By model year
BMW 3 Series complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, all years filed, by model year.
Source: NHTSA ODI. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA, and NHTSA publishes no sales volumes, so counts are not rates.
Model line
BMW 3 Series
Every BMW 3 Series model year on file, 1986 to 2023. Pick a year for its recalls, investigations, service bulletins and the full text of owner complaints.
Owner complaints, all model years00 involved a crash, fire, injury or death
Model years291986 to 2023
Recall campaigns4Distinct campaigns listing it
Service bulletins1,132Summed across model years
Components
Fuel system leads the BMW 3 Series complaint record
Owner complaints across all model years, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Model years
The record for each BMW 3 Series model year
Peer index compares complaints with the median vehicle of the same model year and body class (100 is the median). It corrects for age, not for how many were sold.
| Year | Body | Complaints | Severity index | Peer index | Recalls | Investigations | Bulletins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 31 |
| 2013 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 0 | 2 | 42 |
| 2012 | Coupe | 0 | None | None | 3 | 1 | 44 |
| 2011 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 2010 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 119 |
| 2009 | Convertible | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 89 |
| 2008 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 92 |
| 2007 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 91 |
| 2006 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 4 | 1 | 78 |
| 2005 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 0 | 1 | 71 |
| 2004 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 0 | 3 | 60 |
| 2003 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 0 | 3 | 57 |
| 2002 | Coupe | 0 | None | None | 0 | 6 | 54 |
| 2001 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 1 | 2 | 50 |
| 2000 | Coupe | 0 | None | None | 1 | 2 | 49 |
| 1999 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 1 | 2 | 27 |
| 1998 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| 1997 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 24 |
| 1996 | Sedan | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 23 |
| 1995 | Coupe | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 23 |
| 1994 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 23 |
| 1993 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 1992 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| 1991 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1990 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| 1989 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1988 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 1987 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1986 | Not decoded | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Body class from NHTSA's VIN decoder where decoded.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns covering the BMW 3 Series
- 23V-821 Dec 6, 2023
Weld seam of the integrated transmission control unit's cover may not have been manufactured properly, which could allow automatic transmission…
Powertrain · 552 vehicles - 23V-707 Oct 20, 2023
Aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break
Engine and cooling · 158k vehicles - 22V-119 Mar 2, 2022
Heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit
Engine and cooling · 917k vehicles - 21V-401 May 27, 2021
These vehicles are equipped with driver-side air bag inflators that were previously inspected, but not replaced under recall numbers 19V-851,…
Airbags · 4,511 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.