| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2003 BMW 3-Series repairs by problem area
Engine (43%)
Transmission and Drivetrain (9%)
Brakes and Traction Control (4%)
Suspension and Steering (15%)
Electrical and Air Conditioning (22%)
Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (4%)
Other (3%)
Select a problem area
Chart based on 590 repairs.
2003 BMW 3-Series suspension repair cost distribution
$2500+ (2%)
$1000 - $2499 (13%)
$500 - $999 (25%)
$100 - $499 (37%)
< $100 (23%)
Chart based on 84 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2003 BMW 3-Series
Engine not specified
| 79000 mi US $500 |
The front wheel bearing needed to be replaced |
| 126000 mi US $4100 |
Power steering pump ran dry and melted. Pump replaced, along with reservoir and hoses. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 106000 mi US $70 |
front sway bar links |
| 115000 mi US $340 |
New rear springs. |
| 140500 mi US $125 |
New rear shocks. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 91140 mi C $50 |
Replaced rear right side wheel bearing. |
| 93000 mi C $50 |
Replaced front swaybar links. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 60000 mi US $230 |
Front suspension bushing (CAB) replaced due to uneven wear of the right tire. |
| 62000 mi US $800 |
Did rear struts, leaking. Replaced front control arms and bushings. Right side. |
| 65000 mi US $400 |
Replaced front control arms and bushings. Right left side |
| 115000 mi US $90 |
Rear sway bar end links and bushings. Seems like I have done suspension and bushing work 2x a year since I got it. |
| 45000 mi US $500 |
Rear brakes and rotors. Front sway bar link |
| 81000 mi US $150 |
Swaybar endlinks were making noise. Replaced at selfservice repair shop. |
| 113000 mi US $600 |
outer ball joint, left lower control arm. |
| 85043 mi US $1010 |
replace power steering reservoir and reclamp lines |
| 120000 mi US $180 |
Vibration while driving higher mph. Needed new tires to be remounted and balanced. Balancing solved half of the problem. Suggested to get control arm and joints checked out. |
| 137000 mi US $400 |
Replaced worn shocks and broken springs. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 33480 mi C $1000 |
Front Control arm bushings needed work |
| 59920 mi C $800 |
Rear shock mounts repaired |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 127000 mi US $1700 |
auxiliary belt replaced, left and right rear lower control arms bolts, bushings replaced |
| 189000 mi US $50 |
Power steering fluid leak |
| 136000 mi US $1700 |
Tie rods damaged from previous owner, Steering boots torn due to age. R&R brake rotors and pads for general maintenance, also replaced broken brake pad wear sensor. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 61000 mi US $620 |
Rear springs had cracks. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 44000 mi | Control arms replaced to eliminate some movement. |
| 36000 mi | Replaced steering wheel (peeling fabric) |
| 118000 mi US $10 |
Upper strut mounts making creaking noise while steering. Added grease |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed manual AWD
| 110000 mi | Both Rear Coil Springs Broken |
| 114500 mi US $600 |
Front control arms, inner and outer ball joints, and front control arm bushings replaced. |
| 149000 mi US $600 |
Play in left front wheel bearing - replaced and re-aligned. |
| 106640 mi C $909 |
Replace trailing arm bushings and differential seal |
| 116560 mi C $950 |
Rear shocks and wheel alignment |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 16000 mi US $200 |
Power steering gave out and had to be replaced. |
| 104600 mi US $500 |
Control arm bushings, and control arm (including balljoints) were replaced. |
| 106300 mi | Rear Shocks blew out. |
| 108600 mi US $1310 |
Complete suspension overhaul. Shocks were completely done, both rear were blown. Front struts had no resistance. Steering guibo was worn and there was play in steering. End links clunking. |
| 58900 mi C $1000 |
Replace Power Steering Pump |
| 119000 mi US $25 |
Replaced power steering lines |
| 101000 mi US $400 |
power steering pump replaced |
| 116000 mi | replaced bushings |
| 72000 mi US $800 |
Rear spring broken. Had to be replaced. |
| 54000 mi US $400 |
Control arms and bushings |
| 85000 mi | Replaced leaking/ seeping high pressure power steering line, PS fluid |
| 108300 mi US $150 |
Sinking rear spring. Bad stabiliser bar end links. |
