2018 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 59 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 5 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 4 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints
59 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Engine, Jul 7, 2020, crash
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LUNGED FORWARD.I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE,ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR , BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IS THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE CAR ,AS HE WAS STOPPED TOO. THE CAR THEN BOUNCED BACKWARD AND TURNED OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS ON A MAIN STREET AT A LIGHT. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT ANOTHER CAR WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT STOPPED THE CAR AND PREVENTED MY CAR FROM HITTING PEDESTRIANS.
Vehicle speed control, Jan 17, 2020, crash
ACCELERATION ISSUES. I COMPLAINED TO BMW ABOUT THE ISSUE NOVEMBER 2018 FOR MY 2018 BMW. HOWEVER, BMW SAID THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM. ON SUNDAY AT AROUND 6:28 PM I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT MY CHASE BANK AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTS ACCELERATING CAUSING ME TO HAVE A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A PARKED CAR. MY 2015 BMW HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS IN RALPH'S PARKING LOT IN BEVERLY HILLS ABOUT TO PULL OUT WHEN SUDDENLY MY BMW ACCELERATED, AND I NEARLY KILLED TWO PEOPLE. WHEN I BOUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE BMW REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. SOMETHING WAS CALIBRATED TO HIGH.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 11, 2020
CAR MAKING A EXPLOSIVE, CRANKING MECHANICAL NOISE UPON UNLOCKING THE CAR BEFORE YOU EVEN OPEN THE DOOR. THERE SEEMS TO BE A FUEL PUMP MAKING NOISE FROM INSIDE A GAS TANK. BMW AUTHORIZED DEALERS ACKNOWLEDGED THE NOISE IS ASSOCIATED WITH A "HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP" AND REFER TO THIS AS "NORMAL" I BELIEVE THE FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM IN THIS CAR AND OTHER SIMILAR MODELS ARE THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE COMPONENT(S) AND/OR A RESULT OF A FLAWED ENGINEERING. THIS NOISE HOWEVER CONTINUES ON WITH A HUMMING/BUZZING SOUNDS FOR SEVERAL MINUTES WHICH ALSO EFFECTS THE CAR'S OVERALL PERFORMANCE WHICH SEEMS TO BE CAUSING THE CAR TO PERFORM AT A DIMINISHED LEVEL OVERALL WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT AFFECT VEHICLE'S OVERALL SAFETY COMPONENTS SUCH AS BRAKES AND OTHER CONTROL APPARATUS. AT TIMES, UPON UNLOCKING THE CAR, IT FEELS AND VERY WELL SOUNDS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE?! AND THIS BY ITSELF CAUSING A GRAVE CONCERN AND I FEEL THAT IT MUST BE INVESTIGATED, ESPECIALLY THAT BMW HAS BEEN RELUCTANT/UNABLE TO REPAIR DESPITE REPEATED 8 ATTEMPTS WITH CAR BEING IN SERVICE FOR OVER 30 DAYS. THIS CAR IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. ALL REPAIR ORDERS HAVE BEEN DONE AT BMW AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. ALL REPAIR ORDER DOCUMENTS AS WELL AS A SHORT 15 SECONDS VIDEO CLIP ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Structure, Dec 28, 2019
SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY
Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 18, 2019
CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A STREET. ENGINE STALLED. CAR WOULDN'T START. TOWED TO BMW DEALERSHIP. CATASTROPHIC HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 7400 MILES. METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. INJECTORS, FUEL LINES, FUEL PUMP, AND FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jul 18, 2019
THIS CAR DOESN'T HAVE A WAY FOR DRIVERS TO PUT THE GEAR IN NEUTRAL IF THE ELECTRICAL PANEL AND THE ENGINE IS DEAD. I WAS IN THE FLOODED AREA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND FELT SCARED WHEN BIG TRUCKS PASSED ME SIDE BY SIDE. EVEN THE SHERIFF WHO HELPED ME COULDN'T FIND IT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. I HAVE A 12 MONTHS OLD GRANDSON AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR.
Vehicle speed control, Sep 4, 2018
WAS ON A ROAD TRIP, DROVE 600 MILES PREVIOUS DAY. NEXT DAY EVENING, PIRELLI RUN FLAT TIRE BLOWS OUT ON A FREEWAY. I HAD JUST PASSED THE TOLL PLAZA AND WAS ACCELERATING TO MERGE WITH THE TRAFFIC. RUN FLAT REINFORCED SIDEWALLS SHOULD'VE ALLOWED THE TIRES TO BE USABLE EVEN AT 0 PSI BUT I EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATION COMING THROUGH THE CHASSIS, CAR PULLING TO THE LEFT AND EMITTING A TERRIBLE GRINDING NOISE THAT FELT TERRIBLE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DESPITE APPEARING FINE AT FIRST GLANCE, THE TIRE WAS ACTUALLY SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE INNER SIDEWALL HAD A LARGE GASH. THE CAR WAS FINALLY TOWED TO A BMW SERVICE STATION AND THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE THE TIRE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE BMW IDRIVE INFOTAINMENT DISPLAY SAID I COULD SAFELY DRIVE 50 MPH FOR 50 MILES.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 29, 2018
I WAS ON THE CAPITAL BELTWAY OUTSIDE WASHINGTON DC GOING ABOUT 60 MPH AND MY SUNROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED. IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN SHOT GOING OFF. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY, LOW 90S. LUCKILY I HAD JUST CLOSED THE SUN VISOR SO THE GLASS DID NOT POUR DOWN ON ME OR MY PASSENGERS. WHEN WE PULLED OVER, WE FOUND A LARGE HOLE IN THE FRONT PANEL OF THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF AND SHATTERED GLASS SITTING ON THE FABRIC SUN VISOR.THE REMAINING GLASS WAS CRACKLED. I JUST GOT THIS CAR, BRAND NEW, 2 WEEKS AGO AND I KNOW IT HAD BEEN IN A HAIL STORM AND HAD DENTS THAT HAD TO BE REPAIRED JUST BEFORE I LEASED IT. I'M SUSPICIOUS THAT HE HAIL STORM MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE SUNROOF GLASS AS WELL.
Air bags, Mar 17, 2018, crash
AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING WHEN STUCK IN FRONT LEFT BUMPER BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH