| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2005 BMW 3-Series repairs by problem area
Engine (39%)
Transmission and Drivetrain (7%)
Brakes and Traction Control (5%)
Suspension and Steering (15%)
Electrical and Air Conditioning (24%)
Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (5%)
Other (5%)
Chart based on 407 repairs.
2005 BMW 3-Series engine repair cost distribution
$2500+ (4%)
$1000 - $2499 (18%)
$500 - $999 (9%)
$100 - $499 (36%)
< $100 (32%)
Chart based on 141 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2005 BMW 3-Series
Engine not specified
| 123000 mi US $350 |
Fuel pump died. |
| 70300 mi US $200 |
on 50K I replace servo motor which cost about 500USD and at 60K I replace Expansion tank because it leak |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 62000 mi US $1000 |
Replaced leaking fan thermo switch Replaced leaking valve cover gasket Replaced broken crankcase ventilation hose Replaced leaking oil stand gasket |
| 67000 mi US $100 |
Service engine soon light and rough idle. Engine code reader showed "Misfire cylinder 5". Replaced cylinder 5 ignition coil. Problem resolved. Service engine soon light. Code reader showed "Engine idle valve stuck closed." Removed, cleaned, and reinstalled engine idle valve. Problem resolved. |
| 84000 mi US $1276 |
Replacing faulty crankshaft sensor Replaced faulty thermostat |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 150400 mi US $1400 |
Engine mounts collapsed, replaced with new mounts. |
| 159000 mi US $400 |
Crank Case Ventilation system replaced due to the cracked rubber causing CEL. Upper and lower air boots replaced at the same time given their age. |
| 60000 mi US $400 |
thermostat was sticking causing "check engine" light to illuminate and temp gauge to read cool. dealer replaced thermostat. |
| 60000 mi | had to replace the check valve on the Secondary Air Pump |
| 69000 mi | Secondary Air Pump CEL; replaced check valve in the spring, but CEL has been intermittent since then. Update: later resolved itself. |
| 78000 mi US $85 |
Replaced oil filter housing gasket. |
| 84000 mi US $150 |
Exhaust flange gasket between the manifold outlet and first muffler failed. Shop replaced both gaskets; in order to do that they also removed and replaced the four corroded bolts. |
| 85300 mi US $50 |
Replaced leaking valve cover gasket. |
| 98200 mi US $198 |
Replaced the CCV system to address oil loss. |
| 143000 mi US $225 |
Replaced leaking oil pan gasket. Replace motor mounts. |
| 146100 mi US $125 |
Vanos seals, leaking valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket. |
| 152000 mi US $450 |
Fuel pump failure requiring a tow and replacement of the failed unit. |
| 174000 mi US $1200 |
Upper radiator hose ruptured while in traffic; radiator itself also cracked. Replaced radiator, thermostat, hose, coolant. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 78000 mi US $1200 |
Replaced the CCV with the cold weather type. Installed G.A.S. DISA; Both intake boots. Spark plugs replaced |
| 110000 mi US $10 |
Oil Filter Housing gasket was leaking. |
| 161000 mi US $1200 |
Replace both Cats and upstream oxygen sensors as they were clogged. Also replaced the SAS valve for it too got clogged. |
| 165000 mi US $75 |
Oil Service |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
235-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 200 mi | Cylinder misfired and violent shaking. After inspection, no repair needed. Problem never occurred since. |
| 45000 mi | Cracked oil filter housing under warranty. Oil changed under warranty. |
| 174000 mi US $1000 |
Belt blew out prematurely because of hydraulic tensioner unit going bad. |
| 70000 mi US $200 |
Replace sender for oil pressure sensor |
| 83000 mi US $180 |
Not running on all cylinders consistently |
| 168000 mi | Hole in the side of the engine block |
| 110980 mi C $4500 |
broken camshaft, engine replaced |
| 39770 mi US $101 |
Installed new coolant temp sensor in lower hose because old one leaking; filled system with fresh coolant, pressure tested to verify repair. Replaced drive belts due to wear and cracking. Installed new coolant temp sensor in lower hose; filled system with fresh coolant, pressure tested to verify repair. |
| 56900 mi US $202 |
Replaced main drive belt pulleys (idler pulley and adjusting pulley). $90 labor, $99 parts + tax and misc |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
235-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 87300 mi US $808 |
