2008 BMW 3-Series BMW 3-Series 2008

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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%)

Chart based on 908 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2008 BMW 3-Series.

2008 BMW 3-Series repair cost distribution

$2500+ (6%)

$1000 - $2499 (18%)

$500 - $999 (17%)

$100 - $499 (25%)

< $100 (34%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 492 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

Engine not specified

BMW 3-Series in Connecticut, United States
Nov 2011 - Dec 2011
Dec 2011

81000 mi
Waste gate rattle problem. Dealer replaced waste gates and provided free fix for faulty oxygen sensor. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
May 2009 - Jun 2011
Feb 2010

18300 mi
Experienced airbag failure light. Turns out the upper and lower driver side seatbelts had failed. They replaced both upper and lower belts and reset the indicator light. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Apr 2010 - Jun 2010
Jun 2010

21000 mi
Engine light went on -- loss of power. Hight Pressure Fuel Pump 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Apr 2014 - Aug 2014
Jul 2014

56200 mi

US $3700
Throttle Valves banks 1& 2 went bad thermostat open 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2011
Jun 2010

11000 mi
Car had stutter starts and then the stutters got worse so I brought it into the dealership. They updated the software. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Mar 2016 - Jan 2021
Mar 2018

89000 mi

US $1600
Replace gaskets Changed all fluids 
Oct 2018

93000 mi

US $300
Replace plugs and coil packs 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Aug 2014 - Sep 2015
Sep 2014

36000 mi
Replaced driver's seat motor; replaced rear seat back to resolve issue with cut seat belt; sealed/filled chip and crack in windshield 
Apr 2015

53000 mi
Replaced front right head light assembly due to turn signal malfunctioning and melting 
May 2015

53000 mi

US $277
Service engine soon light, and sputtering at low RPMs. Coil pack above cylinder 5 failed and was replaced. 
Jun 2015

53000 mi

US $600
Noticed a small/slow oil leak from front end of car. Front differential seal was leaking and was fixed. 
Jul 2015

53000 mi

US $1700
Issues starting car and stalling out as soon as it started, engine revving inconsistently, surging. Code for eccentric shaft sensor thrown. Rough idle, significant drop in mpg, sluggishness. Remaining coil packs were replaced as well as spark plugs to try to fix this issue, but it did not. 
Sep 2015

53000 mi
Rough idle, significant drop in mpg, sluggishness never fixed. 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Dec 2010 - Nov 2015
Sep 2011

30000 mi
Dealer ordered part; wrong part shipped. Waiting on correct part to come. 
Oct 2011

31000 mi
New nav discs couldn't be read; DVD drive replaced. Apparently not an uncommon problem, per dealer. 
Sep 2013

57000 mi

US $500
Tire Pressure Monitoring system failed Leaking gasket around oil filter Accessory belt tensioner not adjusted correctly 
Jan 2015

56300 mi

US $1120
Battery replacement in Nov 2013 done by AAA did not reset car computer to coordinate with new battery; so Nov '13 battery was failing. Needed new battery and reset of car to this fact. Windshield washer fluid leaking onto garage floor. 
BMW 3-Series in Nebraska, United States
Feb 2011 - Apr 2011
Apr 2011

20000 mi
Valve associated with gas tank had to be replaced. Second time for this. 
BMW 3-Series in Connecticut, United States
Aug 2011 - Jan 2020
Jun 2013

56000 mi

US $50
Bad O2 emission control sensor, covered and repaired under warranty 
Jan 2014

70700 mi

US $50
HVAC fan making noise, test revealed failed fan assembly. Replaced under CPO warranty 
Oct 2014

70300 mi

US $600
Sunroof seal leaking, excessive wind noise. Replaced seal and adjusted sunroof 
Jun 2015

76000 mi

US $400
Car would not start, dealer diagnosed failed battery. Replaced battery and coded to car, problem fully resolved. 
Jan 2017

72000 mi

US $2400
Replaced both rear shocks and mounting hardware Automatic tensioner for serpentine belt was failing, leaking oil onto belt. 
Apr 2018

105000 mi

US $2500
Oil seal failed, replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Mar 2014 - Sep 2014
Jun 2014

83000 mi

US $500
right rear wheel started making an audible "worbling" noise that increased with speed past 30 miles an hour, it steadily got worse over a few days. 
Jul 2014

85000 mi

US $400
No start condition; over a few days it became harder and harder to crank until it no longer starter. Ran codes which indicated a failed eccentric shaft sensor. Replaced myself. Annoying and lengthy job, not hard Replaced valve cover gasket. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Nov 2007 - Jan 2011
Nov 2010

50000 mi
Failed front axle - replaced under warranty after negotiation with BMW. Warranty had ended 200 miles earlier. 
BMW 3-Series in Washington, United States
Oct 2016 - Mar 2018
Jan 2017

98300 mi

US $100
subframe rust. Found salt deposits. Remediated. 
Feb 2017

100000 mi

US $40
Headlight washer leaking, replaced. 
Apr 2017

100000 mi

US $70
Steering wheel trim was peeling, replaced. 
Jun 2017

103000 mi

US $300
Replaced failing VVT eccentric shaft sensor.  Replaced leaking valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket (common gasket failures for the N52 engine). 
Sep 2017

104500 mi

US $400
replaced sway bar end links, tension strut, and lower control arm in effort to eliminate vibration at freeway speed. Old tension strut bearings did have some excess play in them. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Feb 2009 - Feb 2016
Mar 2010

16000 mi
sunroof not fully opening. error on dash 
May 2010

19000 mi
High Pressure Fuel Pump Replacement 
Jun 2012

55000 mi
oxygen sensor 
Jun 2014

78000 mi

US $1350
water pump and thermostat 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Jul 2008 - Jun 2011
Dec 2008

9000 mi
The brake pedal check valve was no longer holding vacuum. After the car would sit (turned off) for several hours, the brake pedal would become very firm. Check valve replaced under warranty. TSB exists for this problem (335's manufactured before 9/07). 
May 2009

22000 mi
The high pressure fuel pump failed, putting the car in limp mode. Towed to dealer and pump was replaced with new model. A recall was just issued on the HPFP.  
Feb 2010

42400 mi
The A/C bearing seized causing the accessory belt to shred. Dealer replaced A/C and all cranks/pulleys, along with accessory belt. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Jun 2010 - Aug 2013
Jul 2010

38000 mi
Rough idle when first started after not running overnight or during day in office. 
Oct 2010

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. 
Aug 2013

65000 mi

US $1200
gasket leaking 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Apr 2011 - Dec 2017
Aug 2011

45000 mi
Sunroof was making a noise when being put into the vent position. They replaced the "cassette", necessitating taking the headliner out. 
Sep 2014

87000 mi

US $1600
Cooling system: replaced thermostat, water pump and a couple of hoses. 
Aug 2015

97700 mi

US $820
Right headlamp went out. Had to be diagnosed (is it the bulb or the ignitor or the ballast). And you can't reach it easily, the wheel needs to be removed etc. The service engine soon light came on. Repair shop said there was an injection problem in cylinder 5. The spark plug was indeed fouled. But when they ran their test, the injector seemed ok. 
Apr 2016

103300 mi
Adaptive headlight malfunction. And Mass Airflow sensor. Adaptive headlights failed again, repair shop fixed it (more) permanently this time. They took it out removed condensation and coated it with some spray that won't let moisture in. 
Aug 2017

116000 mi

US $500
There was a leak in the oil filter housing - meaning oil leak. Was fixed/replaced by mechanic. 
Nov 2017

118000 mi

US $600
The check engine light was on. As well as the engine malfunction under accelerative load. The dealer replaced the map sensor, that temporarily got rid of the check engine light. But says, I need to replace two further parts (that tell the turbo what to do) to get rid of the engine malfunction issue (says it is NOT the HPFP and the turbos themselves are ok) 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Dec 2014 - May 2017
Jul 2015

92300 mi

US $5354
Repaired both leaking front struts. Repaired leaking oil pan; replaced spark plugs, air filter; serviced oil, brake fluid, microfilter; and adjust tires. Replaced headlight halo bulb. 
Nov 2016

100600 mi

US $2900
Valve cover gasket leaking. Removed and resealed valve cover with new updated oil filter cap. Oil level was very low when brought to the shop. Oil filter housing is leaking oil. Removed and resealed oil filter housing housing. Parts replaced: oil filter stand gas, oil cooler seal. Front thrust arm bushings were leaking. Removed and replaced both thrust arm bushings. Parts replaced: control arm bushings. 
BMW 3-Series in Alabama, United States
Mar 2015 - Jun 2015
Jun 2015

79000 mi

US $900
Valve cover gasket replacement 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Apr 2012 - Apr 2015
Jun 2014

43000 mi
AC evaporator was replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Oct 2008 - Sep 2011
Jul 2009

24180 mi
Fuel Pump, common problem on 335i with turbo engine. 
Sep 2010

40300 mi
Misfiring on cold start only, ran fine after it warmed up. Fuel injectors and low fuel pressure sensor were all replaced. Car runs like new again. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Jun 2013 - Oct 2014
Sep 2013

49000 mi
Replace turbo vacuum canisters 
Dec 2013

53000 mi

US $80
Water pump 
Oct 2014

67000 mi
Front struts needed to be replaced due to tire scalloping. Upgraded to BC Racing coilovers at all 4 corners. 
BMW 3-Series in Georgia, United States
Jan 2013 - Mar 2014
Sep 2013

68000 mi

US $100
Rubber seal on rear window by trunk lid was loose. 
Mar 2014

73000 mi

US $50
Rough idle when cold. Replaced fuel injectors and spark plugs. 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Feb 2010 - Feb 2013
Apr 2010

24000 mi
"Car stalled after a few starts and I felt as if power was fading. BMW said they could not duplicate the problem and the car drives fine now." 
Nov 2010

33000 mi
Car would sputter for a few minutes on cold mornings; on first trip BMW accredited to the infamous high pressure fuel pump without verifying and replaced that; second trip they found it was the fuel injection and spark plug wires + 1 plug 
Feb 2011

36000 mi
The engine would stutter in idle on cold starts. BMW said there were two recalls on the car: to update the software on the ECU and clean/adjust the fuel injectors to fix stutter. 
Aug 2011

41400 mi
Car was idling rough sometimes on start up but the local BMW dealer said they could not replicate the problem so no fix was provided. 
Dec 2012

54000 mi
Car has been back for rough idle two times before this trip. This time they cleaned the injectors. BMW NA paid for it. Car is running fine now. Also replaced side mirror motors due to faulty memory. Sideview mirrors were losing memory setting and were replaced. Trunk opens by itself but dealer could not duplicate problem. 
Feb 2013

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. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Apr 2017 - Mar 2024
May 2018

36200 mi

US $455
AC blower motor was making a whirring noise, usually accelerating or slowing down. Motor was replaced. While it was at Redline, the cabin air filter was replaced as well. 
Oct 2020

49000 mi

US $765
Replaced all 6 coils 
Jul 2021

54000 mi

US $1276
Water pump failed and needed replacement Also performed oil change 
Dec 2021

56000 mi

US $1100
Replace rear window regulator Replaced upper windshield trim 
Aug 2022

57000 mi

US $3197
Slight oil leak from the valve cover gasket. Valve cover and gasket were both replaced. Rear window gasket was sagging at bottom (noticeable only when trunk is open). Had a new gasket installed. 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Apr 2016 - Dec 2016
Apr 2016

82000 mi

US $50
Oil cooler 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
May 2008 - Mar 2010
Jun 2008

300 mi
Within 3 weeks of purchase check engine light came on three times: 1. No fault found, code reset car given back. 2. In 4 days light back on, dealer replaced fuel injector. 3. 5 days later light back on dealer replaced 2 additional fuel injectors. Failure of a fuel injector 
Jul 2008

500 mi
Failure of additional two fuel injectors 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Aug 2008 - Jun 2011
Aug 2009

23000 mi
Loss of engine power after acceleration. Vanos valve system repaired under warranty. No further problem. Known issue on tsb by BMW. 
Sep 2010

36000 mi
Traction control sensor replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Nov 2011 - Jun 2022
Feb 2012

41000 mi
Instrument cluster - oil temp gauge needle sticking and not displaying accurate temperature. Entire cluster was replaced under warranty. 
Mar 2012

41000 mi
Driver door entry panel came loose. Replaced clips 
Apr 2012

41200 mi
Intermittent misfires, poor gas mileage, engine code P2A87. Dealer replaced intake and exhaust Vanos solenoids. 
Oct 2012

43300 mi
Cigarette lighter/12v ports inoperable. Replaced junction box. Oil leak at filter housing. Replaced filter housing and gasket. Rear door lock actuators failed intermittently. Replaced both. Occasional coolant smell in cabin. Dealer checked cooling system and performed pressure test, could not replicate. 
Dec 2012

45000 mi

US $250
Occasional misfires. Cleaned intake valves via walnut shell blasting. 
Jul 2013

49000 mi

US $850
Water pump failed. Replaced water pump and thermostat. 
Feb 2014

54500 mi

US $150
High pressure fuel pump replaced under extended manufacturer warranty. Also replaced low pressure fuel sensor as a recommended precaution. 
Mar 2014

54000 mi

US $250
Leaking fuel injector cyl 5, misfires, SES light. Replaced injector 
Feb 2015

62000 mi
Catalytic converters below efficiency 
May 2015

62000 mi

US $150
Low battery charge dash light, despite battery holding a charge. Replaced battery anyway. Problem fixed. 
Sep 2015

63000 mi
Lean fuel conditions, misfire under load. R&R fuel injectors, cleaned injectors and replaced injector o rings, ran Techron fuel cleaner. Resolved. (Fixed myself) 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Nov 2010 - Sep 2017
May 2013

45200 mi

US $1560
Unspecified failure, needs new transmission. 
Nov 2015

59100 mi

US $1100
water pump failed 
Aug 2016

65000 mi

US $750
Engine light periodically comes on. Idle is rough, and unsteady on acceleration. Shop believes a coil or spark plug needs replacement, will also replace intake/exhaust valve solenoids. 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Sep 2010 - Sep 2014
Oct 2010

