KnownCarProblemsBMW 3 Series Problems by Year
Owners have filed 822 complaints with NHTSA about the BMW 3 Series since the 2000 model year. The years with the most are 2006, 2007, 2000. The most common problem overall: air bags.
Counts are not adjusted for sales: popular years collect more complaints, and recent years have had less time to.
BMW 3 Series problems by model year
| Year | Complaints | Top problem | Recalls | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 3 Series | 30 | Air bags | 2 | 1 |
| 2009 3 Series | 53 | Air bags | 1 | 4 |
| 2008 3 Series | 68 | Electrical | 2 | 0 |
| 2007 3 Series | 115 | Air bags | 1 | 6 |
| 2006 3 Series | 202 | Air bags | 3 | 6 |
| 2005 3 Series | 25 | Air bags | 0 | 1 |
| 2004 3 Series | 77 | Lights | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 3 Series | 73 | Lights | 0 | 3 |
| 2002 3 Series | 26 | Electrical | 0 | 1 |
| 2001 3 Series | 36 | Air bags | 1 | 1 |
| 2000 3 Series | 88 | Transmission | 1 | 3 |
11 recalls in total across these years. Years with fewer than 25 complaints have no separate page.
Questions about the BMW 3 Series
- What years of the BMW 3 Series have the most problems?
- By owner complaints to NHTSA: 2006 (202), 2007 (115), 2000 (88).
- What is the most common problem with the BMW 3 Series?
- Across all model years, owners complain most about the air bags (248), electrical (135), lights (92).
- Which BMW 3 Series years have the fewest complaints?
- Among model years at least four years old: 2011 (1), 2012 (7), 2013 (21). Fewer complaints can also mean fewer cars sold, so compare with sales before you decide.