2013 BMW 3 Series

Typical pattern

7.9% of complaints about the 2013 BMW 3 Series came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2013 vehicle — around the middle of the 210 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is engine (126 complaints), typically at 7.2 yr or about 64,523 miles.

Covers 6 variants: 328I (392), 335I (70), 328XI (33), 335XI (13), 320I (13), 328 (12)

Complaints: 572
Median age at failure: 6.7 yr
Median mileage: 47,000 n=333
Crash / fire / tow: 17.8% of reports
Safety recalls: 5

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System

0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y

Engine

126 reports · 64,523 mi

7.2 yr

12.7%

Electrical system

81 reports · 66,000 mi

11.9 yr

8.6%

Air bags

69 reports · 46,000 mi

5.1 yr

21.7%

Power train

50 reports · 38,000 mi

5.8 yr

10%

Engine cooling

47 reports · 110,000 mi

12.1 yr

12.8%

Service brakes

38 reports · 6,000 mi

1.4 yr

50%

Fuel / propulsion

28 reports · 57,943 mi

5.8 yr

14.3%

Other

26 reports · 50,000 mi

6.3 yr

23.1%

Speed control

19 reports · 10,000 mi

3.3 yr

42.1%

Seat belts

15 reports · 66,000 mi

6.8 yr

20%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

24V608000 2024-08-13

Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:pump

BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An improperly sealed electrical connector on the water pump may be exposed to water and short circuit.

An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

20V017000 2020-01-15

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDr

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

15V520000 2015-08-17

Exterior lighting

BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to April 21, 2015, and 2014-2015 328xd Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured July 5, 2013, to April 21, 2015. The affected vehicles may have been programmed with new software that inadvertently makes the front side marker lights inoperative in conjunction with the parkin

If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.

14V627000 2014-10-07

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2012-2014 BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster, and 2014 BMW 428i Coupe, and 428i xDrive Coupe. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 13V-454.

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

13V454000 2013-09-26

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to insufficient lubrication, the vacuum pump that supplies brake power assistance may fail.

A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 300 mi 3 mo in service

AS MY WIFE OPEN THE DOOR AND SITS , SHE PULLED THE DOOR TO CLOSE BUT IT WONT LOCK UP TRY SEVERAL TIMES TO DO IT WITH THE REMOTE BUT WONT LOCK UP. AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR!!! *TR

Electrical system 3,500 mi 7 mo in service

AUTO START/STOP FUNCTION HAS MALFUNCTIONED BEFORE WHERE WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR DOESN'T START AGAIN. NORMALLY I CAN JUST PRESS THE START BUTTON AND PUT IT IN DRIVE. THIS TIME, HOWEVER, I WENT TO START IT AGAIN AFTER IT HAD AN "AUTO START/STOP MALFUNCTION", AND IT WOULDN'T TURN BACK ON. AN ERROR POPPED UP SAYING "IGNITION MALFUNCTION -- DO NOT TURN ENGINE OFF. CAR WILL NOT START AGAIN." CURRENTLY WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER I HAD TO FLATBED IT. ALSO THE CAR WOULDN'T GO INTO NEUTRAL SO THEY HAD TO DRAG IT ON THE FLATBED. *TR

Electrical system 70,000 mi 6.3 yr in service

DRIVER AND PASSENGER TRAPPED IN CAR AFTER PARKING AT AS GAS PUMP. DOORS WOULD UNLOCK BUT NOT OPEN RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL OF KILLING ITS PASSENGERS IN A CRASH. THERE IS A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT.

Service brakes 2,250 mi 4 mo in service

THE SUBJECT VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN THE CAR WAS SLOWLY TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT. THE DRIVER HAD TO SUDDENLY PRESS VERY HARD ON THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR. *TR

Other 3 Series model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.