19000 mi
high pressure fuel pump replaced at 26,000 miles. Symptoms began with stuttering engine starts then check engine light came on. 
Jun 2011

29000 mi
rear driver seat belt malfunction 
Aug 2011

31300 mi
seatbelt malfunction, required replacement. second replacement. 
Jan 2014

31800 mi
seat belt failed and replaced 
Jun 2014

63000 mi

US $50
water pump failed. went into limp mode while on a trip. towed back to dealer. part ordered and replaced in a few days. 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Jun 2010 - Mar 2011
Oct 2010

19000 mi
High pressure fuel pump failure 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Sep 2009 - Jun 2011
Mar 2010

29000 mi
Brought the car in for service, and only issue I had was with a long crank in the morning, which they said was a software update. They kept the car for about 4 days and gave me a loaner car. (most people pay $25 per day for loaner) This is BMW Riverside 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jul 2011 - Mar 2014
Mar 2014

55000 mi

US $550
Motor for blower heat and AC was busted 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in Alabama, United States
Dec 2014 - Jan 2015
Jan 2015 issues with overall electrical system- occasional problems starting, lights intermittently not working. 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Jul 2014 - Sep 2014
Jul 2014

60000 mi
Cylinder misfire, needed new coil on cylinder #4. 
BMW 3-Series in Washington, United States
Mar 2014 - Mar 2014
Mar 2014

68000 mi

US $2400
Waterpump broke. Replaces including thermostat. 
BMW 3-Series in Ohio, United States
Jun 2008 - Aug 2021
Jun 2011

28000 mi
High Pressure Fuel Pump partial failure - car entered limp mode under hard acceleration. Dealer found three campaigns were open, including the HPFP, injectors, and software remap. HPFP replaced, 3 injectors replaced, software was remapped. 
Oct 2011

32000 mi
Intake manifold was fouled due to oil mist from turbo pumps. Problem resulted in mis-firing of cylinder 5 under hard acceleration. Solution was walnut shell blast. The dealer could not (or would not) diagnose this without repeated prompting 
Jun 2012

41000 mi
Door locks spontaneously unlock during left hand turns. Dealer didn't find any codes and didn't look any further. No help. 
May 2015

84000 mi

US $1100
Water pump failed. Water pump and thermostat replacement. 
Feb 2017

110000 mi
Ignition coils failed; replaced coils. 
Sep 2017

116000 mi

US $300
Turbo vacuum lines cracked and leaking. Replaced vacuum lines. A/C recharge needed due to leaking evaporator valve. Evaporator not replaced due to high labor expense. 
Nov 2017

119000 mi

US $1610
A high pressure oil seal was leaking. This leak also caused a leak in the water pump, requiring early replacement. Water pump had been replaced 35,000 miles and three years earlier. Water pump and thermostat were replaced due to leaking water pump. Water pump seal failed due to oil leaking on it (see previous repair). 
May 2018

127000 mi

US $2400
Leaking AC evaporator replaced; also replaced expansion valve and blower motor. 
BMW 3-Series in Indiana, United States
Sep 2012 - Sep 2014
Aug 2013

60700 mi

US $50
Failed water pump. 
May 2014

66600 mi

US $50
Dealer replaced #5 ignition coil. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Dec 2014 - Jul 2019
Mar 2015

119000 mi

US $1500
Water pump died and was replaced. 
Dec 2015

129000 mi

US $300
front control arm bushings worn 
Nov 2016

143600 mi

US $300
Changed ignition coils and spark plugs hoping it would clear up misfires. 
Dec 2016

145000 mi

US $1100
Replaced 6 fuel injectors, three had failed (repairs by owner, parts $1000 plus $100 for cable to code ECU). 
Mar 2018

164000 mi

US $80
Replaced upper coolant hose to head, leaking o ring at head flange 
Sep 2018

168000 mi

US $45
Oil leak due to failed valve cover gasket. Replaced gasket. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Sep 2010 - Dec 2013
Oct 2010

40000 mi
Failed high pressure fuel pump. 
Aug 2013

60800 mi

US $1000
Driver headlight would not illuminate. Required replacement of light control module. 
BMW 3-Series in Utah, United States
Sep 2011 - Jan 2012
Oct 2011

54000 mi
CEL on, loss of power. 1-6 fuel injectors replaced as well as 1-6 spark plugs. Fuel smell in the cabin. Fuel injector line torqued 
Nov 2011

55000 mi
high pressure fuel pump replaced 
Jan 2012

55000 mi
warning lights and message, transfer case failure 
BMW 3-Series in Alabama, United States
Feb 2016 - Sep 2016
Sep 2016

132000 mi

US $500
Replace the rear struts and strut mounts 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Aug 2010 - Dec 2011
Nov 2011

25600 mi
Engine failure light came on with some loss of performance. Bad solenoid. 
BMW 3-Series in Colorado, United States
Jul 2008 - Jun 2011
Mar 2010

36000 mi

US $350
Right rear wheel broke, not abuse or pothole. BMW tech said probably a flaw in the wheel and probably cracked long before it broke. 
Jun 2010

47000 mi
Engine trouble light came on, car went into limp mode. Dealer replaced exhaust / turbo vanous sensor, problem didn't go away. Still in shop. 
Sep 2010

50000 mi
Engine light came on, went into limp mode. Took to dealer with 2 miles left on 50,000 mile warranty. Turned out to be fouled plug in #5 due to bad fuel injectors. They replaced all plugs and injectors. 
BMW 3-Series in Utah, United States
Sep 2015 - Nov 2016
Apr 2016

71000 mi
Removed and lubricated ventilation blower motor 
Jul 2016

72300 mi

US $190
Recharged A/C 
Oct 2016

74000 mi

US $200
Replaced daytime running light 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Oct 2013 - Nov 2013
Nov 2013

51000 mi
High pressure fuel pump problem 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Wisconsin, United States
Sep 2010 - Jan 2022
Mar 2011

53000 mi
I noticed rough running at start up and the dealer replaced the fuel pump under recall. 
Jul 2015

101300 mi

US $1680
High pressure hose failure 
Dec 2016

113000 mi

US $2000
failure of tensioner on accessory belt 
Mar 2021

146000 mi

US $2100
Alternator was over charging. It was replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Mar 2011 - Mar 2013
May 2011

47000 mi
Coolant seals had a very slow leak. Covered under warranty during a recall repair. Coolant seals had a very slow leak. Covered under warranty during a recall repair. 
Jun 2012

60000 mi

US $50
Automatic door locks stopped working. Repair covered under extended warranty. 
Mar 2013

72000 mi

US $60
Burned out parking light required removal of front tires and wheel well panels. I did the repair myself, but it was a bit involved. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Sep 2008 - Oct 2011
Apr 2008

15000 mi
Master cylinder replaced under warranty 
Oct 2011

44000 mi
HPFP HPFP 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Sep 2011 - May 2013
Jun 2012

38000 mi
CEL came on while driving, lost all turbo power. Car restart cleared CEL & back to normal. Occurred several times. Managed to get error code one time while car was running: "camshaft over-retarded." Dealer blamed dirty VANOS and cleaned it. 
Aug 2012

38200 mi
CEL came on again a week after previous shop visit for same problem. Although this time fault code read low air pressure to turbo. Dealer found pinched vacuum line and replaced it. 
BMW 3-Series in Missouri, United States
Oct 2009 - May 2013
Nov 2009

22000 mi
Intake and all injectors had to be replaced. 
Mar 2010

27000 mi
stereo sounded horrible all of sudden 
Sep 2011

48000 mi
comfort access and bluetooth work intermittently 
Mar 2012

54000 mi

US $50
Failed water pump 
May 2013

67000 mi

US $50
bearing was replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Oct 2011 - Dec 2012
Nov 2011

35960 mi
Door actuators replaced under warranty. Could not open ANY doors, except the drivers door using the manual key, including the fuel filler door. Fixed under warranty. 
Dec 2011

36580 mi
dealership disconnected aftermarket heated rear seats, without consent or informing me, during prior repair. Dealer had to contact aftermarket supplier to reconnect. free of charge. 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Dec 2010 - Jan 2011
Jan 2011

34000 mi
HPFP (fuel pump) failure. Never noticed longer cranks. Car did have a subtle, very intermittent rough idle for a few months prior that never worsened leading up to the day it failed completely. 
BMW 3-Series in Colorado, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2018
Jun 2010

26000 mi
Rough/long starts in morning, occasional mis-fires while driving, 1 yellow check-engine light with reduced power (fine after re-start). Dealer reflashed and tested following morning. No problems since (30 days). 
Aug 2010

29000 mi
After dealership reflashed ECU in June 2010, Rough/long starts returned, occasional mis-fires while driving, then Service Engine Soon light stayed on continuously with reduced power. Dealer replaced 6 fuel injectors/spark plugs per BMW NA. After dealership reflashed ECU and later replaced 6 fuel injectors/spark plugs, rough/long starts returned with occasional misfires while driving, no warning lights but reduced power. Dealer replaced HP Fuel Pump with BMW NA approval. 
Dec 2011

42000 mi
Had 5 yellow check engine lights with reduced power at highway speeds/6th gear/low RPM. Car hesitated when accelerating in 5th or 6th. Dealer replaced 2 defective/collapsed vacuum hoses connected to turbo waste gates based on thrown code. 
Apr 2012

45500 mi
Experienced hesitation while accerating in 4-6th gear (6MT) between 2,000-3,000 RPM. No codes thrown. Dealer got permission from BMW NA to "walnut blast" the intake valves to remove carbron build-up -- fixed! Repair covered by warranty. 
Jul 2013

59300 mi

US $1274
Water pump failed at 58k, threw yellow temp code and then red temp code. Pulled over, turned off car, noticed fluid leaking. Flatbed to indie shop. Replaced water pump & thermostat. 
Sep 2013

61000 mi

US $1200
Slight engine hesitation past 6 months at 2,500 RPM under load, no codes, dealer & indie unable to diagose. Early Sept 2013, Service Engine Soon light at start up w/misfires. Dealer replaced all 6 fuel injectors w/new design. Resolved. 
Mar 2014

65000 mi
Experiencing yellow check engine light/low power. Dealer found fault for boost pressure and diagnosed high crankcase pressure. Recommend replacing valve cover to fix boost issue. Did not authorize repair due to high cost. 
Apr 2014

65500 mi

US $429
Dealer replaced valve cover due to boost issue caused by high crankcase pressure. Owner paid 50% of cost at warranty rate and BMW NA covered the other 50%.  Dealer then replaced both turbos under 8 year/82,000 mile turbo warranty. 
Oct 2014

70300 mi

US $100
Replaced leaking oil filter seals (2 total) and 6 related bolts/screws. Also, drained coolant and refilled with new. Drained engine oil and refilled with new oil and filter. Replaced cabin/HEPA micro filter. 
Sep 2015

78000 mi

US $240
Received yellow check engine light and reduced power. Scan showed fault code 002A87 (Exhaust Vanos variable cam control test, mechanical) and 003100 (Boost pressure control 2). Purchased/installed new intake & exhaust Vanos solenoids. 
Oct 2015

78300 mi

US $69
Started car and numerous warning lights appeared, windshield wipers turned on by themselves and engine temp light turned on after about 5 minutes. Dealer diagnosed bad battery and replaced. Then diagnosed bad alternator but declined work. After dealer installed new battery, they diagnosed bad alternator & quoted $1,200 to repair. Owner installed new IBS cable but didn't resolve 002E98 fault code. Installed new voltage regulator and problem resolved. Driver's side door would not unlock with key fob - had to use manual key to unlock door. Replaced 15amp fuse with 20amp and briefly resolved problem. Installed new lock actuator and problem resolved. 
Mar 2017

92550 mi

US $120
Replace vanos intake solenoid due to yellow check engine light and reduced power "limp" mode (fault codes 002A87 & 003100). 
Nov 2017

97400 mi

US $1634
Both front struts were leaking fluid and car's handling had degraded. Independent BMW shop installed two Bilstein B4 front struts (model 22-135032 & 22-135049) plus two front strut mounts and two front support arm bushings. Problem resolved. 
Feb 2018

99725 mi

US $1081
Car threw yellow and then red temperature warning lights. Independent BMW shop diagnosed bad water pump and installed new OEM water pump, thermostat and coolant. Problem resolved. 
Jun 2018

102000 mi

US $1600
Started car in morning, RPMs surged and engine started to stumble. Received yellow check engine light and fault codes 002B2C (high-pressure, plausibility, cold start) and 0029F2 (high-pressure fuel system, fuel pressure). Had car flat-bedded to BMW dealership and diagnosed bad high-pressure fuel pump. HPFP was only 3 months past BMW NA's 10 year/120K mile extended warranty but BMW NA would not cover cost. Authorized replacement and have decide to sell car. This is the car's second HPFP failure/replacement. Discovered significant coolant leak and replaced cracked expansion tank. 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2008 - Mar 2012
Nov 2011

50000 mi
ABS comes on randomly 
Dec 2011

51000 mi

US $400
Fuel Pump 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2008 - Jul 2018
May 2014

57000 mi

US $1200
Water pump failed and had to be replaced. Went into limp mode. 
Apr 2016

70500 mi

US $700
low fuel pressure sensor failure 
Jun 2016

72000 mi

US $450
crankshaft position indicator replaced 
Oct 2016

74200 mi
HDP fuel pump replaced under extended 10 y warranty 
Jul 2018

84000 mi

US $200
inspection 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Aug 2008 - Oct 2008
Sep 2008

4000 mi
High pressure fuel pump failure while driving. Also fuel hose became disconnected resulting in large (2-3 gallon) gasoline leak. Car died in the middle of the road and was towed. Fixed under warranty. Car had been in a week earlier for long cranks. 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Jun 2009 - Jun 2022
Jan 2010

10800 mi
High Pressure Fuel Pump failure which left the car inoperable on the side of the road. It had to be towed on a flat bed truck to local BMW dealership. Took 3 days for repairs and tests. 
Sep 2010

