Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1992 BMW 318

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

4
Open recalls
16
NHTSA complaints
2
Defect investigations
4
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

16 filed
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    5
  • Parking BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
    2
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:COOLING System
    2
  • Power TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR Shift Assembly
    1
  • VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
    1
  • Vehicle Speed Control
    1
  • Electrical SYSTEM:STARTER Assembly
    1
  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
    1

Recalls

4 campaigns
94V066000·FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1994-04-11

FEED FUEL HOSES CAN HARDEN AND "SET" OVER TIME, ALLOWING A SEEPAGE OF FUEL AT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING. THE CLAMP USED TO HOLD THE HOSE TO THE FITTING IS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HARDENING OF THE FEED FUEL HOSE.

RiskFUEL SEEPAGE BETWEEN THE FEED FUEL HOSE AND THE ENGINE FITTING CAN RESULT IN FREE FUEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

FixA REDESIGNED FEED FUEL HOSE AND HOSE CLAMP WILL BE INSTALLED TO ALLEVIATE THE FUEL SEEPAGE.

94V037000·FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1994-02-17

THE ADHESIVE MATERIAL OF THE TWO PIECE THROTTLE BODY HEATER MIGRATES INTO THE CIRCULATION CHAMBER CAUSING BUILD UP OF IMPURITIES AND RESTRICTION OF FLOW WITHIN THE CHAMBER. THIS CONDITION AND WATER VAPORS FROM THE CRANK THAT FREEZES AT LOW AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES PREVENTS THE THROTTLE PLATE FROM CLOSING AS THE DRIVER RELEASES THE GAS PEDAL, CAUSING LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL.

RiskIF LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL FROM THE FROZEN THROTTLE BODY OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

FixBMW DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY HEATER WITH A MODIFIED HEATER.

93V015000·VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE1993-02-01

THE MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND A RESULTING INCREASE IN SYSTEM PRESSURE.

RiskVEHICLES OPERATED UNDER THIS INCREASED COOLING SYSTEMPRESSURE CONDITION CAN SUFFER DAMAGE OR FAILURE OF PARTS OF THE COOLING SYSTEMSUCH AS (1) LEAKAGE FROM A COOLANT HOSE, (2) LEAKAGE OF THE RADIATOR OREXPANSION TANK, (3) DISCONNECTION OF A HOSE FROM A PIPE OR A FITTING, AND (4)CRACKS IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE RESULTING IN COOLANT LEAKAGE. IN SOME CASES,BOILING COOLANT CAN CONTACT THE LOWER RIGHT LEG OF THE DRIVER RESULTING INBURNS. ALSO, ESCAPING COOLANT IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE VAPORFOGGING OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE WINDOWS, REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY.

FixDEALERS WILL INSTALL A THERMOSTATIC BYPASS VALVE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CONTROL COOLANT TEMPERATURE IN THE HEATER CORE. ALSO, A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP WILL BE INSTALLED, TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.

91V219000·VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1991-12-17

THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM, VENTED INTO THE INTAKE TRACT OF THE ENGINE AT THE BELLOWS BOOT AHEAD OF THE THROTTLE HOUSING, ALLOWS WARM WATER VAPOR FROM THE CRANKCASE VENT TO CONDENSE AND FREEZE IN THE COLDER BELLOWS BOOT WHEN THE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE IS 15 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR LESS. THE BUILD UP OF ICE CAN DISLODGE AND MOVE INTO THE THROTTLE HOUSING, PREVENTING THE THROTTLE PLATE FROM FULLY CLOSING WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE GAS PEDAL.

RiskIF THE THROTTLE PLATE IS PREVENTED FROM CLOSING, THEREIS AN INCREASE IN IDLE SPEED AS WELL AS SLOWER THAN NORMAL DECELERATION, WHICHOCCURS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

FixREPLACE THE THROTTLE HOUSING WITH A VERSION CONTAINING A MODIFIED HEATING SYSTEM ALONG WITH REROUTING OF THE CVS HOSE. THIS WILL PREVENT ICE BUILD-UP IN THE INTAKE TRACT.

NHTSA investigations

2 actions
EA95013·AIR BAGS1995-03-31 → 1996-07-15

AIR BAG WIRING FAILURE

Led to recall96V110000

EA92017·VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM1992-06-02 → 1993-03-30

HEATER CORE FAILURE

Led to recall93V015000

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