure as relating to air bag. Drivers side bracket has been replaced 4 times. It seems the wiring or switch keeps failing and the airbag light stays on. Especially true after hard stops. Shop says air bag may fail to deploy if not repaired. *jb”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · reported 2006-09-08

“The drivers side seat belt broke. Nlm”

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 BMW 318ic as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.