17000 mi
Faulty passenger air bag sensor. Replaced under warranty. TSB for new software for the High Pressure Fuel Pump. TSB for new software for airbag controller. 
Dec 2010

18000 mi
Passenger air bag detection sensor was replaced due to intermittent problem.  
Jun 2012

29000 mi

US $105
Intake Vanos solenoid was sticking intermittently. Common problem. Purchased OEM part and repaired it myself. Problem solved. 
Feb 2013

32900 mi

US $150
Replaced fuel injector (older part number) with brand new injector. Recoded ECU with new injector parameters. All repairs performed by owner at owner garage. 
Sep 2013

36000 mi

US $51
Ignition coil went bad. Self replaced with new part. 
Oct 2013

36300 mi

US $180
Fuel injector replacement. BMW released generation 2 injectors and I needed to swap one out. 
Jun 2014

40000 mi

US $75
Oil cooler gasket needed replacement due to a minor leak. 
Oct 2014

42000 mi

US $700
Fuel injector bolt snapped during racing on track damaging 2 injectors. Replaced two fuel injectors 
Apr 2021

65000 mi

US $200
Valve cover gasket replacement 
BMW 3-Series in Oregon, United States
Dec 2007 - Jun 2011
Jul 2010

20000 mi
Check engine light, and injectors needed to be replaced(all 6 were replaced even though only 1 was found to be "sticky") 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
May 2008 - Mar 2010
Oct 2008

6000 mi
Fuel Pump - known problem with 335i BMWs. 
BMW 3-Series in Alabama, United States
May 2018 - Jun 2019
Jun 2018

128967 mi

US $400
Car was experiencing severe misfires on hard acceleration. Warning light would come on at anything over 4,000 rpm. Engine codes suggested fuel pump failure. Also experienced hard starting problems on first crank of each day (cold engine). Multiple times the car would start and then instantly die. Car totally stalled at least twice at traffic stops. I was able to re-crank and drive, but it ran very rough. Replaced the high pressure fuel pump with new unit. 
Oct 2018

134033 mi

US $207
Car was cranking slowly and battery was not holding charge. Replaced battery. 
Feb 2019

138196 mi

US $345
Brake warning lights were coming on routinely. ABS and traction control stopped working. Error codes were 5DF0 and 5DF1. Replaced ABS Module with rebuilt unit from Module Masters. 
Jun 2019

141748 mi

US $283
Car was misfiring and hesitating on heavy load acceleration. Common issue is carbon deposits on intake ports. Solution is manual cleaning by removing intake manifold and scraping/blasting each intake port. Also replaced all intake manifold gaskets and charge air inlet tube. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2020 - Jun 2022
Nov 2021

150998 mi

US $1830
pulley replaced valve cover gasket & oil filter housing gasket replaced trunk would open only intermittently 
Dec 2021

151353 mi

US $82
Low oil pressure warning light on, oil pressure sensor replaced 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
May 2015 - Nov 2017
Sep 2015

37000 mi
High pressure fuel pump failed...this is now the car's 3rd unit in less than 40,000 miles. Nice job BMW! Thankfully, BMW covered it completely under an extended warranty. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Aug 2011 - Mar 2016
Sep 2012

46000 mi
Replace steering wheel plastic trim (was peeling) 
Oct 2013

60700 mi

US $50
Misfiring and rough running. All 6 fuel injectors were replaced under (CPO) warranty. 
Apr 2014

66800 mi

US $50
Service engine light was on. Dealer replaced gas tank vent valve. Cost $50 deductible (was a warranty repair) Oil filter housing gasket leak and oil pan leak. 
Jul 2014

70300 mi

US $60
Passenger side xenon headlight needed adjustment. Leveling motor appears to not be working. Still needs to go back for more work on that light (either a repair or possible complete light assembly replacement) 
Aug 2014

71000 mi
Xenon headlight leveling system didn't work. Entire headlight assembly was replaced. 
Oct 2015

82500 mi

US $1220
Electric water pump failed suddenly while on the highway. Car couldn't be driven, so was flat bedded to closest dealer. Water pump was ordered, installed, & I picked the car up 3 days later. Dealer provided me a loaner. 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jul 2011 - Sep 2013
Sep 2011

38000 mi
all lights came up 
Dec 2011

42000 mi
maintenance replacement of one spark plug 
Feb 2013

62000 mi

US $1300
modulator unit 
BMW 3-Series in Nevada, United States
Apr 2012 - Feb 2013
Dec 2012

73000 mi

US $460
Stuttering really bad when cold, could smell fuel, unburnt fuel in exhaust. Misfire Codes on cyl 4,5,&6. Replaced fuel injectors on cyl. 4,5,&6. Oil Weeping from front top of motor near oil filter housing. Replaced gasket on oil filter housing. Oil weeping around inside of valve cover near spark plug wells. Removed and replaced valve cover gasket. 
Jan 2013

73000 mi

US $600
Coolant leak from hose with bad o-ring and a broken coolant tank vent screw. Leaking oil from head gaset on the driver side. Very small weep but still annoying. Speculating that it could be a stretched or broken head bolt. Replacing all heads bolts first, in hopes it fixes leak. If not head gasket is bad. 
BMW 3-Series in North Dakota, United States
Jun 2008 - Mar 2011
Oct 2008

9000 mi
High Pressure Fuel Pump went out on me and the car was undriveable. Had to have it towed to Motorwerks BMW in MSP 5 hours away, where they took 4 days to complete the repair before it was returned to me.  
Mar 2009

17000 mi
Speaker on driver side rear door was rattling. Took it in, they replaced it, noticed the noise 2 days later that came up again. (Later went away on its own. Always in and out, possibly just type of music being listened to.) 
Sep 2009

26000 mi
Check Engine Light came on twice, but after an engine restart, it went away. Then, cold starts started taking longer and longer to turn over. High Pressure Fuel Pump was replaced for a second time. 
Jul 2010

35000 mi
High Pressure Fuel Sensor had to be replaced in late July and after getting the car back and not being driven for a week, the car takes longer than normal start ups and white smoke is pouring out of the mufflers. Cause still to be determined 
Aug 2010

36200 mi
Entire Fuel system was replaced. Fuel injectors, low pressure fuel sensor, high pressure fuel pump and valves were cleaned. 
BMW 3-Series in British Columbia, Canada
Jul 2010 - Jan 2012
Aug 2010

29140 mi
Car shook when idling at a red light. Also the fuel pump was making a different sound than normal - suggested to service advisor that it may be the high pressure fuel pump (the most common problem on the 335). They found no problem. 
Sep 2010

29760 mi
Confirmed the problem was the high pressure fuel pump and changed it Smelled oil burning from engine and noticed some smoke coming out of hood. Huge oil leak on garage floor. Brought to dealer and they said valve broken and needs to be replaced. Fixed valve but car now the computer (dme) is dead 
Jan 2012 4x4 ABS sensor warning lights came on and could feel the traction slipping. 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2010 - Jun 2011
Feb 2010

23000 mi
High Pressure Fuel Pump failed after only 2,000 miles. 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Oct 2011 - Feb 2016
Dec 2011

47120 mi
broken cup-holder, passenger side; both cup-holders were replaced with re-designed ones under warranty cold engine rough when ambient temps drop below freezing; all 6 fuel injectors replaced under voluntary recall 
Mar 2012

48980 mi
paint was starting to peel on gear shift knob 
Jul 2012

52700 mi

C $565
CV boot was cracked & had to be replaced 
Oct 2013

60960 mi

C $700
Steering was binding on some turns. Replaced steering column lower joint assembly. 
Dec 2013

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. 
Dec 2014

69440 mi

C $1343
Electric water pump failed 
Jun 2015

72540 mi

C $750
Leaking oil 
Dec 2015

76260 mi
replaced tie rods, ball joints, bushings, control arms (everything, both sides); 4-wheel alignment 
Feb 2016

76260 mi

C $1073
significant engine oil leak at filter housing 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Mar 2008 - Aug 2011
Nov 2009

26660 mi
Drivers mirror would move to random positions when started car. Speedometer off by 6% (too low) - told BMW designed that way. 
Sep 2010

37820 mi
HPFP Died. Did complete reflash but ran only 20 minutes before stalling and long starts 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 194hp 3.0L I6 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Germany
Jun 2015 - Dec 2015
Nov 2015

65720 mi

€600
Exhaust Gas Cooler cracked and leaked coolant. Replaced and refilled with fresh coolant. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 174hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Germany
May 2015 - Mar 2019
Sep 2016

99200 mi

€2750
Power Steering motor failed. Private garage could not repair, because computer codes are only available to BMW dealer 
Jan 2017

96880 mi

€500
Rear windshield wiper motor failed.  Screen covering cargo area broke. Replaced Rear Wiper Motor. 
Mar 2017

104160 mi

€350
The BMW "I Drive", this multi-position knob on the center console would not react when I pushed down on it. Pushing on the knob is the "enter" button, so without this function you cannot change dozens of functions. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 7-speed automated manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in South Africa
Nov 2015 - Nov 2017
Aug 2016

81220 mi

R 110
Drivetrain clicking on load reversal. Found to be worn splines. Decided to live with clicking as informed that it will not fail in the short term. Remedy, replace driveshaft and C.V. joint. 
Apr 2017

84816 mi

R 750
Throttle actuator caused faults and limp mode. Figured out the actuators were the issue with a code reader, then removed the actuators myself and sent them to Jason at Rebuild.org.uk. He refurbished them and then returned them. I then installed them again. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Rhode Island, United States
May 2012 - Dec 2012
May 2012

34000 mi
Passenger side headlight out. 
Dec 2012

36000 mi

US $50
Engine throttle valve sensor. Christmastree of warning lights on startup; DSC, DTC, DBC, CEL, engine in limp mode. Replaced under CPO, 
BMW 3-Series in Georgia, United States
Feb 2011 - Mar 2012
Dec 2011

28000 mi
Battery wasn't fully charging due to faulty ground cable. Cable and battery were replaced under factory warranty Two interior trim pieces were broken/deteriorating and were replaced under factory warranty 
BMW 3-Series in District of Columbia, United States
Feb 2012 - Nov 2012
Mar 2012

32000 mi
Fuel sensor was broken 
Jul 2012

36000 mi

US $1100
The throttle valve actuator had to be replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Colorado, United States
Apr 2010 - Jun 2011
Jul 2010

35000 mi
Oil level sensor replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Aug 2011 - Jun 2022
Oct 2011

27680 mi

C $160
Dash rattle, was not solved. 
Apr 2013

36880 mi
Blown door lock fuse, fixed with supplied spare fuse. 
Oct 2013

41740 mi

C $150
Emissions air pump hose and sensor faulty, OBDII codes 2430 and 2432. Hose replaced. 
May 2020

63860 mi

C $500
Right bank throttle actuator replacement 
Jul 2021

63860 mi

C $150
Replacement of primary oxygen sensors following exhaust system modification. Likely a self-inflicted (I made the modification) issue. 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2011 - Sep 2012
Sep 2012

68200 mi
Wheel bearing. 
BMW 3-Series in Colorado, United States
Nov 2008 - Nov 2011
Dec 2008

6100 mi
Warranty Repair - driver mirror adjustment 
Apr 2009

8777 mi
Warranty Repair - Replace Differential seals, fluid 
Nov 2009

15000 mi
Warranty Repair - Replace O2 sensor 
Dec 2009

15500 mi
Warranty Repair - Secondary MAF sensor replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Quebec, Canada
Dec 2009 - Mar 2014
Sep 2010

24800 mi
Rack and pinion unit replaced. 
Jun 2011

29760 mi

C $60
Heat shield on left exhaust was loose. Welds were broken. Heatshield was clamped. Left front suspension metallic noise over low speed bumps. Problem replicated with mechanic, no source of problem detected. 
Jun 2012

35960 mi
Both front bearings needed replacement. 
Dec 2012

39680 mi

C $800
Front door locking actuators replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Feb 2014 - Dec 2015
Aug 2014

51400 mi

US $300
Gasket worn out, causing exhaust leak at exit of manifold. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2012 - Apr 2017
Sep 2014

63000 mi

US $150
Driver side passenger window regulator failed 
Nov 2015

70000 mi
Throttle valve controller - considered part of emissions equipment. 
May 2016

74000 mi

US $90
fuel pressure regulator needed replacement 
Oct 2016

78000 mi

US $115
Right rear window regulator 
Jan 2017

62700 mi

US $3500
Thermostat replaced Idle control valve replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Jan 2009 - Jun 2017
Apr 2010

9000 mi
Rear side window sunshade replaced after disappearing into door. 
Jul 2010

10000 mi
Electric door lock system failed. Drivers door operated manually - all others locked shut and inoperable from inside or outside. Relays, actuators, etc. replaced under warranty. 
Mar 2011

12000 mi
Intermittent chattering relay in locking system reappeared. Locking system failed once before after intermittent chattering for a while. 
Mar 2012

18000 mi

US $400
Brought in for routine maintenance. Diagnosed weak battery from such low mileage - replaced at owner expense. Oil change and other maintenance at no charge. 
Oct 2012

22300 mi
Passenger side "halo light" burned out. Replaced under warranty. 
Apr 2014

33300 mi

US $900
Service engine light led to increased emissions info. Throttle actuator and switch on bank one defective. BMWNA helped subsidize (50%) the repair. 
Aug 2014

36400 mi
Check engine light and increased emissions lights again. This time it was a loose wire on a sensor. Dealer repaired at no charge. 
Jan 2017

56000 mi
Got error messages - two separate times - saying battery discharge while parked - and had to reset clock and date. Dealer ran tests and kept overnight and could not recreate the problem. 
Jun 2017

58000 mi

US $1000
A/C fail. Diagnosed as main hose leak. Parts ordered, installed, recharged, and tested. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Jan 2010 - Apr 2018
Mar 2010

30000 mi
Rear side window shade tore Differential made grinding noise when making slow speed turns after the dealer replaced the differential fluid as part of regular maintenance. Problem solved when dealer changed differential fluid again. 
Apr 2011

