Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.
Chart based on 114 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
Left front speaker drops out for a few seconds then comes back on if you raise volume or open/close drivers door. Despite playing a recording to the shop foreman the dealer could not repair because they did not hear it themselves.
47300 mi
left speaker cuts out randomly Driver door switch module replaced due to sticking rear window lockout switch
55400 mi
US $1200
Battery not holding charge and seemed reasonable after 4 bad winters. The charging module showed a fault and told it needed to be replaced. "registerable" BMW Battery $500, charging module $400.
75000 mi
US $2500
Replace alternator and ground cable
78000 mi
US $400
Replaced 2.5 year old BMW dealer battery.
43300 mi
US $300
Battery test revealed battery needed to be replaced.
AC system evacuation, leak check, and recharge. No leaks found so a simple recharge fixed the issue.
51000 mi
door lock failed
85000 mi
US $130
Battery failed
75000 mi
US $150
Freon was only at 50 percent and AC was not blowing very cold. Freon recharged and schrader valves replaced.
12700 mi
Both left and right adaptive headlight module replaced; ECU reflashed to sync the modules.
1713 mi
Replaced iDrive controller and battery
US $326
Slow starting, replaced battery.
90280 mi
US $1225
Replaced starter
54000 mi
US $1100
hard starting, replaced battery. Installed new battery. One of few items not covered by CPO or paid maintenance policy. $600 with install. That and some other BS turned me off on BMW of Dallas. turn light
59000 mi
US $54
Also had bad vibration on AC blower. Replaced. CPO fixed.
63000 mi
US $1297
The TPM (tire pressure) was a CPO item but they laid it off on both rear senders being bad so got to charge me for those and a fat fee for diagnostics.
Battery failed load test at 9.2V (charge status at 51%). Alternator output at 110amps. Replaced battery under warranty.
10000 mi
Electrical system malfunction noted, said car could not be driven but there were no problems with driving it. Took it to dealer on no notice.
310 mi
car delivered to me with faulty CD/DVD player CD/DVD replaced at dealership but steering was scratched and wood trim was not properly installed in the dash..
Evacuate and recharge AC system; no real improvement.
25000 mi
Radio "acquiring signal" on every start after car sits for more than a day or two. This is now this car's THIRD radio; would have cost well over $1k if out of warranty.
iDrive system control knob completely non-functional.
99000 mi
US $200
Replace headlight.
32000 mi
sensor in fuel tank failed. replaced under warranty
145000 mi
US $850
replace blower motor
27700 mi
Radio loses set stations.
34200 mi
Noisy blower motor. Noisy AC compressor clutch. The problem is, the noise only occurs on hot days, and we haven't had any yet.
this year.
42300 mi
US $500
I drive error message. Excessive battery drain. Solved by replacing battery.
29000 mi
System checked. Found OK. Routine scheduled maintenance performed one month ahead of schedule.
24000 mi
Belt squeal when starting car with compressor on. From reading forums on-line, apparently this is an issue with the 335ds only (not X5 diesel).
18000 mi
Drivers door control panel for windows and side mirrors failed and was non-responsive. Prior to delivery, dealer replaced control panel (no charge to owner).
62000 mi
US $10
Rear taillight bulb out. Required substantial disassembly to replace.
29200 mi
Fan blower unit was failing. Replaced.
33933 mi
US $179
Replace OEM battery
28000 mi
Indicator light in FZD module failed. Replaced indicator light.
17000 mi
Replace A/C compressor belt.
24000 mi
Recharged battery. Still get battery warnings when driven short distances.
Radio Screen washing out (fading).Bmw replaced with new radio.
32800 mi
IBS Battery cable failed
37000 mi
Driver's side door lock malfunctioning. Driver's door lock actuator drive unit replaced Rear sunshade not operating. Replaced rear sunshade assembly.
43800 mi
AC blowing roughly. Blower Motor replaced
60000 mi
US $4000
oil measurement function stopped. oil sensor still doesn't function with replacement and new system with computer controller will cost ~$1700. Main computer on car is dead and replacement will cost ~$2300.
46480 mi
One of the angle eyes failed.
48540 mi
Day time running light replaced.
24000 mi
Car wouldn't start. After jumping it the electrical system flickered off and on, then the next morning, the car wouldn't jump. Had to tow it to dealer
27100 mi
A/C controller
41000 mi
US $150
Battery replacement
7000 mi
Car in for 1st scheduled maintenance: Oil change. Also wiper blades replaced (BMW noticed blades cracked). Both free as part of BMW warranty. BMW noticed AC noise. Leaking evaporator replaced. DIAG code D6450 00000000 19 01. Also Free.