| 69000 mi US $1000 |
Control arm bushing replaced Rear brake pad + rotor replaced Front brake pad replaced |
| 57000 mi US $270 |
control arm bushings replaced |
| 79000 mi US $1000 |
Steering components broke, loud grinding noise when turning. Replaced steering shaft and power steering pump with used parts. |
| 110000 mi US $330 |
Control arm and bushings worn |
| 112000 mi US $60 |
Steering guibo was worn, caused loose steering while cruising at high speeds and wiggly steering |
| 157000 mi US $120 |
Power steering hoses replaced, power steering resivoir/filter replaced |
| 87520 mi C $600 |
Rear shocks, springs and brakes. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 81000 mi US $700 |
New rear springs |
| 89000 mi | Control arm bushings |
| 126000 mi US $125 |
Replaced right front axle due to a torn CV boot. Replaced front sway bar end links. |
| 132000 mi US $80 |
Leaking power steering pressure line replaced. |
| 133000 mi US $400 |
Replaced front and rear springs. |
| 141000 mi US $52 |
Replaced front lower control arm outer ball joint |
| 148000 mi | Replaced rear shocks and mounts. |
| 151000 mi US $30 |
Replaced worn front lower control arm bushings. |
| 52000 mi | Power steering hose was leaking and alternator belt was worn. Discoverd by BMW Dealer/Serviceduring pre-purchase inspection (purchased from local independent dealer). Repaired by selling dealer. |
| 65000 mi US $780 |
Rear coils were broken. |
| 106000 mi US $850 |
Rear shocks replaced |
| 81000 mi US $500 |
Control Arms, ball joints, bushings, sway bar links needs to be done. Have parts, replacing soon. |
| 83200 mi US $2000 |
- replaced worn lower control arm bushings |
| 96000 mi | Check engine light came on. Dealer diagnosed it as a random misfire. Replaced the spark plugs and it hasn't come on since. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 134000 mi US $300 |
Replaced Power steering pump with remanufactured unit due to play on shaft. |
| 63000 mi US $300 |
Rear trailing arm bushing. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual AWD
| 57000 mi US $2000 |
Broken suspension coil. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
| 40920 mi A $2660 |
Front compression bushes. |
| 53320 mi A $200 |
control arm bushes replaced |
| 60340 mi A $150 |
New front RH wheel bearing. Old one was very noisy |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 71000 mi US $636 |
ps line was bad, also did coolant and oil change |
| 76000 mi US $350 |
Replaced right rear wheel bearing |
| 82000 mi US $250 |
hose that carried steering fluid broke- replaced the hose, also preventatively replaced pump |
| 61000 mi US $250 |
Rear trailing arm bushings needed replacement. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed automated manual RWD
| 80000 mi US $90 |
Tie rod adjustment frozen and would not allow a proper alignment to be performed. |
| 85000 mi US $160 |
Power steering pump noisy and not providing must boost. Replaced pump, pulley, fluid. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 72000 mi US $400 |
Bushing replacement |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 96000 mi US $100 |
Suspension a bit loose and car drifts at speed. Replaced Rear Trailing Arm Bushings. Symptoms better but not completely resolved. |
| 84000 mi US $250 |
Had to change the rear passenger wheel bearings. |
| 124700 mi US $350 |
Wheel bearing on rear passenger side started to get loud. Wheel bearing replaced at independent shop. $80 for parts, and the rest was labor. |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 32000 mi US $180 |
Replaced leaking power steering hose. |
| 32000 mi US $135 |
Power steering lines were leaking. Purchased new lines from independent hose shop and replaced them. |
| 35000 mi US $500 |
New springs, rear trailing arm bushings, new upper shock mounts |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 128000 mi US $487 |
Replace Front Lower Control Arm Bushings Parts: Control Arm Bushing Set cost 177.18 (parts) Work 2.5 hours at 90/hr (Labor) |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 98660 mi C $600 |
Rear suspension, joints worn Front suspesion links worn |
| 114700 mi C $1000 |
Control arm assembly and associated bushings |
2003 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 72000 mi US $857 |
Replace control arm bushings. |
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