47000 mi
Right front headlight was not working iDrive knob fell off. 
Jun 2011

47000 mi
molding on driver's door worn all the way through (repaired under warranty) grinding noise from differential when making turns at slow speed left front speaker on pillar making intermittent crackly sounds  
Mar 2012

58000 mi
Engine started making loud whining noises at low RPMS, between 1000-2000. The noise was based on engine speed and not vehicle speed. Dealer couldn't reproduce the problem, nothing was done. 
May 2012

59300 mi

US $75
Cracked ignition coils on #1 and 2 cylinders. 
May 2013

65000 mi

US $8
Low pressure fuel sensor Loud squealing noise when engine started cold. 
Jan 2014

64300 mi

US $350
Leaking valve cover gasket Drive belt pulley 
Dec 2014

80000 mi

US $7200
Idle actuator Thermostat Leaking differential seal Leaking timing cover gasket Wheel bearing 
Dec 2015

83000 mi

US $425
Dead battery 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Nov 2009 - Sep 2016
Jul 2011

31000 mi
Central locking stopped working. Cause was a bad door lock actuator, which caused the fuse for central locking to blow. The bad actuator and the fuse was replaced.  
Aug 2015

63100 mi

US $50
Bad thermostat. 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Sep 2014 - Jun 2016
Dec 2014

45260 mi
Throttle Body failure. Requires replacement. 
May 2015

46980 mi

C $600
O2 sensor (emissions system) 
Sep 2015

49600 mi

C $3000
Both Throttle Value Actuators replaced due to premature wear / failure. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2014 - Dec 2015
Dec 2015

87000 mi
Motor seized. Too expensive to repair. Will be getting a new motor and turning into a track car. 
BMW 3-Series in Georgia, United States
Jul 2011 - Jan 2015
Aug 2011

37000 mi
Angel eyes bulb burned out. 
Dec 2013

66000 mi

US $1400
Alternator died and took battery with it. new alternator hand carried to US from the fatherland. took forever. 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Jul 2013 - Jul 2022
Aug 2013

49200 mi

US $330
right rear sensor failure 
Nov 2014

66300 mi

US $650
Oxygen sensor replaced, front left and right 
Dec 2014

65000 mi

US $600
Windshield washer fluid leaking to garage floor. Windshield washer and headlamp washer pump was replaced. 
Sep 2015

79000 mi

US $1800
Throttle body failure. Car went into limp mode. Max 1500 rpm & 20 mph. 
Sep 2016

94000 mi

US $1300
thermostat failed, replaced water pump as a preventive measure 
Apr 2021

130000 mi

US $1800
Drive shaft vibration. Drive shaft replaced 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2011
Jan 2010

10000 mi
Rear seat stitching separation at seat back and backrest seam. 
BMW 3-Series in Rhode Island, United States
Jun 2012 - Jun 2013
Mar 2013

38000 mi

US $50
Throttle valve 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Mar 2010 - Oct 2011
Nov 2010

21700 mi
Rear axle differential fluid changed to one with less viscosity - groaning noise from rear at low speed while turning. Navigation system stopped functioning 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Jul 2012 - Aug 2013
Feb 2013

29900 mi

US $300
TPMS replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Feb 2009 - Apr 2011
Aug 2010

40000 mi
Power Mirror memory module failed. Motor and controller replaced; computer reprogrammed.  
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2008 - Jan 2017
Jul 2013

40500 mi

US $50
Car failed to shift to sport mode. Shift assembly and wire harness replaced. Bent sliders broken. Known issue. Cup holders jammed 
Oct 2014

54000 mi

US $200
Shift interlock solenoid failed. 
Jan 2015

36000 mi

US $100
Rear window regulators failed on both LHS and RHS. 
Dec 2016

60000 mi

US $2000
Automatic chuffed assembly needed to be replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Apr 2013 - Jan 2015
Jun 2013

71000 mi

US $400
Main battery replacement. A recall item was taken care of during this visit. 
Aug 2013

71800 mi

US $75
Left rear window regulator failure . . . guess the Jeep Liberty regulator problem followed me to the 328! 
Sep 2013

72000 mi

US $300
Idler pulley replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Jun 2008 - Feb 2013
Aug 2010

30000 mi
Had the ticking noise coming from the lifters that many people with the N52 have. Dealer replaced lifters and sound hasn't returned. 
Aug 2011

46000 mi
Air Conditioner wasn't blowing out cold air. Dealer found leaky hose and replaced air conditioner components. Full functionality restored. Trunk release actuator stopped working and trunk would not open. Dealer replaced trunk release pad and functionality restored. 
Nov 2012

69500 mi

US $2800
AC evaporator developed a leak. Dash needed to be removed in order to replace. 
BMW 3-Series in Alabama, United States
Apr 2011 - Aug 2019
Mar 2014

61000 mi

US $50
Replaced thermostat 
May 2015

68000 mi

US $275
Replace ignition coils 
Feb 2016

71600 mi

US $1100
Head gasket and oil filter gasket 
Jan 2017

72300 mi

US $313
Repair passenger door pull and door lock mechanism 
Sep 2017

82000 mi

US $350
Driver door lock assembly 
BMW 3-Series in Colorado, United States
Nov 2021 - Dec 2022
Jan 2022

143000 mi

US $250
replace fuel filter 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
May 2010 - Jun 2018
Jan 2010

14000 mi
Replaced mirror housing. Driver's side mirror kept adjusting itself to full downward position. 
Dec 2010

40000 mi
Stereo made buzzing sound, and intermittently did not work. Dealer replaced a connector and did something to the software. 
Apr 2011

44000 mi
Steering vector electronic device went bad. They replaced the device under warranty. 
Sep 2011

55000 mi
AC condensor developed mildew. They applied some treatment they said would work. The smell went away for a while, but has since come back a little. 
Apr 2013

78500 mi

US $450
Tensioner and pulley broke; replaced, and also replaced belt. 
Jun 2013

81000 mi

US $650
Front control arm bushings were bad. Replaced them. Now car rides like new again. 
Sep 2014

106000 mi

US $135
Airbag and seatbelt warning lights were active. 
Dec 2015

122000 mi

US $125
Head gasket replacement. $1000 at the shop, but I did it in a day at home. 
Jun 2016

125000 mi

US $150
Rough idle, funky radio readout, then failure to start. Turns out battery and alternator were toast. Shop changed battery. When problem reappeared, I changed alternator. Will report as two repairs. Rough idle, funky radio readout, then failure to start. Turns out battery and alternator were toast. Shop changed battery. When problem reappeared, I changed alternator w/ salvage part. Will report as two repairs. 
Dec 2016

127000 mi

US $700
ABS module failed. Cost to replace is 3500. Instead, removed unit and sent to Module Masters. Then I replaced, towed to a shop, and had them flush the system and reprogram. Car was out of commission for a while while module got repaired. 
Mar 2017

131000 mi

US $200
Starter failed. I bought an off-brand starter and replaced myself in two afternoons. Starter is located under and behind intake manifold, thus it is very difficult to reach. 
Jun 2018

140000 mi

US $400
Valve cover failed, causing oil filter housing gasket to fail. I replaced the valve cover and the oil filter housing gasket. This took me a whole day and a few hundred in parts; the dealer quoted me nearly $3k. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Sep 2013 - Dec 2013
Sep 2013

101000 mi

US $400
Combination Brake, ABS, and DTC lights come on & car drives poorly until I manually disable system. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2007 - Jun 2011
Jul 2008

16000 mi
Window sun shade replaced. 
Dec 2008

28000 mi
Replaced rear side window sun screen. 
Mar 2009

33000 mi
Replaced driver door mid-range speaker. 
Sep 2010

71000 mi

US $1200
New TCU module installed. New battery installed. 
BMW 3-Series in Oregon, United States
Nov 2010 - Aug 2016
Aug 2011

20000 mi
Replaced dim radio display Replaced noisy lifters Seat Belt sticky - replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Nov 2010 - Jul 2018
Feb 2014

83900 mi

US $4250
rattle new battery 
Mar 2015

95000 mi

US $600
heater blower motor no start, replace battery 
Jan 2018

123000 mi

US $750
grounding strap corroded Idler pulley cracked causing loud belt noise 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2010 - Dec 2015
Mar 2011

42000 mi
Power door lock failed 
Nov 2013

91600 mi
Problem w/ wiring caused failure of car. Quit running and would not restart. Was covered under recall. 
Aug 2015

120400 mi

US $400
leaky gasket 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Aug 2010 - Sep 2014
Jan 2011

39700 mi
Noisy lifters. Replaced. 
Mar 2012

46000 mi
continued to have ticking noise. Dealer replaced HEAD. Subsequently, check engine light came on, and they replaced some injector. 
Jul 2013

64300 mi

US $200
Ac not blowing very cold. Recharged. 
Nov 2013

67400 mi

US $1500
Check engine light came on repeatedly. Some pulley needed replacement as well as belt. Sensor replaced. Battery replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Indiana, United States
Sep 2010 - Jan 2012
Dec 2011

47000 mi
Reprogrammed transmission to improve shifting at low speeds Knocking sound from lifters 
BMW 3-Series in Missouri, United States
Jun 2014 - Sep 2016
Jun 2015

88000 mi

US $50
Low on freon 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
May 2008 - Mar 2010
Jun 2008

1000 mi
Delay in throttle response when accelerating from a complete stop; while driving under 30 mph, stepped on the gas but the car didn't accelerate even though the engine revved all the way up. Warning light came on; happened twice within 20 minutes. 
Aug 2008

5000 mi
down shift not in sync with throttle response; car does not glide smoothly to a complete stop 
BMW 3-Series in Alaska, United States
Apr 2017 - Jun 2022
Feb 2017 Control arms. Front rotors (warranty). 
Nov 2017

132000 mi

US $325
front rotors replaced under warranty for the 3nd time (Brembo, Zimmerman). This finally fixed the front rotors from warping. We replaced front left caliper along with the front rotors (at 154K km we had changed the front right caliper). 
Feb 2018

134000 mi
Airbag finally became available for the car. 
Oct 2021

163000 mi

US $1105
EMIL light on, rough idle, stalls at rest when car is at operating temp. Replaced both O2 sensors. ABS and Trac Control light on. The ABS, Trac Control, TPMS and Cruise control were not working. Adjusted driveshaft ABS/Trac sensor and replaced left rear ABS sensor. 
BMW 3-Series in British Columbia, Canada
Mar 2012 - May 2013
Oct 2012

54560 mi
leaking valve cover gasket 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
May 2017 - Mar 2018
Jun 2017

93000 mi

US $1000
Thermostat was broken. 
Mar 2018

102000 mi

US $1420
Crankshaft position sensor broke, engine light came in and engine stopped while running. 3 days after the sensor repair the coolant pump failed, the engine overheated and the car stalled. I have to tow it to the dealer this time, and they fixe the pump ($1,420 total cost). After picking the car up, I drove it for 2 days, and the "Service Engine" light came up. I drove for 3 more days with that light on and it finally turned itself off. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Aug 2017 - Sep 2017
Sep 2017

66000 mi

US $300
oil pan leak. replaced gasket and aluminum bolts 
BMW 3-Series in Michigan, United States
Jun 2017 - Nov 2021
Feb 2018

98000 mi

US $900
Starter failure 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Nov 2008 - Mar 2017
Sep 2008

32377 mi

US $411
A/C was not producing cold air and dealer diagnosed issue to leaking evaporator. Replaced evaporator and recharged refrigerant. Dealer reported during inspection that belt tensioner was separating. Replaced tensioner and belt. 
Dec 2014

35000 mi
Creak from front of car in cold weather when driving over speed bump. Dealer diagnosed as failing control arm bushing and replaced. 
Jun 2015

39000 mi

US $575
Performed valve cover gasket replacement due to small leak around edge. 
Dec 2015

42000 mi

US $180
Steering wheel feels loose and sometimes creaks when cold in the morning. Took car in for wheel alignment, deal inspected and did not find any issues. Will continue to monitor. 
Mar 2016

44000 mi

US $600
Oil level / condition sensor was showing fault in Bavarian Technic no warning light. Dealer replaced sensor. 
Dec 2016

51000 mi

US $781
Gas smell inside vehicle. Shop saw leak around fuel filter/regulator on passenger side. Recommended replace both fuel pump and regulator/filter assemblies. 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2014 - Aug 2015
Feb 2014

95000 mi

US $900
Replace failed eccentric shaft sensor 
Dec 2014

115000 mi

US $150
Oil pan gasket leak 
Apr 2015

123000 mi

US $250
Transfer Case has a leak 
May 2015

123000 mi

US $50
Right rear window regulator failed Window Regulator needed to be replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Wyoming, United States
Nov 2016 - Apr 2017
Feb 2017

57000 mi

US $670
Original battery needed replaced and registered. Had an alignment performed. 
BMW 3-Series in New Jersey, United States
Jun 2011 - Jun 2018
Apr 2014

59000 mi

US $2400
Owner noticed a drive belt squeek. Dealership investigated and noticed that the tensioner spring for the drive belt had bent, so the drive belt was rubbing against the engine. The entire tensioner and belt was replaced. 
Oct 2014

61300 mi

US $1200
All inner and outer tie rods replaced as they were seized. Alignment performed. 
Apr 2017

72000 mi

US $1600
Cracked coolant expansion tank Valve cover gasket had to be replaced. 
Aug 2017

74000 mi

US $1200
Tune up: replaced spark plugs, cleaned fuel system. 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2008 - Mar 2013
Jul 2008

620 mi
License plates brackets vibrates annoyingly. Engine is slightly lumpy at idle, but the engine runs fine while cruising or accelerating. Drive by wire throttle input requires slightly heavy foot to get the car moving off the line. When the car does decide to move forward, it pulls a bit hard. Smooth start off the line is impossible to achieve. No problems while cruising though. 
Oct 2008

1860 mi
Noticed valve-ticking noise for a few weeks and then disappeared. Didn't bother going to dealer since according to BMW service advisers, this is "normal"... this according to experiences of others in BMW forums. 
Feb 2009

3100 mi
Problem originally occurred 3 mos. after possession but gradually getting worse, albeit very slowly. Very slight steering wheel play and a mild noticeable "thud" felt on the steering wheel when turning. 
Mar 2009

