The ADAC breakdown statistics determine which BMW models are the most reliable and which have broken down most – a good help when buying a used BMW 3 Series.
In the statistics for 2021, all the breakdowns for which the German Yellow Angels had to move out in 2020 were recorded and evaluated. There is enough data available that gives an objective picture of the reliability of the BMW 3 Series.
BMW 3 Series Reliability
Breakdowns in the 2020 calendar year
| EZ 2011 | EZ 2012 | EZ 2013 | EZ 2014 | EZ 2015 | EZ 2016 | EZ 2017 | EZ 2018 |
| 14,1 | 10,7 | 8,5 | 7,0 | 4,2 | 3,3 | 2,2 | 1,1 |
Breakdowns in the 2019 calendar year
| EZ 2010 | EZ 2011 | EZ 2012 | EZ 2013 | EZ 2014 | EZ 2015 | EZ 2016 | EZ 2017 |
| 18,2 | 14,7 | 9,7 | 7,8 | 6 | 3,4 | 1,6 | 1,7 |
Legend: Number of breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles registered (= breakdown index) by year of first registration (EZ)
Common Breakdowns
- Fuse and relay box (2010)
Source: ADAC
If you wish to know more about eventual problems of a specific car (e.g. real mileage, potential traffic accidents damages, odometer rollback, repairs, etc.), then we suggest going to HPI-Check.
See the Reliability of other Makes
Recent 3 Series Recalls
The vehicles affected may have been fitted with Takata non-azide driver inflator (NADI) gas generators in which inadequate sealing on the … .
The abdominal strap (safety-belt buckle) may not have been correctly screwed. This could affect the restraining capacity of the safety-belt and … .
A contact defect can develop over time due to friction corrosion on the plug connection between the cable harness and the … .