Fan belt and motor mounts worn and needed replacement |
| 90200 mi US $750 |
Pressure control valve was leaking, fixed by independent mechanic |
| 107000 mi US $156 |
Fuel pump failed. Bought pump and gasket on amazon, arrived prime in 2 days and installed myself watching youtube DIY video. Only tools required are 10mm wrench, flat screwdriver, and mallet. Pump is under rear seat, passenger side. |
| 108439 mi US $694 |
Check engine light was on with lean mixture: replaced lower intake boot (was cracked and leaking) Coolant level warning was on: replaced leaking coolant expansion tank, thermostat, brittle upper radiator hose; refilled antifreeze |
| 109000 mi US $1682 |
replaced worn fan belt set, air filter, spark plugs, replace oil pan gasket, oil housing seal, oil change. engine mount, driver side wheel well liner/ |
| 178200 mi US $2000 |
Catalytic converters clogged and ruined the piston rings on 3 cylinders. |
| 163000 mi US $50 |
P0171 and P0174 codes. DISA gasket leaking causing erroneous codes. Basically a vacuum leak in the intake. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual AWD
| 71000 mi | Diagnosis of slight whine/whirr/whistle at WOT. Suspect either a minor vacuum leak or a worn-out water pump. Current water pump may be original, with 70,000 miles on it. May replace water pump with higher flow version within next two weeks. |
| 92000 mi US $560 |
Check engine light indicated that engine was misreporting temperature. Bad thermostat. Replaced, flushed coolant. Resolved. Discovered that lower intake boot and DISA valve had leaks, hold repair till next time. Intake boot and DISA valve had a leak. Couldn't DIY as there was insufficient access to the retaining ring screw holding on the boot. Took to shop. Repl. leaky boot and DISA. Also did oil change, installed new swaybar endlinks too. |
| 120000 mi | Fuel pump was on its way out and was going to be replaced this month. |
| 102000 mi US $100 |
coolant leak due to small valve failure |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 13000 mi | The serpentine belt and one of the pulleys was replaced at the same time due to light squealing upon startup (that only happened the day I brought it to the dealer to fix the brakes.) |
| 25000 mi | Rough start on the first sub freezing day of the year triggered a CEL. Dealer determined that two coils were bad and replaced. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 78000 mi US $300 |
Belt and idler pulley. |
| 90000 mi US $70 |
valve cover gasket |
| 69000 mi US $440 |
Radiator hoses cracked and leaking coolant. Mechanic replaced all rubber hoses. |
| 70000 mi US $300 |
Replaced MAF in response to Service Engine Soon light illuminating and displaying codes: P0171 and P0174 indicating both O2 sensors detecting a lean condition. After installing new MAF, light no longer illuminated. |
| 83720 mi C $700 |
oil leak valve cover gasket |
| 90380 mi C $1224 |
oil leak at filter housing |
| 95480 mi C $1500 |
Radiator assembly; transmission cooler; Coolant reservoir; |
| 121520 mi C $250 |
Small coolant leak |
| 44000 mi | Leaking coolant temperature sensor. |
| 74700 mi US $453 |
Service Engine Soon light on. Codes showed lean condition on both banks. Smoke tested intake and found oil breather hose had a hole in it. Replaced hose, retested system and found no leaks. Cleared codes, test drove, no codes reappeared. |
| 100000 mi US $300 |
VANOS unit seals failed. This is a common problem on all E46 models. Was repaired under extended M56 SULEV warranty. |
| 101500 mi US $200 |
Thermostat was changed due to it soft failing and not letting car run at operating temp. |
| 104000 mi | Radiator was leaking, replaced under M56 Sulev warranty. |
| 105500 mi US $100 |
Upper radiator hose |
| 130000 mi | 02 sensors |
| 109100 mi US $350 |
Cracked cooling expansion tank. Replaced tank & hoses. |
| 88000 mi US $42 |
Oil filter had broken off inside housing. Needed to be removed. |
| 98700 mi US $1400 |
Replaced oil filter housing gasket. |
| 70680 mi | One fuel injector was faulty. After a couple of unsuccessful trips to dealer, dealer arranged to pick up car and provided loaner during 3 day repair. Dealer replaced all 6 injectors, no cost to owner. |
| 74400 mi C $400 |
Heater not working. Dealer replaced thermostat. |
| 51900 mi US $36 |
replace valve cover gasket |
| 38440 mi A $400 |
Replace ignition coils. |
| 94240 mi C $1700 |
Coolant expansion tank leak. Replacement of tank. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic AWD
