BMW 3 Series
Owners filed 842 complaints across 23 model years of the BMW 3 Series. The 2006 drew the most (202).
Model years23
Complaints842
Recalls49
Fires18
Deaths0
Which BMW 3 Series years should you avoid?
Going by 842 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the BMW 3 Series years to avoid are 2006.
- 2006202 complaints, 3.0× a typical 3 Series year, most often about the airbags.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every BMW 3 Series model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2013 | 21 | 0 | — | 2 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2012 | 7 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2011 | 1 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2010 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 53 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 68 | 3 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2007 | 115 | 2 | 4 | 6 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2006Avoid | 202 | 4 | 1 | 6 | Air Bags | Above average | |
| 2005 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2004 | 77 | 0 | 3 | 1 | Exterior Lighting | Routine | |
| 2003 | 73 | 0 | — | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2002 | 26 | 0 | — | 1 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2001 | 36 | 1 | — | 1 | Exterior Lighting | Routine | |
| 2000 | 88 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 1999 | 6 | 1 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1998 | 3 | 4 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1997 | 5 | 4 | — | — | Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element | Routine | |
| 1996 | 2 | 4 | — | 1 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 1995 | 3 | 4 | — | 1 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1994 | 1 | 3 | — | — | Suspension › Rear | Routine | |
| 1993 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1992 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.