7000 mi
Air conditioner not working. Air blowing but is not cold. Leaking evaporator replaced. This is the second time BMW has replaced the part. Service representative said they have been seeing issues with evaporators. Covered under BMW warranty.
28000 mi
US $331
battery died and we were stranded until BMW roadside service came along. Dealer said we had ruined battery by leaving radio on. Utter nonsense. Battery should have been covered by warranty - I was charged $332.
Battery not charging. Alternator replaced under CPO warranty.
81000 mi
Communication problem between two electrical modules causing various dashboard lights to illuminate.
37200 mi
The iDrive failed and had to be reprogrammed. The std repair is to reprogram and monitor. If it fails again, they will have to replace the head unit. Thankful it was under warranty, I dread finding out how much this repair cost.
54560 mi
C $70
Headlight washer pump
15300 mi
Radio/sound system repaired
Battery cable terminal end(s) replaced
113331 mi
US $1566
Car would not start - Starter assembly replaced
43400 mi
computer was acting up, Maintaince section was frozen( km remaining not changing)
Computer was restored to factory settings and updated
60760 mi
C $2700
Navigation / multi music system short circuited full replacement
27280 mi
C $80
replaced engine ground cable
51420 mi
comfort access stopped working from driver door, exterior handled was warm (it is winter). dealer replaced the handle and everything is ok.
12600 mi
Radio was acting erratically including occasional loud vibration-like sound coming from rear speakers & randomly changing audio sources. Dealer replaced radio under warranty, but not without an argument. Had to show them a TSB for the issue.
20000 mi
A/C was not blowing real cold, needed recharge.
37300 mi
Driver side door lock failed upon delivery. Replaced under warranty.
48000 mi
Driver side (rear) door lock gets stuck. Door lock actuator replacement.
27000 mi
Passenger airbag sensor (seatbelt indicator) mat has gone bad, seatbelt indicator always triggering even when no passenger in the seat.
46300 mi
Idrive replaced through warranty. Idrive knob was peeling off the plating.
60000 mi
US $120
A/C recharge.
62000 mi
US $50
Lock actuator in drivers door failing.
76000 mi
US $140
AC freon charge and diagnosis
passenger mirror sometimes does not work or gets stuck in down position after car is in reverse
51000 mi
US $500
rear LED light replaced
11000 mi
Very loud static from rear speaker. Multiple engine on off didn't correct. Only when car was locked and left for about 5min, noise stopped spontaneously. Unclear why. Has not recurred past 300 miles. Running normally now.
49000 mi
Drive door lock stuck. Actuator replaced.
14260 mi
The evaporator had to be replaced
21700 mi
Warranty repair of last summer, one of the connections was not hooked up.
11100 mi
C $375
Warning light showed battery problems several times,replaced 7 year ol battery.
44020 mi
C $244
ON checkup Budd's service advisor told us we need battery replaced and tires. Asked to have battery replaced but were told they could not do so. Took car to Grand River BMW, checked things out and everything was okay.
electrical wiring issue caused gas gauge to malfunction
18000 mi
Window switches were broken on the drivers side. Lock button stuck.
25000 mi
Car continues to have irritating odor coming from the vents when the AC or heat is on. Dealer can't figure it out. They treated AC with chemical based on the idea that it might be mold but it didn't work.
29000 mi
Dealer replaced leaking AC evaporator. Didn't solve problem.
32000 mi
Failed Battery
39000 mi
Rear drivers window would not auto close. Dealer had to re-calibrate the anti-trap feature on window.
49000 mi
Computer was reporting rear brakes needed service, was faulty error, had to have computer reprogrammed with new software. squeaking and squealing from ac blower motor fan on low speeds
55300 mi
US $950
No freon in system, evaporator was the source of leak. Replaced evaporator.
80000 mi
Car would not start, pressing the start button resulted in radio turning off, and all the dash lights going off then on again. Was able to jump start the car and drive to dealer for battery replacement.
37200 mi
Failed to start on a very cold day. Dealer service found Battery not holding full charge, replaced under warranty.
Freon leak -- removed, cleaned and reassembled expansion valve; replaced inlet and outlet seals, recharged system
1240 mi
I had the first service done and the check engine light kept coming on after the oil change. The car went back twice to the dealer to get the light to stay off. Still not sure if they overfilled the oil or if the sensor was wrong...
OEM battery replacement by owner and registered by Dealer to properly charge. Recall airbag replacement
33800 mi
Car wouldn't start, cranked briefly and then power flickered on/off for a minute. Jump start worked. Dealer diagnosed as bad battery. No prior warnings, although with original battery, car used to fast idle after start.
80000 mi
US $210
AC was blowing uncooled air. Leak test passed, AC recharged.
See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how
frequently 2011 BMW 3-Series problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.