3100 mi
Same problem last month - Problem originally occurred 3 mos. after possession but gradually getting worse, albeit very slowly. Very slight steering wheel play and a mild noticeable "thud" felt on the steering wheel when turning. 
Aug 2009

4960 mi
- annual maintenance - steering "knock"; could not replicate; no repair done 
Jul 2010

9300 mi
same minor issue with steering. feels like something is loose when turning the wheel esp. on cold starts. dealer says within tolerance. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2010 - Sep 2014
May 2010

39000 mi
Driver side window chatters due to misaligned gasket. Fuel plug needed replacement was hard to remove and insert  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) 
Feb 2011

48000 mi
Replaced all hydraulic valve lifters on intake and exhaust side of head. They were making ticking sounds and getting loud at times. BMW has a new part and so far engine is not ticking after the repair. Replaced all hydraulic valve lifters on intake and exhaust side of head. They were making ticking sounds and getting loud at times. BMW has a new part and so far engine is not ticking after the repair. Warranty repair my cost $0 
Dec 2012

66000 mi

US $50
Check Engine light came on. Code was related to the ozone sensor on the radiator. The dealer had to reprogram the car computer with the latest firmware. This cleared the fault. 
Jan 2014

68400 mi
Was getting hesitation and miss-fires. Changed the spark plugs which seemed to resolve the problem. 
Jul 2014

76000 mi

US $1400
The motor mount bolts failed when I was going over a small bump in the road. I did not notice and this led to me breaking the half axle over another bump in the road. I had the dealer replace the motor mount and an indi do the half axle 
BMW 3-Series in Alberta, Canada
Nov 2009 - Sep 2011
Sep 2009

9300 mi
rattly noise from engine - not repaired, but changed oil. Was told this was normal for this model year and engine ... 
Jun 2010

15500 mi
Rattly noise from engine (sounds like a deisel truck). This time dealer said the valve lifter solenoids had failed and were replaced under warrnty 
Jul 2011

26660 mi
Transmission hesitating and shifting rough. BMW claims the tran 'learning' software was confused/corrupted. Had to be cleared, updated from Toronto and then 'relearned the basics.' 3 days later got car back and seems OK. 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
May 2011 - Dec 2017
Jun 2013

62000 mi
Bulb failure warning light 
Dec 2013

69000 mi
Valve cover leaking oil 
Jun 2014

76000 mi
leaking valve cover gasket and eccentric shaft sensor 
Dec 2016

111000 mi

US $200
Leaking oil filter housing gasket 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Nov 2007 - Jun 2011
Dec 2009

11000 mi
Fog light bulb replaced. Leaky tire valve was fixed. 
BMW 3-Series in New Mexico, United States
Jan 2010 - Jun 2014
Jan 2012

37200 mi
Thought it was just a front blinker bulb, but turned out to be a short circuit that required replacement of entire headlamp 
Oct 2013

60200 mi

US $400
Comfort access key fob does not lock or unlock doors. Need a replacement and then must program it for comfort featture (unlock doors by just touching handle and no need to put key into ignition). 
Dec 2013

61000 mi

US $872
Right front blinker went out. Swapped bulb, but that did not fix problem. Socket was smokey. Took car to dealer, who said that entire headlamp assembly had to be replaced. Shocking! 
Apr 2014

62200 mi

US $600
Windshield washer Pump failed 
BMW 3-Series in Connecticut, United States
Feb 2009 - Sep 2015
Sep 2015

72000 mi

US $730
Tire pressure sensor replacement 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Apr 2009 - Jun 2011
Mar 2010

23000 mi
exhaust valve lifters 
BMW 3-Series in Michigan, United States
Dec 2016 - Apr 2017
Mar 2017

79000 mi

US $200
New battery installed 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2011 - Jul 2013
Jun 2011

27000 mi
Both mirror motors replaced under original warranty. Both mirrors would not retain memory. 
Mar 2012

37000 mi

US $114
Thermostat was bad. Radiator fan kept coming on and stayin on. BMW usa agreed to pay 1/3, dealer paid 1/3 and I paid remaining balance. I argued this was a defective part for this positive outcome. (part failed at only 36,500 miles). 
Apr 2013

53500 mi
shock absorber spacers left in and damage to the dust boots resulted. 
Jul 2013

56000 mi

US $1700
Complete failure of DSC (ABS pump and electronic control module) assembly. Dash lights were on (brake, dsc, abs - all yellow) 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Jun 2008 - Oct 2017
Jan 2012

31000 mi
Service Engine Soon light came on, software update 
BMW 3-Series in Ohio, United States
Jul 2012 - Dec 2015
Nov 2015

78000 mi

US $200
Engine ECU needed updating to clear CELs 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in New Hampshire, United States
Aug 2013 - Sep 2016
Apr 2014

42800 mi

US $560
Small plastic tabs that hold 5 cent headlamp bulb retainer clip was broken off in light bucket. Replaced light assembly. Without it bulb rattles in housing and filament breaks. Poor design, very easy to move retainer clip past its range of motion. 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Sep 2011 - Jun 2018
Nov 2013

84940 mi

C $350
starter motor 
Jan 2018

135160 mi

C $800
Left rear wheel bearing 
Jun 2018

140120 mi

C $500
Transfer case actuator motor replaced 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

BMW 3-Series in Great Britain
Jun 2017 - Jun 2018
May 2017

95000 mi

£330
Three of the original wheels had cracks in, one wheel had two cracks in. Had to replace all four wheels. 
Aug 2017

95000 mi

£200
Bearings on the alternator were beginning to fail, new belt was also purchased. 
Dec 2017

98000 mi

£925
Timing chain 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Jul 2013 - Jun 2015
Nov 2013

52900 mi

US $50
Water Pump was replaced 
Jul 2014

57000 mi

US $3000
Replaced Tie Rods 
Mar 2015

67000 mi

US $4000
OIL LEAKS , SERVICE, NEW TIRES 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jul 2014 - Sep 2016
Sep 2016

108000 mi

US $1300
Auxiliary fan and motor 
BMW 3-Series in Washington, United States
Jul 2010 - Jul 2013
Oct 2012

25000 mi
Squeak on when turning. CV Joint issue 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Sep 2014 - Sep 2014
Sep 2014

120000 mi

US $950
false readings causing shift into "reduced power/take to dealer" mode. 
BMW 3-Series in Maryland, United States
Apr 2010 - Jun 2011
Jun 2010

35000 mi
Hpfp replacement. Rattling passenger seat-not fixed. Dents on passenger side-not taken care of. Rattling from underneath-told normal turbo start up operation. 
Oct 2010

42000 mi
CEL on. Limited power. No acceleration. PCM reflashed. Leather flaking off passenger side door pull. Part ordered from Germany. Not replaced yet. 
BMW 3-Series in Missouri, United States
Apr 2012 - Apr 2017
Feb 2014

29000 mi

US $150
The slider for 3 of the 4 dashboard vents fell off. Minor, but still needs to be replaced. 
Jun 2015

34000 mi
Battery has been prompting some warning lights. It was original, so due to be replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Dec 2010 - Mar 2011
Feb 2011

31000 mi
brought car in for Left front daytime running lights to be replaced. 
BMW 3-Series in British Columbia, Canada
May 2008 - Sep 2015
Jan 2010

9920 mi
Convertible top would occasionally stick at passenger corner of windshield when opening. Problem not in evidence at dealer. 
Feb 2010

10540 mi
Convertible top does not always open smoothly. 
May 2010

11240 mi
Problem 1, top would stick when opening. "corona" light surrounding right headlamp replaced.  
Sep 2010

13020 mi
Rattling roof Right corona light replaced (2nd time) 
Aug 2014

37200 mi

C $1500
Water pump and thermostat replacement. Thermostat was not failing prior to water pump issue but afterwards the old part would not pass a hot water test. 
Nov 2014

39020 mi

C $35
Halo lightbulb replacement 
BMW 3-Series in Michigan, United States
Mar 2008 - Jun 2022
Sep 2008

7000 mi
Gaskets between each of two turbos and catalytic converters required replacement as they allowed exhaust gasses to escape (made a lot of noise). When engine is cold and outside temperature is 50 deg F or below; automatic transmission will engage at rest with a pronounced jerk while foot is still moving from brake to accelerator.  
Dec 2008

10000 mi
Two trunk sensors became damaged through normal use and required replacement (sense when trunk is almost closed and allow trunk to self lock). Alarm did not chirp when locked and nav did not have required screen available to change setting so alarm software was reflashed/reinstalled. 
Feb 2009

11000 mi
High pressure fuel pump failed - car would not operate. 
Jun 2009

16000 mi
Transmission software update for cold engine "jerk" and engine software update to fix problem with accelerator tip-in lag. Replacement of left side DRL/side marker bulbs and housing due to failure. 
Jul 2009

17000 mi
Replacement of right side DRL/side marker bulbs and housing due to failure. RHS muffler rattles during turns, loose structure inside muffler and will be replaced under warranty - part ordered. 
Aug 2009

19000 mi
One of two mufflers was replaced under mfg warranty 
Oct 2010

31000 mi
Replaced high pressure fuel pump; second replacement under warranty. Warranty from Mfg for 10 years. 
May 2011

35700 mi
Replacement of steering rack on car. During diagonsis of steering problem dealer dropped one wheel off the alignment machine damaging fan shroud and coolant hoses - everything replaced and car detailed for free with appology. 
Jul 2011

37000 mi
Nylon cable which holds headliner in place when hard top stows or is closed was wearing through outer sheathing. Replacement kit ordered. 
Aug 2011

37700 mi
Repaired - no other problems 
Sep 2017

60660 mi

US $1200
Thrust bushings. It was a shop recommendation after regular, scheduled annual service. After replacement I noticed that there was not as much suspension noise when driving with the top down as I had heard before. No other noticeable changes. Replace front brake pads and wear items 
Nov 2019

73000 mi

US $1400
Replace electric water pump, coolant, thermostat 
Sep 2021

84000 mi

US $25
Replaced convertible top lines that position interior headliner when top retracts due to failure. 
May 2022

90000 mi

US $1020
One ignition sensor and solenoid failed causing vehicle to go into limp mode. Replaced transmission fluid, 90K service. Oil change, checked coolant levels and all other fluid levels. 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Sep 2010 - Jan 2012
Nov 2011

4000 mi
Fuel pump 2nd one in a month replaced. The first was on recall that pump failed. Car in limp mode was towed. Since 2007 BMW has not made the pump right. 
BMW 3-Series in South Carolina, United States
Nov 2015 - Dec 2015
Dec 2015

87000 mi

US $900
Replaced water pump 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Aug 2008 - Jan 2009
Sep 2008

2000 mi
Hard brake pedal on starting the car. Replaced booster control valve and pipe. Hard brake pedal before starting. Dealer replaced entire brake booster & master cylinder; bled the brakes. No other instances of hard brake pedal before starting after this repair. 
Oct 2008

2000 mi
Leak at convertible roof seal where roof meets a-pillar/windshield frame. Leaks presented themselves on both driver and passenger side. 
Nov 2008

2000 mi
Unresolved water leaks at A-pillar/Windshield frame junction with Convertible roof. Water drip trails occure on both driver and passenger windows. 
Dec 2008

2000 mi
Continuing unresolved water leak where convertible roof meets A-Pillar/Windshield frame. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Sep 2007 - May 2011
Apr 2010

16200 mi
High pressure fuel pump died, car broke down and was towed to dealer. Fixed next day, no problem since. 
Sep 2010

19000 mi
Glovebox was unable to be opened. New latching mechanism was ordered, now works normally 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Nov 2015 - May 2019
May 2017

80000 mi

US $376
Airbag fault. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in Great Britain
Feb 2015 - Jul 2016
Mar 2015

44000 mi

£2500
Clutch slippage worn bushes 
Jul 2016

56000 mi

£560
Electric water pump replaced 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Wisconsin, United States
Mar 2011 - Jun 2017
Apr 2016

76000 mi

US $1400
Water pump failed. Water pump and thermostat replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Aug 2008 - Jun 2022
Sep 2008

2480 mi
Compass showed wrong direction. Adaptive lighting on Driver's side did not move with Steering. Rear seat did not latch back properly/easily after dropping down. 
Jun 2009

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. 
Dec 2009

19840 mi
Seat Heating leaving marks on inside sides of leather seat. 
Dec 2011

44640 mi
Check engine light on. Car running jerky. Engine was cold. The problem took 20-25 of warming up for the engine to run smooth. Keyfob reported mis-firing injectors to the dealer. 
Feb 2012

45540 mi
Engine jerky and misfiring again. 
May 2012

47000 mi
Engine still misfiring ocassionally. Check engine light would go on and and then later would be off, especially after engine warmed up. USB Audio stopped working 
Jul 2012

47840 mi
Buffeting sound at 60-65 km/h & 90-95 km/hr 
Sep 2012

48360 mi

C $500
Wheels balanced and aligned to fix buffeting sound. Sound still there, and now the dealer says its because of feathering and uneven wear on tires. Had to pay for the above USB Audio highlighted for repair again 
Jul 2013

62000 mi

C $5000
Turbo Actuators were acting up. 
Nov 2014

80840 mi

C $1000
Ignition coil replaced Injector replaced 
Mar 2015

86180 mi

C $4000
Turbocharger replaced. Injectors replaced. Engine still misses occasionally. 
Sep 2015

91760 mi

C $3500
Coolant Pump & Thermostat failed. Both were replaced. Wheel bushings were leaking. Replaced. Required to get wheel alignment correct. Wheel Bearing noisy. 
Nov 2015

93560 mi

C $1200
Wheel bearing was replaced. 
Jul 2016

100000 mi

C $2500
Engine became erratic on a long trip, and went into extra slow "Limp" mode. Had to be towed. Being in an unknown area far from major cities, the nearest dealer was 100 km away. Faulty throttle body was the diagnosis, and was replaced. Check Engine and warning lights. Vacuum leaks and loud whining sound from engine while accelarating. Turbo defective. Leaks were repaired. Turbos were changed. 
Nov 2016

