AI Damage2013 BMW 3 Series: common problems
Owners of the 2013 BMW 3 Series filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 33% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 33% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 29% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 19% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 6 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Latches, locks, linkages 5% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 7 complaints (33% of all).
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (29% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- 3 L · hybrid · turbo · 6 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- automatic, 8-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I pressed the brakes hard but I could feel a squealing feeling in the brakes and it just would not stop.it kept rolling. I released pressure on the brakes for a moment and applied full pressure again but still it would not stop.
Also, the reason my car was totaled was because all of the electrical wires for the computer system are behind the rear tail light, and they were melted after impact. This is concerning because this is also where the fuel tank is.
The door lock actuators have failed. This makes it so that the doors do not open when you are inside the vehicle attempting to get out by pulling the door handle. This is a safety issue not allowing me to get out of my vehicle.
Two wheel rims cracked, only 38,000 miles on vehicle. Rims won't withstand normal road conditions. They are a safety hazard never know when they will crack and causing loosing control while driving.
Takata recall: I received a letter from bmw on march 2016 notifying me of the driver's front air bag module recall, campaign no. 16v-071. Bmw did not have any parts available at the time of notification and indicated they would notify me as soon as they are able to perform the recall on my vehicle.
Takata recall. I have been attempting to work with bmw corporate and the local dealership in ridgefield ct where I leased the vehicle for the past 3 months and I have yet to successfully resolve the situation. I have 4 months left on my lease and I want bmw to take the vehicle back early as it is unsafe to drive.
We have had some snow here in new york this past winter. It seems as if there may be a design flaw with the windshield wiper. For whatever reason the windshield wiper on the right hand side popped.
From the passenger seat, I tried to warn the other driver with our car's horn, but it did not work, so I resorted to screaming as loud as possible since the windows were also closed.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 3 Series has 37 complaints (23 years in the data). This year has 21, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
- 3 Series 19953 sources
- 3 Series 19975 sources
- 3 Series 19983 sources
- 3 Series 19996 sources
- 3 Series 200088 sources
- 3 Series 200136 sources
- 3 Series 200226 sources
- 3 Series 200373 sources
- 3 Series 200477 sources
- 3 Series 200525 sources
- 3 Series 2006202 sources
- 3 Series 2007115 sources
- 3 Series 200868 sources
- 3 Series 200953 sources
- 3 Series 201030 sources
- 3 Series 20127 sources
- 3 Series 202330 sources
- 3 Series 99996 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 BMW 3 Series?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, powertrain. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (14%), loss of power / limp mode (10%), airbags did not deploy (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 BMW 3 Series?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2013 BMW 3 Series from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2013 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.