Reliability report
BMW 3 Series reliability and common faults
Based on 506,980 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
22.4%
fail rate · average 28.7%
much better than average
339,398 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
40.8%
with defects · average 44.8%
better than average
3,201 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
47.6%
first-time pass · average 47.8%
about average
164,381 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the BMW 3 Series
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Wheels
Seat belts and airbags
Plates and identification
Tyres
Suspension
Brakes
Driving controls
Exhaust and emissions
Lights and electrics
Visibility
Steering
Body and structure
Most common test failures
- 1Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 2Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 3Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 4Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 5Tyre insufficient tread
- 6Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
- 7Mechanical parts of the brake system show wear
- 8Shock absorber shows leakage
- 9Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 10Brake hose damaged, reinforcement material visible
- 11Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 12Sidelight not working (properly)
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 11.6% avg 9.9% | 24.6% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 11.9% avg 15.3% | 39.7% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 16.6% avg 22.9% | 34.1% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 24.8% avg 30.3% | 48.4% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 26.3% avg 34.6% | 59.1% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 25.3% avg 31.4% | 53.1% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | 3 Series | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 77.1% | 86.7% | 258 |
| 2020 | 69.0% | 78.6% | 335 |
| 2019 | 79.4% | 83.2% | 535 |
| 2018 | 70.0% | 79.5% | 456 |
| 2017 | 69.0% | 76.6% | 1,099 |
| 2016 | 65.5% | 72.8% | 1,910 |
| 2015 | 66.3% | 71.1% | 2,332 |
| 2014 | 65.4% | 68.0% | 3,439 |
| 2013 | 66.0% | 65.9% | 5,381 |
| 2012 | 65.3% | 63.7% | 3,664 |
| 2011 | 58.8% | 61.2% | 3,766 |
| 2010 | 56.4% | 57.3% | 4,367 |
| 2009 | 53.4% | 54.5% | 6,034 |
| 2008 | 54.8% | 52.4% | 10,009 |
| 2007 | 53.3% | 50.6% | 12,931 |
BMW 3 Series – FAQs
How reliable is the BMW 3 Series?+
In the UK the BMW 3 Series fails 22.4% of MOT tests, against an average of 28.7% for cars of the same age – much better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 40.8% of APK inspections (average there 44.8%) – better than average. In Lithuania 47.6% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 47.8%) – about average.
What goes wrong most often on the BMW 3 Series?+
Compared with the average car of the same age, testers find faults more often in these areas: wheels, seat belts and airbags.
What should I check when buying a used BMW 3 Series?+
The most common inspection failures: Excessive leakage of other fluids; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Tyre pressure not at correct value; Low beam incorrectly adjusted; Tyre insufficient tread. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More BMW models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).