Carsieve All versions
Show all 22 variants
At a glance
- Years: 2012 to 2019. The 2015 facelift added LED headlights and the B48 and B47 engines.
- Reliability: 3/5. The N20 timing chain and the xDrive driveline pull the score down. B48 and B47 cars do better.
- DIY: 2/5. The timing chain job and steering fault codes need a workshop and a BMW-capable scanner.
- Biggest risks: the N20 timing chain, the brake vacuum pump recall on 2012-2013 N20 cars, and worn xDrive parts.
- Prefer: a 2016 or later B48 petrol, or a B47 diesel with a full service record. Avoid: early N13 and N20 cars with no timing chain work on record.
Engines and gearboxes
- 1.6 N13 (N13B16A, 316i and 320i to 2015): avoid. Oil use is high, and the timing chain weakens after about 100,000 km.
- 2.0 N20 (N20B20A, N20B20B, 320i and 328i): the chain, oil pump and VANOS problems are in the table below. Cars built to about 2015 carry the most risk.
- 1.5 B38 (B38B15A, 318i from 2015): no common fault found in this guide. Ask for the service record.
- 2.0 B48 (B48B20A, B48B20B, 320i and 330i from 2016): prefer. Valve stem seals harden, and oil use can rise up to about 100,000 km. Check the oil level between services.
- 3.0 N55 (N55B30A, 335i): no common fault in this guide. Ask whether the engine was tuned.
- 3.0 N57 (N57D30A, N57D30B, 330d and 335d): no common fault in this guide. Check the service book for regular oil changes.
- 3.0 B58 (B58B30A, 340i): no fault data in this guide.
- 2.0 B47 (B47D20A, B47D20B, 318d, 320d and 325d from 2015): the preferred diesel. Its own guide covers the EGR valve and turbo. BMW B47 diesel
- 2.0 N47 (N47D20C, N47D20D, 316d to 325d, 2012-2015): the timing chain and EGR cooler are in its own guide. BMW N47 diesel
- M3 (F80, S55B30A): a separate car with its own faults. Not covered here.
- 6-speed manual: the dual-mass flywheel (a damper between engine and gearbox) lasts about 100,000-150,000 km according to Kolesa, and Auto.ru says it may need replacing at high mileage.
- ZF 8HP automatic: see its own guide. ZF 8HP automatic
Known issues
| Issue | Affects | Typical km | Repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| N20 timing chain, oil pump and VANOS | 320i and 328i (N20B20A, N20B20B), built to about 2015 | 80,000-120,000 km | No confirmed price |
| Brake vacuum pump recall | 320i and 328i (N20), built June 2012 to August 2013 | Not stated | Free (recall) |
| Electric steering sensor and EPS faults | All cars | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| xDrive transfer case and driveshaft | xDrive (AWD) cars | 50,000-150,000 km | No confirmed price |
| iDrive screen and software faults | Early cars with iDrive, 2012-2015 | Not stated | No confirmed price |
| Electric coolant pump failure | N13 and N20 cars, 2012-2016 | 60,000-80,000 miles (about 97,000-129,000 km) | No confirmed price |
| Front suspension wear | All cars | 50,000-150,000 km | No confirmed price |
| Steering rack bolts on RWD cars | Pre-facelift rear-wheel-drive cars, 2012-2015 | Not stated | No confirmed price |
Before you buy
- Start the cold engine and listen for a rattle in the first seconds. Read stored codes P0016 and P0017 with a scanner. Bad result: a rattle, those codes, or no proof of timing chain work.
- Read the steering warning lamp and stored codes with a scanner. Bad result: a warning lamp, a pull or drift, or no repair record for the sensor or steering software.
- Check the iDrive screen, Bluetooth and navigation for ten minutes. Bad result: freezes, dropouts, dead pixels or an old software version.
- Drive away gently and listen for knocks or jerks from under the car. Ask for transfer case oil change records every 50,000-60,000 km. Bad result: knocks, jerks or no oil change record.
- Check for overheating warnings and ask whether the electric coolant pump was replaced. Bad result: a temperature warning, or no pump replacement on a car over about 100,000 km.
- Lift the car and check the front shocks, ball joints and stabiliser links. Bad result: play in the joints, leaking shocks or knocks over bumps.
- On a pre-facelift rear-wheel-drive car, ask for proof that the steering gear bolts were replaced with steel. Bad result: no record.
- Ask a BMW dealer to check open recalls for the car's VIN. Bad result: an open brake vacuum pump campaign.
Running costs
| Operational | €172 |
|---|---|
| Workshop | €156 |
| Fixed costs (tax, insurance) | €182 |
| Total per month | €510 |
| New-car depreciation (not included) | €96 |
ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months
Market
Listings on mobile.de priced up to 50,000 EUR, 29 October 2026.
- Listings
- 2,530
- 25th percentile
- €7,990
- Median price
- €9,999
- 75th percentile
- €12,950
- Median mileage
- 200,000 km
- Median first registration
- 2013
- Dealer share
- 37.3%
- Price at 100,000 km
- €14,432
To check a listing's price, open its variant in the table above. Each variant page has a price check.
