One problem related to spare tire has been reported for the 1998 BMW 318. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
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.
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