104160 mi
Something wrong with the blow valve. 
Jun 2018

124000 mi

C $1000
Ignition misfires and fuel bleeding. Nothing has been done yet. Car is drive-able, and runs fine after the engine is heats up to normal running temperature. It keeps giving check-engine lights until the engine warms up, and I keep clearing the codes. Problem has not been fixed because of scheduling issues on my part. 
BMW 3-Series in Georgia, United States
Nov 2011 - Aug 2017
Dec 2011

47000 mi
Loose rubber pad at driver side door opening. 
Dec 2013

64000 mi

US $750
Water pump failed 
Jan 2014

78300 mi

US $250
Thermostat failed 
Jun 2014

68000 mi

US $1500
Replace worn out shock supports, alignment, and oil change. 
Apr 2015

75500 mi

US $450
Headlight washer cover came off. Had to replace the pump to get the new cover. 
May 2016

84100 mi

US $850
turbo low pressure system needed to be replaced 
Jan 2017

90000 mi
Oil pan gasket and head gasket were leaking oil Rear passenger side bearing and hub went bad 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 7-speed automated manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2015 - Dec 2016
Dec 2016

97960 mi

C $4263
Throttle actuators replaced for bank 1 & 2 Thermostat replaced with new O rings Left Turn signal bulb 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Jan 2013 - Mar 2016
Jul 2013

27000 mi

US $100
glove box lock actuator replaced 
Apr 2014

29200 mi

US $100
lower latch for glovebox jammed again. fixed this time. 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
May 2015 - Dec 2016
Dec 2016

54000 mi

US $250
replaced O2 sensors 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Sep 2014 - May 2015
Apr 2015

50000 mi

US $3000
Both actuators 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Apr 2010 - Jun 2018
Jul 2012

4000 mi
Dead battery. Kept maintained on a battery tender. Normally get 7-10 years service from batteries (my existing 2006 X5 being a perfect example...still have original oem battery maintaining the same way). 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Oct 2010 - Feb 2013
Jun 2011

35000 mi
 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Dec 2008 - Dec 2014
Dec 2011

48000 mi
front control arms replaced, $875 billed to BMW 
BMW 3-Series in New Jersey, United States
Oct 2013 - Apr 2018
Dec 2013

52000 mi

US $50
Clicking hydraulic lifters. Lifters and rockers replaced under CPO. Known problem on engines built pre Nov 2008 according to independent BMW online forums and SIB. 
May 2014

55100 mi

US $300
Front control arm bushings. I replaced both front control arms. The control arm had both the bushing and ball joint. Problem was detected prior to wheel alignment after purchase and mounting of new tires. 
Jul 2014

56300 mi

US $50
Transmission would not go into Sport mode. Shifter is electronically connected to the transmission. Dealer replaced shifter. I researched the problem on BMW forums and found the issue was related with wiring to the shifter. No warning light. 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. 
Aug 2014

58000 mi

US $50
Car ran like it was a 4 cyldr, bad idle, Autozone OBC Scan detected Camshaft Pos Snsr & misfire on Cyl 1. The inlet Cmshft Pos Snsr was replaced. Cyl 1 coil was bad, dealer replaced all under CPO. Dlr claimed all coils were older version. 
Mar 2015

61000 mi

US $50
Valve cover gasket leak, dealer repaired once before under CPO. Driver's seat belt would not recoil. Covered under CPO. Belt Tensioner was making intermittent loud noise. Dealer tested batter and suggested it be replaced. 
Sep 2015

64000 mi

US $50
Oil pan gasket leak. 
Oct 2015

65000 mi

US $50
Oil Filter Housing Gasket 
Mar 2016

73000 mi

US $75
CEL P0301 - Misfire in Cyl 1. Pulled the spark plug in Cyl 1. Spark plug was worn, central electrode was warn (no point) Original BMW Marked NKG Plugs. Replaced all spark plugs. Reset CEL. 
Jun 2017

85000 mi

US $150
Low Coolant Warning - Replaced Upper Radiator Hose and the Expansion Tank Breather Hose to correct issue. 
Sep 2017

86500 mi
Driver's Takata Airbag Recall. (Funny, when I asked the service manager if my car was affected when the news first broke over 2 years ago, he said "No, this is a BMW") 
Nov 2017

89000 mi

US $1000
Valve cover gasket (VCG) repair. - Here's the history: VCG, replaced at 50155, 63685, and 89000. Oil and filter change. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Apr 2012 - Apr 2013
Feb 2013

45900 mi

US $750
Starter failure 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Nov 2011 - Jan 2014
May 2012

46000 mi
Ticking noise: Replaced exhaust camshaft hydraulic valve lifters and rockers. Convertible C-pillar trim contacting interior quarter panel trim when top is closed: Replaced required components from repair kit 54.37.7.175.575 
Jun 2012

48000 mi
Noise from rear when driving over bumps in the rain: replaced perimeter seal for convertible rear roof section. 
Jun 2013

63000 mi
Rough idle and rough running. Programmed and encoded entire car per bulletin 122112. 
Aug 2013

66000 mi

US $1280
Replaced leaking front thrust bushings and replaced rear shocks because the driver side shock was leaking. 
Oct 2013

68500 mi

US $50
Replaced electronic junction box and re-programmed. Also replaced front brakes and pads under extended maintenance warranty.  

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Quebec, Canada
Jan 2020 - Feb 2022
Jun 2020

69741 mi

C $1000
4 shocks/strut replacement 2 front strut mounts 2 rear shock mount 2 front springs 2 front top plate 
Nov 2020

72054 mi

C $300
1x Ignition coil failed. Belt shredded due to oil leak. Replaced belt 
BMW 3-Series in Great Britain
Mar 2011 - Mar 2012
Jan 2012

£308
Rear wheel bearing failed 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

215-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Great Britain
May 2012 - Jun 2022
Oct 2012

30000 mi
Headlamp washer stuck. Attempted repair. Needed new unit 
Dec 2012

31000 mi
Headlamp washer eventually replaced. 
Jan 2014 Coolant leak. Tracked to cracked expansion tank. Replaced 
May 2014

45000 mi
NOX sensor failed Switch for convertible roof failed 
May 2015

55000 mi

£500
leaking gaskets. replaced 
Jun 2015

57000 mi

£1000
burst coolant pipes 
Jun 2017

90000 mi
Main fuel pump failed and replaced Oxygen sensor failed 
Sep 2017

92000 mi
Induction [ignition] coil failure 
Oct 2017

91000 mi

£500
Another induction [ignition] coil and “recalibrated” 
Mar 2018

95000 mi

£600
Injector 
May 2018

98000 mi

£130
left dimmed headlamp needed wheel arch removed to refit 
Apr 2021

100000 mi

£300
Gasket 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Apr 2014 - Sep 2014
Feb 2014

62000 mi

US $4500
Bushing change and shock leak 
BMW 3-Series in New Jersey, United States
Aug 2013 - Mar 2015
Nov 2013

74900 mi

US $50
Turbochargers were replaced under an extended warranty and recall warranty to cure wastegate rattling while the engine slows down from 3000+ rpms Oil Filter housing gasket failure cased leak, fixed under warranty. Transmission mechatronic/valve body sleeves failed, causing leak. Repaired under warranty. Fuel filler door lock actuator failure, repaired under warranty. Leak emanating from coolant overflow tank, overflow tank replaced under warranty. 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Mar 2014 - Mar 2016
Mar 2016

40000 mi
Air conditioner not blowing cool air. Test at dealer. Needed a new evaporator. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Apr 2018 - May 2018
Apr 2018

55000 mi

US $572
replaced intake hoses to turbos much improved performance 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Sep 2008 - Mar 2010
Oct 2009

25000 mi
replaced trim panel set around rear-view mirror to eliminate a rattle reprogrammed control modules (Bulletin #24 05 09 Defect code #00 24 39 01 00) to remedy hard shifting caused by erratic torque converter lock-up 
Dec 2009

26000 mi
Replaced Driver-side seatbelt assembly. It was so sensitive that it would lock when pulling the belt out. Changed out the Passenger-side Foglamp bulb 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Dec 2015 - Jun 2016
Jan 2016

130000 mi

US $5000
Water pump failed on a freezing cold day stranded me on a tollway with 10 year old in freezing cold. Part was previously repaired by Fields BMW 18 months earlier failed on a very hot day. was covered by 2 year guarantee but was a pain Water pump failed and I was stranded on the side of the highway in -5F weather with a 10 year old. Second time the Water pump failed. 1 st time was September 2014. It was supposedly repaired/replaced by Fields Automotive group. I suspect that a faulty repair job was the cause for the second failure. Also had 2 run-flat tires burst a sidewall when I hit a construction zone on the tollway. This car started to fail regularly after 100,000 miles so I traded it in. 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
May 2010 - Apr 2013
Jun 2010

23000 mi
Loud/noisy radiator fan, radiator fan blade(s) broken. Fan and shroud replaced under warranty. 
Nov 2011

30000 mi
Air conditioner needed to be repaired, was not blowing cold. Air conditioner replaced by the dealer at no cost. 
Oct 2012

33300 mi

US $500
Original battery died, replacement cost including "registration" c $480 ($425 with BMWCCA discount). 
Dec 2012

35000 mi

US $570
Emissions system problem. 
Apr 2013

36000 mi

US $50
Replacement of screen wash motor, covered under SGI extended warranty with $50 deductible. Recall item covered re: battery terminal. Maintenance program covered: Oil Change, Wiper Blades, Spark Plug replacement. 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Mar 2009 - Feb 2012
Aug 2010

8000 mi
Sensor for passenger seat airbag and seat belt malfunctioned. 
Oct 2010

9000 mi
When a seatbelt/airbag sensor was replaced at an earlier repair, the wire connector was not properly crimped and had to be recrimped. 
Oct 2011

12000 mi
Seat belt sensor replaced. 
Jan 2012

9000 mi
seat belt sensor failed again, 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Jul 2008 - Jun 2018
Aug 2009

12000 mi
Bad fuel injector. Replaced. 
Mar 2010

20000 mi
Failure of High Pressure Fuel Pump.  
Aug 2016

50000 mi

US $850
Low pressure fuel sensor replaced. 
Dec 2017

53000 mi

US $1600
Electric Water Pump Failed. Replaced Electric Water Pump, Thermostat and Radiator Cap. 
Apr 2018

54000 mi

US $600
Hoses + Gaskets for Cooling system and thermostat need replacement - leaking. 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Aug 2009 - Dec 2012
Nov 2009

17000 mi
Fuel pump replaced at 17K miles. Car did not start immediately when cold, 3 hours labor.  
Jan 2010

49300 mi
Left muffler replaced. Butterfly vibrated making significant rattling noise. Two hours labor. 
Jun 2010

28000 mi
second fuel pump 
Jul 2010

29000 mi
another fuel pump 
Oct 2010

33000 mi
Navigation hard drive failed 
Jul 2011

47000 mi
Navigation gives disk error message, when navigation system is working or has address or location has been requested. 
Feb 2012

54300 mi
Turbos were replaced. Comfort access failed. Right door handle malfunction, could not open car unless I used the key. 
Jul 2012

56300 mi
Oil sensor was bad. Car was experiencing a small leak. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in Nevada, United States
Jan 2008 - Jun 2018
Aug 2009

22000 mi
Rough shift in sport mode with moderate acceleration. More noticeable third to fourth and fourth to fifth gears. 
Jan 2011

40000 mi
reflash Wind noise not appreciated by shop mechanic Two, isolated incidents where radio/CD player not functional. 
Sep 2011

43000 mi
Had windshield wipers replaced at last visit. One of these wipers was too long and overhung windshield. That wiper blade was replaced at this visit. 
Feb 2015

58000 mi

US $750
Faulty spark plug and coil 
Sep 2015

61000 mi
Transmission would not manually upshift with shifter in SPORT MODE. 
BMW 3-Series in British Columbia, Canada
Mar 2010 - Apr 2011
Mar 2010

12400 mi
Changed Fuel Pump + Inject due to High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
May 2008 - Jan 2022
Jul 2009

17000 mi
angel eye (headlight) burned out 
Dec 2009

24000 mi
the other angle eye burned out 
Jun 2011

41000 mi
I noticed the engine ran rough for a minute on cold, wet mornings at the same time I learned of the recall. Recall fixed the problem by replacing five of six injectors. 
Sep 2012

53000 mi

US $50
replaced burned out head light 
Nov 2012

56100 mi

US $650
replaced angel eye 
May 2013

65100 mi

US $75
blown fuse in cigarette ac adapter circuit 
Jun 2014

78000 mi

US $1200
fuel injectors replaced 
Oct 2016

112000 mi

US $487
replaced pads 
Aug 2017

116000 mi

US $1500
replaced compressor & condenser 
May 2018

122000 mi

US $50
warning light that tire pressure system is inactive; and flashing low tire pressure. tire sensors were found to be putting out good strength signal; have not yet attempted to diagnose/repair the computer monitoring system for this - I just manually check tire pressures just like in the old days (tires switched from run flats to normal) 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
May 2009 - Aug 2011
Jan 2011

13800 mi
replaced corona ring headlight bulb 
BMW 3-Series in Utah, United States
Jan 2012 - Dec 2014
May 2012

76700 mi

US $1600
oil leak found in seal near oil filter driver side headlight intermittently goes out brake light in trunk lid failed seat belt valets failed to catch seat belt for hand over 
Jan 2013

84000 mi

US $2000
Replaced belly pan under front right side/wheelwell 
Apr 2013

84700 mi

US $1100
Water pump and thermostat failed 
BMW 3-Series in South Australia, Australia
Aug 2013 - Jun 2018
Sep 2013

40300 mi
Diagnose HP fuel pump, variable pressure at or below minimum pressure 
Oct 2013

40300 mi

A $1200
Replace HP fuel pump - dealer not interested, but indicated $240/ hr to diagnose and would take 1 whole day. Then repairs could continue. I estimate $3,000 
Jan 2017

44200 mi

A $100
occasional misfiring under load causing Engine Management light to come on and occasionally goes into "limp home" mode. changed spark plugs, now drives like a new car. 
Jun 2018