In detail
N20 timing chain, oil pump and VANOS
The timing chain guides, plastic parts that hold the chain, wear and break. The first sign is a rattle or whine on cold start, mostly in the first two to three seconds. Fault codes P0016 and P0017 may be stored. BMW Tuning says BMW redesigned the chain parts in January 2015, so the problem is mostly on earlier cars. Failure is usually reported at 80,000-120,000 km.
The oil pump has also been reported to fail on engines up to 2013. Too little oil pump capacity can seize the engine. VANOS, the camshaft timing adjuster, can need repair after about 100,000 km.
The fix is to replace the chain and guides together, with the tensioner. The sources give no part numbers.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, KFZ Dietrich, BMW Tuning, Rerev
Brake vacuum pump recall
The brake vacuum pump can fail because of too little lubrication, caused by faulty camshaft parts. The brake booster then loses its help, and braking power drops.
German sources give cars built from June 2012 to August 2013. The same fault was recalled in the US for 2012-2014 320i and 328i cars, where dealers fit a locking ring in the camshaft to hold the seal disk. Free.
Cost: free (recall).
Sources: NHTSA 13V-454, NHTSA 14V-627, Gebrauchtwagenberater
Electric steering sensor and EPS faults
The steering can pull or drift slightly, and the electric power steering (EPS) warning lamp can come on now and then. A worn torque sensor and software faults with codes stored in the EPS module are both reported.
Vehicle Service Pros says a service bulletin for a 2014 335i GT lists the steps. Reprogram the EPS with BMW diagnostic software. For some codes, disconnect the battery for 10 minutes first. For two codes, the bulletin says not to replace the EPS.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: fahrzeugschein, Vehicle Service Pros, Kolesa
xDrive transfer case and driveshaft
The transfer case gives knocks when accelerating and jerks under load. The front driveshaft splines wear. Hard driving, drifting and heavy loads speed this up. Auto.ru says the transfer case has no oil pump, so its bearings run on chain oil.
Change the transfer case oil every 50,000-60,000 km. The sources give no part numbers. Gebrauchtwagenberater calls the repairs expensive but gives no figure.
Sources: Kolesa, Auto.ru, Auto Mail.ru, Gebrauchtwagenberater
iDrive screen and software faults
The display and screen drop out or flicker, the system resets, and Bluetooth disconnects. On early CIC units these faults are common before 2013. The NBT system from 2013 is more stable. Most faults are fixed by a software update. A dead screen needs a replacement.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: Gebrauchtwagenberater, KFZ Dietrich
Electric coolant pump failure
The electric coolant pump can fail at 60,000-80,000 miles (about 97,000-129,000 km). KFZ Dietrich says early signs are an overheating warning and limp mode.
In the US, a recall (NHTSA 24V-608) replaces pumps on 328i cars whose plug connector lets water in. No European recall for this is confirmed.
Sources: NHTSA 24V-608, Rerev, KFZ Dietrich
Front suspension wear
The car can lose straight-line stability and have a vague steering centre. Stabiliser links, bushings and ball joints wear first. Springs and dampers also fail the German MOT (HU) more often from the second inspection.
Stabiliser links often need replacing from about 50,000 km. Shocks, ball joints and bushings wear from about 100,000 km. Auto.ru says rear multi-link bushings can last 150,000 km or more.
Cost: no confirmed price.
Sources: t-online, Gebrauchtwagenberater, Kolesa, Auto.ru
Steering rack bolts on RWD cars
On pre-facelift rear-wheel-drive cars, the steering gear mounting bolts are aluminium. They corrode against the steel body and can break. All-wheel-drive cars are not affected.
The fix is steel bolts. Kolesa says the replacement is cheap and simple, but gives no figure.
Recalls
| Country | Code | Years | What is done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | not given | Built June 2012 to August 2013 | Brake vacuum pump on N20 cars: faulty camshaft parts starve it of oil. The same fault was recalled in the US (NHTSA 13V-454 and 14V-627), where a locking ring is fitted in the camshaft. Free. |
Check open campaigns for your VIN with a BMW dealer.
Maintenance
- xDrive transfer case oil: change about every 50,000-60,000 km.
- Front suspension: check stabiliser links from about 50,000 km. Plan shocks and ball joints from about 100,000 km.
- B48 engines: check the oil level between services. Oil use rises with age.
Sources
English
- BMW Tuning: N20 common problems
- Rerev: BMW 3 Series by year
- Vehicle Service Pros: BMW power steering
- NHTSA 13V-454
- NHTSA 14V-627
- NHTSA 15V-520
- NHTSA 20V-017
- NHTSA 20V-185
- NHTSA 24V-288
- NHTSA 24V-527
- NHTSA 24V-608
German
- Gebrauchtwagenberater: F30 and F31 problems
- KFZ Dietrich: F30 typical faults
- fahrzeugschein: used BMW 3er check
- t-online: used BMW 3er check