BMW 3 Series Common Faults

The BMW 3 Series has been the default executive saloon in the UK for decades.

It’s consistently one of the best cars in its class to drive, and used examples offer a strong blend of refinement, performance and practicality.

That said, different generations - and especially different engines - come with their own fault patterns.

BMW 3 Series Generations at a Glance

• E90 / E91 / E92 / E93 (2005–2013)
  Strong cars overall, however, there were multiple reports from those which used the N47 engines of issues with timing-chain wear. As well as turbo-seal issues.
• F30 / F31 / F34 (2012–2019)
  One of the most reliable modern 3 Series. However, there were some repeated problems with the timing-chain tensioner noise.
• G20 / G21 (2019–present)
  Still dependable, but more tech brings more iDrive connectivity issues. Some cars suffered from rear diff seal leaks.