69440 mi

A $7900
Rebuild ZF transmission due to wear on 3-4 selector. now completely rebuilt with new software and torque converter. 
BMW 3-Series in Massachusetts, United States
Jul 2010 - Oct 2013
May 2011

35700 mi
car would not accelerate properly above 60 mph service engine light came on..after multiple tests to confirm the issue, they clean the intake valves.. 
Dec 2011

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. 
Mar 2012

53000 mi
coils in two valves failed and needed to be repaired/replaced. 
Jun 2012

57000 mi
replaced oxygen sensor. 
Oct 2013

81000 mi
ignition coils, plugs, I have no idea why it took 3 days 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Feb 2012 - Sep 2017
Aug 2013

55200 mi

US $120
Replaced battery 
Nov 2015

77900 mi

US $1300
Replaced low pressure fuel pump 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2008 - Apr 2012
Sep 2009

26000 mi
SI B 13 04 09 Fuel Systems SUBJECT N54 - Diagnosis of Cold Start Rough Running with Misfire Faults 
Nov 2010

42000 mi
long crank-related to Fuel Pump-fixed with software update 
Dec 2011

58000 mi
Turbo vacuum problem causing check engine lights on accel; no other symptoms; dealer said it was not covered under Certifed warranty; quoted $1400 for replacement of all vacuum hoses; declined repair pending further research. 
Apr 2012

61000 mi
Turbo vacuum problem when sold. Traded car because felt BMW should have covered it. 
BMW 3-Series in Connecticut, United States
May 2016 - Jun 2016
May 2016

92000 mi

US $250
Spark plugs changed at 20k service. Engine Oil Leak plugged. 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Oct 2008 - Mar 2010
Nov 2008

8060 mi
Famous limp mode that cause by the high presure fuel pump. But dealer just reset the error and refuse the problem ever exists. 
Mar 2009

8060 mi
 
BMW 3-Series in District of Columbia, United States
Apr 2013 - Jul 2020
Aug 2013

105000 mi

US $55
The tire pressure monitor sensor indicated low tire pressure on the front passenger side tire even after the tire was inflated to the correct pressure. The dealer reset the computer, and the sensor alert went away. 
Dec 2014

111000 mi

US $800
One of the low-beam headlights needed to be replaced. Battery failed to hold a charge. 
Apr 2015

112000 mi
Tilt-forward of the passenger seat broke, making it unable to stay upright. Required a simple fix. 
Sep 2017

124500 mi

US $3100
Large amounts of oil began leaking from the engine. This was caused by the clutch wearing out and damaging the flywheel. Clutch, flywheel, and flywheel gasket were replaced. 
Oct 2017

125000 mi

US $3200
Oil filter housing gasket was leaking onto the coolant hose, causing a coolant leak. Coolant hose and oil filter housing gasket were replaced. Alert lights indicated a problem with the brakes. On inspection, the brake sensors were broken. Brake sensors were replaced. A headlight and two brake lights went out. Bulbs replaced. 
Aug 2018

128000 mi

US $350
Tire pressure sensors were not working Passenger side view mirror was not working. The wire had been disconnected when body repair was done. 
Jan 2020

127000 mi

US $500
Clutch cable broke. Fixed by mechanic 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
May 2012 - May 2016
Sep 2012

35000 mi
Fuel vapor retention /ventilation system. Driver and passenger seats' latches (to fold seatback for rear entry)not working correctly. Driver side interior doortrim peeling, rips in driver seat leatherette and parking brake boot. 
May 2013

39700 mi

US $25
Fuel vapor recovery system Service engine soon light 
Dec 2013

44000 mi
Failed high pressure fuel pump 
Feb 2014

44000 mi
Failed Bushings 
May 2014

45000 mi
Replace leaking water pump 
Jul 2014

47300 mi
Master cylinder lacking brake fluid. Possibly bad brake sensor. 
Oct 2014

49000 mi
New ABS pump 
Feb 2015

51100 mi

US $1922
Replace valve cover gasket and crankshaft seal 
Jun 2015

54000 mi

US $649
Replace oil filter stand gasket 
Jul 2015

54700 mi

US $239
Hose leak 
Aug 2015

55700 mi
Bad coils Bad oxygen sensor 
Mar 2016

62000 mi
Oil leak in crankshafts. Replace abs module, additional parts BMW roundrel fell off hood 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Jul 2010 - Jun 2011
Aug 2010

28000 mi
Faulty fuel injector causing rough running. BMW's policy is to flash the software once to see if the problem goes away, and then replace if it does not. Problem did not go away after software flash. 
BMW 3-Series in Washington, United States
Dec 2009 - Feb 2024
Feb 2018

55000 mi

US $159
Low pressure fuel sensor code thrown for failed sensor - no drive ability issues or Check Engine Light triggered. Issue found during a routine code scan by owner during regular check (every 6 months or so..). Driver's Side Air Bag Recall 
BMW 3-Series in Illinois, United States
Sep 2010 - Jun 2011
Nov 2010

22000 mi
ses light on, long cranks at start still drove fine reflashed, hpfp supposedly fine  
BMW 3-Series in South Carolina, United States
Jun 2008 - Dec 2010
Nov 2008

7000 mi
Passenger door airbag warning light came on. Airbag checked out fine. Attempt was made to reprogram computer. Attempt failed halfway through. Had to order another computer, install and reprogram. HD radio would lose volume after ~5 seconds of listening after vehicle was started. Could change to another radio station, volume would be there and then fade. Only happened with HD. Didn't happen on every startup. Could turn radio off and on to fix.  
Feb 2009

11000 mi
Airbag warning light on dash. Airbag in passenger seat was giving a resistance reading out of spec. Dealer replaced entire airbag. 
Mar 2009

12000 mi
Airbag warning lights on dash. Replaced airbag control module successfully. Racheting sound from steering column when turning the wheel. Replaced clock spring in steering column. Successful repair 
May 2009

15000 mi
Passenger airbag warning light came on. Dealer inspected wiring harness and found a bent pin in connector under passenger seat. Harness and connector replaced. 
Sep 2009

21000 mi
Lightbulbs loose in taillight causing intermittent outages. Replaced under TSB. 
Jan 2010

27000 mi
Front control arm bushings started making a clunking noise. They were replaced, noise still there. Chirp from right rear brake when pulling away from stop. Shop could not replicate. Told it's standard because of brake assist holding brakes for a couple seconds when I let off the pedal. 
Feb 2010

28500 mi
Car made same clunking groaning noise from front suspension. Dealer found it came from grime on bushing where springs rest. Cleaned and problem went away. 
Apr 2010

32000 mi
Squeal from right rear brake when pulling away from a stop slowly. Only when car was thoroughly warmed up. Dealer cleaned and lubed brake caliper and realigned sensor on caliper. Problem is fixed. Car starting to exhibit long cranks when started cold. Dealer could not replicate. 
May 2010

34000 mi
Car exhibited long cranks resulting in Service Engine Soon light. Dealer found code related to high pressure fuel pump. New software to fix problem. 
Aug 2010

37000 mi
Squeak coming from right rear brake when accelerating away from stop. Fixed in past visit with lube. ABS sensor replaced on this trip. Metallic rattle coming from flap in driver's side muffler. Driver's side muffler replaced. Car exhibited long crank at start, rough idle on start. Diagnosed as high pressure fuel pump going out. 'Fixed' w/software in previous visit. Fuel Pump Replaced this time. 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Jan 2010 - Oct 2011
Aug 2010

21300 mi
"engine malfunction - reduced power" warning from car resulted in both VANOS (variable valve timing) solenoids being replaced. 
Jul 2011

30300 mi
Replaced left rear brake light holder/housing after brake light fault reported by the car's computer. 
Aug 2011

30600 mi
Car would crank but not start, & check engine light was on. After many attempts, car started. Taken to dealer. Computer stored a single error, "2F49 EWS Manipulation Protection". Dealer could not replicate problem & reset code. OK since. 
Oct 2011

32000 mi
Sunroof auto-reverse engaging intermittently when sunroof closing despite no obstruction in its path. 
BMW 3-Series in Indiana, United States
Jul 2008 - Mar 2010
May 2008

2500 mi
Replace Airbag Control Module under warranty 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Jun 2008 - Sep 2010
Apr 2009

10000 mi
The car experienced a misfire on cylinder #5. The dealer was unable to reproduce, so they swapped the plug, coil, and injector each to a different cylinder. If it happens again, they said they will know which part to replace. 
May 2009

11000 mi
A fuel injector failed on the highway, causing the engine to turn off. It took 6 days of my time for the shop to get the correct part to repair the car (they ordered the wrong part at first). 
Jan 2010

20000 mi
Experienced heavy engine misfire on cylinder #5 for the third time. Dealer replaced the coil pack, though they said that they were unable to reproduce the problem. Problem returned 1 week after the car was returned. It is still not resolved. 
Feb 2010

21000 mi
Engine misfire on cylinder 5. Replaced high pressure fuel pump, cleaned intake manifold. Problem occurred 5 days after delivery from repair, still waiting for additional appointment to try to fix it again. 
Mar 2010

23000 mi
Experienced engine misfire again. This time the shop said it was a software problem, and that there was no available software update to fix it. They also said that there was no guarantee of one in the future. 
Aug 2010

34000 mi
Experienced same engine misfire again. This time they said there was a software update, and they applied it. The problem has not returned in the two weeks since the repair, but it's still inconclusive as to whether it was successful. 
BMW 3-Series in North Carolina, United States
Sep 2014 - Jul 2018
Jun 2015

110000 mi

US $700
Water Pump went out and needed to be replaced. 
Aug 2015

114300 mi

US $120
Leak Detection Pump went bad. 
Dec 2015

125000 mi

US $450
Low Pressure Fuel Sensor was not correctly showing pressure, causing hesitation during cold start of car. Carbon buildup in intakes requires cleaning. Performed walnut blast in intakes to properly clean. 
Mar 2018

163000 mi

US $1300
Oil pan gasket replacement Valve cover gasket 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Jan 2013 - Dec 2015
Sep 2013

59000 mi

US $50
Repeated clunking noise from the steering at low speeds. Drained power steering fluid and replaced with new fluid. BMW claims this is not required, but the old fluid was very dark, and the change fixed hte issue. 
Nov 2013

61000 mi

US $10
Car repeatedly insisted that a brake light was out, even though all lights were working. Replaced all brake/tail bulbs and problem seems to have gone away. 
Jul 2014

66200 mi

US $1200
Water pump failure, car overheated and had to be towed. Had thermostat replaced at same time as a preventative measure. 
Jul 2015

75000 mi

US $50
Clutch pedal became very loose and mushy. Turned out to be a broken structure in the pedal assembly itself. Difficult to access area where pedals meet firewall. 
Dec 2015

80000 mi
Both side view mirrors cracked randomly. Did not seem to be related to temperature swings or any sort of impact. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 7-speed automated manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Mar 2009 - Sep 2017
Dec 2009

4000 mi
DCT (Dual-clutch transmission) malfunction, could not engage 2nd, 4th & 6th gear. Problem gone after restarting the car to drop the car off at the dealership. Was told that it could just be a one-off event... 
Feb 2010

5000 mi
Defective fuel/idling sensor causing check engine light on, parts were replaced & has been running fine. Replaced discolored exterior window trims on both sides. 
Jul 2010

6000 mi
Service light came on, computer calls for brake flush.Brought up trans issue of locking out 2nd, 4th, and 6th gear on 3 occasions.New service adviser & mechanic took car out for 'extensive test drive'& cause other damages...4 days later.. 
Jan 2011

8000 mi
Trans shifted into natural,wouldn't shift into driving gear,brought car into dealership,was told they have adjusted the clutch pressure.Day after I got the car,it lost power pulling into parking lot,warning lites turned on,took car back... Same problem as last couple of times! 
Nov 2011

10000 mi
Car shifted itself into N & stalled while sitting at stop light, also having problem taking off from stop. Later was told that it was the engine idling sensor, was replaced under warranty but took 2 days. 
May 2012

11300 mi
Fuel system (inc. pump, vent & module) malfunction, causes excessive amount of fuel sent to canister repeatedly (3rd repair). Dealer still have the car at this time & working with BMW NA to fix problem! 
Jun 2012

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. 
Dec 2014

23000 mi

US $50
Rear Sunshade had stopped functioning 
BMW 3-Series in Tennessee, United States
Jan 2009 - Jul 2014
Feb 2009

4000 mi
Car report transmission not shifting into park when car turned off. Automatic trans. dual clutch. 
Mar 2009

5000 mi
Warning stated car was not shifting into park when engine turned off. Fix by ordering new shifter from Germany. 
BMW 3-Series in Norway
Jan 2017 - Jun 2017
Mar 2017

81840 mi

$7000
Unable to use DS or manual gear shift. Changed gear shift 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Nov 2015 - Dec 2016
Jul 2015

49000 mi

US $1900
Leaking AC system repaired 
Apr 2016

52000 mi

US $500
Thermometer which controls coolant flow was not working, replaced 
Sep 2016

55000 mi

US $700
Power steering pump replaced 
Dec 2016

52000 mi
Engine was destroyed by the rod bearing failure issue which is common among these cars 
BMW 3-Series in New Mexico, United States
Jun 2009 - Jun 2017
Aug 2011

17500 mi
idle actuator(and associated components) replaced as well as alternator belt 
May 2012

22700 mi
The evaporator was leaking, so the entire dash had to be removed and the entire evaporator and related compenents were replaced under warranty. Apparrently, this is a common problem on the e92 M3s. 
Jun 2017

54000 mi

US $400
A/C Recharge 
BMW 3-Series in Arizona, United States
Nov 2012 - Jun 2017
Sep 2013

50000 mi

US $200
Coolant expansion tank sensor 
BMW 3-Series in Greece
Sep 2009 - Mar 2010
Jul 2009

13826 mi
Idle valve replacement (cost covered under warranty) 
BMW 3-Series in Louisiana, United States
Mar 2009 - Nov 2016
Oct 2009

