| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2008 BMW 3-Series repairs by problem area
Engine (49%)
Transmission and Drivetrain (5%)
Brakes and Traction Control (3%)
Suspension and Steering (7%)
Electrical and Air Conditioning (25%)
Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (7%)
Other (4%)
Select a problem area
- Engine
- Transmission and Drivetrain
- Brakes and Traction Control
- Suspension and Steering
- Electrical and Air Conditioning
- Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim
- Other
Chart based on 908 repairs.
2008 BMW 3-Series body repair cost distribution
$2500+ (2%)
$1000 - $2499 (4%)
$500 - $999 (2%)
$100 - $499 (12%)
< $100 (80%)
Chart based on 49 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 70300 mi US $600 |
Sunroof seal leaking, excessive wind noise. Replaced seal and adjusted sunroof |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD
| 98000 mi US $100 |
subframe rust. Found salt deposits. Remediated. |
| 100000 mi US $70 |
Steering wheel trim was peeling, replaced. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 41000 mi | Driver door entry panel came loose. Replaced clips |
| 54000 mi | Paint was peeling from the front bumper. Very noticeable when up close. Because the car was silver, it was less noticeable from the distance but the splotches of missing paint were peeling from the right front lower side of the bumper. |
| 38000 mi US $1800 |
Experienced the well-reported problem with cracking aluminum wheels on 2008 models. Got tired of cracked wheels with no apparent incident to damage - tires would leak. Replaced all wheels with aftermarket. |
| 45000 mi | Sunroof was making a noise when being put into the vent position. They replaced the "cassette", necessitating taking the headliner out. |
| 68000 mi US $100 |
Rubber seal on rear window by trunk lid was loose. |
| 16000 mi | sunroof not fully opening. error on dash |
| 56000 mi US $1100 |
Replaced upper windshield trim |
| 57000 mi US $3197 |
Rear window gasket was sagging at bottom (noticeable only when trunk is open). Had a new gasket installed. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD
| 46000 mi | Replace steering wheel plastic trim (was peeling) |
| 47120 mi | broken cup-holder, passenger side; both cup-holders were replaced with re-designed ones under warranty |
| 48980 mi | paint was starting to peel on gear shift knob |
| 62000 mi | Car's hood was rattling on the highway - noticed that one hood latch was not engaging properly. Dealer confirmed that only lubrication was required and no part had failed. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 174hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 98600 mi €400 |
Screen covering cargo area broke. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD
| 9000 mi | Rear side window sunshade replaced after disappearing into door. |
| 28000 mi | Two interior trim pieces were broken/deteriorating and were replaced under factory warranty |
| 27680 mi C $160 |
Dash rattle, was not solved. |
| 6100 mi | Warranty Repair - driver mirror adjustment |
| 10000 mi | Rear seat stitching separation at seat back and backrest seam. |
| 30000 mi | Rear side window shade tore |
| 47000 mi | iDrive knob fell off. |
| 47000 mi | molding on driver's door worn all the way through (repaired under warranty) |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 16000 mi | Window sun shade replaced. |
| 28000 mi | Replaced rear side window sun screen. |
| 40500 mi US $50 |
Cup holders jammed |
| 59000 mi US $313 |
Repair passenger door pull and door lock mechanism |
2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 39000 mi | Rear speaker shelf creaks (plastic rear defuser rubs on metal frame) 1. Driver side window chatters due to misaligned gasket. (fixed) 2. Fuel plug needed replacement was hard to remove and insert (replaced with new one for free) 3. Rear speaker shelf creaks (plastic rear defuser rubs on metal frame) |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 29000 mi US $150 |
The slider for 3 of the 4 dashboard vents fell off. Minor, but still needs to be replaced. |
| 42000 mi | CEL on. Limited power. No acceleration. PCM reflashed. Leather flaking off passenger side door pull. Part ordered from Germany. Not replaced yet. |
| 37000 mi | Nylon cable which holds headliner in place when hard top stows or is closed was wearing through outer sheathing. Replacement kit ordered. |
| 37700 mi | Repaired - no other problems |
| 84000 mi US $25 |
Replaced convertible top lines that position interior headliner when top retracts due to failure. |
| 9920 mi | Convertible top would occasionally stick at passenger corner of windshield when opening. Problem not in evidence at dealer. |
| 10540 mi | Convertible top does not always open smoothly. |
| 11240 mi | Problem 1, top would stick when opening. |
| 13020 mi | Rattling roof |
| 19000 mi | Glovebox was unable to be opened. New latching mechanism was ordered, now works normally |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 47000 mi | Loose rubber pad at driver side door opening. |
| 2480 mi | Rear seat did not latch back properly/easily after dropping down. |
| 13020 mi C $100 |
Seat Heating leaving marks on inside sides of seat. Resting points of Hardtop creating marks on plastic trim at the back of the car, above the trunk. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 56300 mi US $50 |
Convt hard top made knocking noises behind driver seat area when traveling over rough road or somewhat shallow potholes. Turning up radio didn't block noise. Dealer adjusted top, charged 3 hours of service. Car interior sounds like new. |
| 61000 mi US $50 |
Driver's seat belt would not recoil. Covered under CPO. |
| 46000 mi | Convertible C-pillar trim contacting interior quarter panel trim when top is closed: Replaced required components from repair kit 54.37.7.175.575 |
| 48000 mi | Noise from rear when driving over bumps in the rain: replaced perimeter seal for convertible rear roof section. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.
215-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 45000 mi | Switch for convertible roof failed |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 25000 mi | replaced trim panel set around rear-view mirror to eliminate a rattle |
| 28800 mi | Left muffler replaced. Butterfly vibrated making significant rattling noise. Two hours labor. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 48000 mi | Noise in the dashboard took 2 days to locate then a few hours to repair. Part was replaced in dash as well as had supports added above the part to stop a recurrence. |
| 40000 mi | Wind noise not appreciated by shop mechanic |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 32000 mi | Sunroof auto-reverse engaging intermittently when sunroof closing despite no obstruction in its path. |
| 35000 mi | Driver side interior doortrim peeling, rips in driver seat leatherette and parking brake boot. |
| 62000 mi | BMW roundrel fell off hood |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD
| 80000 mi | Both side view mirrors cracked randomly. Did not seem to be related to temperature swings or any sort of impact. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
414-horsepower 4.0L V8 7-speed automated manual RWD
| 5000 mi | Replaced discolored exterior window trims on both sides. |
| 12000 mi US $42 |
Left window trim discolored, BMWNA covered the cost of that part, I have to pay for the labor cost, even though the car is still under warranty. |
| 26000 mi | Driver side seat belt presenter repair |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD
| 27000 mi | plastic trim in the inside peeling. Changed under warranty. |
| 29000 mi | peeling in the driver's electric window command console |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 39000 mi | Sunroof would not open all the way back. |
| 33000 mi | Peeling rubberized grips on doors and steering wheel replaced with non-rubberized plastic. |
| 35700 mi | Steering wheel console cover wearing/tearing prematurely. Replaced. |
2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 16000 mi | Skibag was replaced after clips securing it in place broke. Replaced by dealer under warranty at the time of regularly scheduled maintenance. |
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