8000 mi
Traction control problem 
Jun 2010

15000 mi
Broken tire pressure management sensor 
Mar 2013

41000 mi

US $40
Brake light fixture partially melted causing poor contact. Repaired fixture. 
Dec 2013

49000 mi

US $100
Engine Service Needed light. Computer diagnosed problem with thermostat. Reset computer. No problems since. 
Jan 2014

33500 mi

US $650
Replace radiator thermostat 
Jun 2014

53000 mi

US $100
Lost use of 1st & 3rd gears. Shop reset computer controlled shift points. 
Jan 2015

51000 mi

US $48
Brake light fixture replaced 
Dec 2015

67000 mi

US $348
differential making noise. Mechanic changed the differential fluids. 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
May 2014 - Oct 2015
Aug 2014

49400 mi

US $160
Mold growing on heat exchanger, making a bad stink when car and AC starts 
Oct 2014

51300 mi

US $50
AC leaking after cleaning, loosing ability to cool after a while. 
Jan 2015

53800 mi

US $128
SES light intermittent with error indicating problem with cooling system. Replaced thermostat and error appears to have gone away. 
Sep 2015

65000 mi

US $18500
Spun a rod bearing. engine seized. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Aug 2011 - Jun 2018
Feb 2013

24500 mi
The car reports the engine oil level is low when it is not. Oil level sensor needs to be replaced and corresponding system software needs to be updated. 
Aug 2014

33000 mi

US $50
The Dual Clutch Trans has a very very slow leak. The BMW Corp Eng Team had my BMW technician replace the O Ring for the Trans Connector. He told me he didn't think that would fix the problem. I was told to drive the car & recheck in a bit. 
Oct 2014

34000 mi

US $229
The DCT Trans had to be replaced with a rebuilt unit. My part was $50. The oil level display is still wrong and BMW can't seem to be able to fix it. They have changed the sensor. The car is still at the dealer for an indeterminate time. I am getting very concerned. Update: got it back after four weeks, $179. 
Mar 2015

36000 mi

US $8155
Rotors, Calipers, Pads, TPMS Sensors replaced 
Jul 2016

43500 mi

US $561
Thermostat Leaking 
Oct 2016

46000 mi

US $235
Secondary Air Emission Hose. $460 to replace when part arrives. 
Nov 2016

46500 mi

US $435
Secondary emission suction hose 
Jul 2017

50000 mi

US $1668
Replace motor mounts Replace front & rear pads 
Sep 2017

52000 mi

US $1013
Replaced custom front brake pads (actually a sensor change due to a BMW quirk) Oil Pan thread stripped in aluminum pan. Mechanic had to fix. 
Mar 2018

54000 mi

US $104
cabin filter had to be replaced and air filter cleaned 
May 2018

54000 mi

US $653
Replaced Adjusting Pulley with Level for Water Pump, Alternator Belt and Deflection Pulley 
Jun 2018

54000 mi

US $846
Replace front window and rain sensor 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Nov 2009 - Feb 2022
Jun 2012

26000 mi
Driver side seat belt presenter repair 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD

BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2010 - Jun 2011
Aug 2010

29140 mi
Transmission replaced because of poor shifting 1st to 2nd gear. 
BMW 3-Series in Quebec, Canada
- Jan 2010
Jan 2010

24800 mi
-small leak in differential -some emissions warning came on in computer (covered under warranty) 
BMW 3-Series in Utah, United States
Apr 2012 - Sep 2014
May 2012

28000 mi
Found AC leak: Replaced evaporator and recharged the system. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Aug 2008 - Jun 2018
Oct 2011

24000 mi
Battery failed to charge completely. They charged it. Battery did not hold charge. Finally replaced the battery 
Feb 2012

26000 mi
oxygen sensor went out. replaced 
Aug 2014

40900 mi

US $350
Idle control unit failure under warranty, also fuel pressure sensor not covered 
Jan 2017

40000 mi

US $3400
Idle Control Actuator went bad (common problem @ 40-50k miles). Replaced both to make sure I didn't have problem for another 50k miles 
BMW 3-Series in Oman
May 2010 - Dec 2012
Nov 2010

10540 mi
The driver's seat handle. No could get in to the back seat as the handle to get in the back seat was not working for some odd reason. 
May 2011

14220 mi
I had problems with my seatbelt butler. However, I didn't get it fixed. I Simply asked the guys at the BMW garage to get rid of the fuse that operates the seatbelt. The fuse is number 30. 
Jan 2012

20460 mi

$500
the steering column had to be changed. 
Dec 2012

29760 mi

$300
The Air con on the driver side broke. ESD button broke, just fell for no reason. The auxiliary fell off too. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Oct 2010 - Sep 2018
Nov 2010

16000 mi
IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE FAILURE KNOWN ISSUE WITH M3 iDRIVE CONTROLLER BROKEN 
May 2014

57000 mi

US $1700
Throttle actuator motor - bank 1 
Sep 2018

79000 mi

US $750
Replace sticking thermostat, temp sensor, and vent hose clear CEL 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Apr 2011 - Jun 2012
Mar 2012

28000 mi
The idle control valve would intermittently throw an 'increased emissions' and 'service engine soon' messages, and at one point 'reduced power.' I have read about many similar failures in this mileage neighborhood. 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Feb 2016 - Jun 2017
Sep 2016

123000 mi

US $2400
Also replaced motor mounts  and replaced exhaust manifold gaskets for exhaust leak. 
Apr 2017

128000 mi

US $280
Leaking valve cover gaskets were resulting in oil dripping down the engine and onto the ground under the car. I replaced both valve cover gaskets, all spark plug tubes, and bought new screws for the valve cover. 
BMW 3-Series in Missouri, United States
Jul 2015 - Jun 2018
Jan 2017

US $2000
Throttle actuators 
Mar 2018

85000 mi

US $800
Thermostat replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Texas, United States
Oct 2009 - May 2017
Mar 2010

8000 mi
The HD radio sometimes quits delivering sound after five seconds.  
Apr 2010

8350 mi
HD radio quit playing after five seconds on selected stations. Dealer claims to have repaired the problem. Repair software glitch in digital radio. Dealer implemented a softward related fix. 
Sep 2010

10000 mi
Digital radio goes silent on certain presets. Dealer said the fault is weak transmitter at radio station. 
Oct 2011

17000 mi
Left front headlight burned out 
Feb 2012

20700 mi
Cooling system leak 
Dec 2012

26000 mi

US $375
Replace windshield washer fluid pump 
Feb 2015

37000 mi

US $1000
oxygen sensor failure 
BMW 3-Series in Florida, United States
Feb 2010 - Sep 2013
Feb 2012

27000 mi
plastic trim in the inside peeling. Changed under warranty. shocks from the hood stopped working and they were not holding the hood while open 
Jun 2012

29000 mi
peeling in the driver's electric window command console 
BMW 3-Series in Ontario, Canada
Dec 2020 - Jun 2022
Apr 2021

55800 mi

C $3000
and throttle actuator replacement 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in Michigan, United States
Feb 2012 - Jun 2015
May 2014

40300 mi

US $500
Replaced serpentine belt because tensioner was failing. Cost was due to difficulty of accessing components. 
BMW 3-Series in Georgia, United States
Mar 2011 - Oct 2013
Apr 2013

75000 mi

US $42
A bad bulb housing was causing light bulb sensor to report a failed bulb. The housing was replaced and the light bulb sensor returned to normal. 
BMW 3-Series in New Jersey, United States
Nov 2008 - Mar 2010
Sep 2008

1763 mi
Yellow temp warning light on dash illuminated while at traffic light. Car would only run in limp mode. Fault 2EFF was recorded. Dealer reported auxillary fan was cutting out. Dealer replaced electic fan. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
May 2012 - Nov 2015
Jun 2013

45000 mi

US $1000
Front Control Arms and Ball joint assembly were replaced. Both ball joints were loose and out of tolerance. Had to be replaced as whole units - Full suspension alignment required after repair. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Dec 2007 - Sep 2012
Jun 2010

39000 mi
Sunroof would not open all the way back. 
BMW 3-Series in California, United States
Mar 2010 - Oct 2016
May 2010

29000 mi
Flange in rear differential replaced. Drive shaft adjustment. (Repaired per BMW issued SIB.) Hydraulic valve lifters replaced per BMW issue SIB (to subdue valve clatter at idle) Excessive headlight vibration corrected per BMW issued SIB. 
Aug 2010

33000 mi
HVAC system cleaned. Interior fans and ventilation vents cleaned. Peeling rubberized grips on doors and steering wheel replaced with non-rubberized plastic. 
Oct 2010

35700 mi
Steering wheel console cover wearing/tearing prematurely. Replaced. 
Jan 2011

39800 mi
automatic seatbelt dispensing arm repaired and parts replaced. 
Nov 2011

50000 mi

US $1200
Pinion bearing (joining driveshaft to differential) failure. 
Mar 2013

64000 mi

US $300
Rear driveshaft joint at differential: Required lubrication and new bracket to repair looseness/movement and metal-on-metal contact. Mechanic discovered this is a known issue, and BMW issued service bulletin. Car out of warranty, so I paid. 
Aug 2013

69700 mi

US $1100
Driveshaft and fitting/joints on both ends replaced. Shaft was likely defective for quite some time.rnPrior more minor repairs did not resolve recurring issues. 
Jul 2014

78500 mi

US $500
Fronst suspension components worn. 
Dec 2014

83000 mi

US $800
valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket replacements 
Oct 2016

102000 mi

US $750
Bushings. Front left Windshield washer fluid motor replaced 02 sensors replaced 
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2013 - Sep 2014
Mar 2013

87000 mi

US $175
Replaced belt, belt tensioner and guide pulley. Took car in to get it "flashed" for a tail light mod, shop said that these parts were about to go. This is an easy DIY driveway job so did it myself. Saw nothing wrong with old parts. 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD

BMW 3-Series in New Jersey, United States
Dec 2010 - Apr 2013
Mar 2012

45000 mi
System crashes, and dealer has been unable to find issue. 
Jun 2012

51000 mi
iDrive died. No radio, no Nav, no blue tooth for phone. Main module replace. Still has occasional issues. Very frustration. Now no longer covered by BMW extended warranty. 
Jan 2013

63000 mi

US $125
iDrive system froze. 3rd time DVD drive failed Constantly dealing with brake and parking lights burning out. Front parking lamp replacement requires tire to be removed. Tire has slow leak. Determined that BMW rim has very small crack in hub area that was causing leak 
BMW 3-Series in Virginia, United States
Nov 2007 - Mar 2017
Sep 2009

16000 mi
Electric seat failed 
Jan 2014

37700 mi

US $700
automatic junction slipping, not shifting smoothy 
BMW 3-Series in District of Columbia, United States
May 2008 - Sep 2015
Nov 2008

8000 mi
Door open warning light came on while driving, car could not be locked when at destination. 
May 2011

37000 mi
Warning light for brake light failure came on, but brake light was working fine. 
Nov 2013

59200 mi

US $400
Battery died, was replaced 
Jan 2015

60500 mi

US $1500
don't know 
May 2015

68900 mi

US $365
Windows and mirrors would not operate 
BMW 3-Series in Maryland, United States
Sep 2014 - May 2015
Apr 2015

77500 mi

US $1000
Valve cover gasket 
BMW 3-Series in Maryland, United States
Mar 2018 - Jun 2018
Jun 2018

102000 mi

US $560
Engine mount 
BMW 3-Series in Ohio, United States
Jan 2013 - Sep 2017
Jan 2014

83000 mi

US $524
Changed Eccentric Shaft Sensor after rough idling and loss of power above 3000 rpm, which also required changing valve cover gasket (total ~$1300). Also changed spark plugs due to sensor replacement (~$200). Lower control arm bushing leaking on Driver's side. Found during an oil change. Changed both control arms and got alignment ... car feels like it did when new! 
Jul 2014

89500 mi

US $570
Leaking axle seal replaced ($300). This is a common problem with xi models and the leak was small at this time. 
Oct 2016

108000 mi

US $700
Repaired crank case sensor and o2 sensor. 
BMW 3-Series in New York, United States
Mar 2008 - Nov 2010
Nov 2008

16000 mi
Skibag was replaced after clips securing it in place broke. Replaced by dealer under warranty at the time of regularly scheduled maintenance.  
Feb 2009

20000 mi
Replaced right daytime running light which had burned out. Also replaced wiper blades.  
Mar 2009

26000 mi
Had transmission reprogrammed to address sluggish cold performance from rolling start.  Brake light housing faulty.  
Sep 2009

37000 mi

US $1200
Replaced burned out right rear brake light.  
BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Jul 2012 - Jul 2012
Jul 2012

51000 mi
hum coming from driver side front wheel 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in Pennsylvania, United States
Dec 2013 - Jan 2014
Dec 2013

111000 mi

US $350
Code read missing in cylinder 5 caused the car to lose power 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

168-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

BMW 3-Series in New Zealand
Jan 2009 - Jul 2011
May 2009

9300 mi
Minimum oil warning, dealer added a litre 
Nov 2009

16120 mi
Right brake light failure lead them to replace tail light housing due to burn marks 
Dec 2010

24180 mi
Comfort access wasn't working all the time. 
Jul 2011

31000 mi

$1000
Rocker Cover Gasket Leaking 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2-door

turbocharged 6-cylinder manual AWD

BMW 3-Series in Oregon, United States
Nov 2007 - Mar 2010
Nov 2007 abs brake sensor problem. driver assist not functioning.drive traction control not functioning. all are controled by the same sensor 

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2008 BMW 3-Series 2-door

8-cylinder manual 2WD

BMW 3-Series in Great Britain
Feb 2010 - Jun 2011
Mar 2010

10000 mi
Door mirrors randomly moving on un-locking the car. A known issue. Will require mirror motor replacement on each side 

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2007.5 BMW 3-Series

Engine not specified

BMW in Great Britain
Aug 2015 - Sep 2016
Oct 2015

92500 mi

£150
Rain sensor and control unit faulty 

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See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans and Wagons.
See TrueDelta's information for all BMW models.

2008 BMW 3-Series Repair Histories

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 2008 BMW 3-Series problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.