| 34000 mi | Thermostat was stuck open. The check engine light came on, and I took it to the dealer the next day. Since I just purchased the car a week earlier, the BMW dealer repaired the problem at no cost to me. |
| 106200 mi US $1300 |
Replaced oil separator |
| 118300 mi US $1000 |
water pump impeller broke causing overflow tank leak, replaced entire assembly with new pump, tank etc |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 96000 mi US $150 |
when fixing the headlight sensor, the mechanic also found that the exhaust bracket under the trans had rusted away. It was replaced - the time was included in the other repair and the part were about $20 |
| 99500 mi US $300 |
leaking valve cover gasket - mechanic also found signs of mouse damage in engine compartment, replaced chewed cabin air filter |
| 140000 mi US $800 |
throttle sensor/activator began to go bad. Symptom was car sometimes would not accelerate when pedal was pushed |
| 101000 mi US $1200 |
Fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced |
| 104000 mi US $470 |
Interior heat was lukewarm and oil temperature was failing to reach 190F. Determined to be a thermostat stuck open which was replaced. |
| 115888 mi US $2000 |
Noticed a burning smell or a funk odor. Turned out to be a dirty cabin air filter. As part of the check up the mechanic found my valve cover to be leaking oil along with an oil line. Belts and pulleys were getting old and replaced as a preventative measure. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual AWD
| 135000 mi US $2000 |
ECM failure that took 24 days to diagnose |
| 37000 mi | "Service Engine Soon" light reset. Cause of alert light: Emissions issue... |
| 38000 mi | "Service Engine Soon" light on again. Emissions issue fixed this time. |
| 54755 mi US $915 |
Oil filter housing gasket began leaking. Over a quart leaked, coating the engine cradle and bottom front section of car. Dealer repaired. Oil leak. Replaced Oil Filter Housing gasket. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan
168-horsepower 2.2L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 55180 mi C $125 |
The air pump was replaced. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 37600 mi | Cooling system leak, bad o ring on lower radiator sensor. Self repair, less than $1.00 for the part. |
| 110000 mi US $300 |
Stock thermostat failed a while ago but had no significant impact to smog. Finally replaced it with a motorsport thermostat for better durability in Southern California heat. Also replaced EGT sensor at the same time |
| 63240 mi $1300 |
Engine mounts were replaced, head gasket was replaced |
| 33000 mi | Unstable idle when cold. All M3's have this to some degree but mine was worse than average. Dealer did not fix. I cleaned the MAF sensor myself and it improved the idle noticeably to where it is now OK (although not perfect). |
| 56000 mi US $50 |
Service Engine Light on, P0128. Replaced thermostat. |
| 34000 mi | VANOS solenoid failure. Replaced under warranty. No charge. |
| 60400 mi US $150 |
Thermostat needed to be replaced. |
| 55000 mi US $100 |
Had a 2x misfire at cylinders 1 & 2. Caused a SES light on dash. No issues found, no misfires since. |
| 54000 mi US $3100 |
Vanos oil pump drive gear tabs broke, causing exhaust timing to be off. Replaced Vanos unit, drive gear, spark plugs, accomplished valve adjustment. |
| 57000 mi US $100 |
Engine coolant temperature sensor |
| 48000 mi US $50 |
seepage from gasket right side of motor. |
| 64000 mi US $200 |
Temp sensor failed causing coolant leak |
| 32000 mi | Belt pulley system. |
| 82000 mi US $42 |
Replaced the Constant pressure vavle PN# 11111318185 for it was leaking oil down the side of my block. |
| 93000 mi US $1700 |
Replaced the VANOS with a rebuilt one from Dr. VANOS. Also replaced the camshaft bolts. |
| 96000 mi US $750 |
Repaired the VANOS. I received a bad VANOS unit from Dr. VANOS, and they are working on getting me another one. I had a club member allow me to use his spare for the summer until the 1st unit that was sent to me repaired. Now I have to get it repaired again, so in the spring you will see another entry. |
| 96000 mi US $1200 |
Inspection-II Completed Oxygen sensors replace X4 (scheduled) All fluids Replaced(engine, trans, diff) Valves adjusted, spark plugs and coils replaced |
| 107000 mi US $450 |
Replaced Intake, Exhaust, and Crank position sensors. |
| 39000 mi US $500 |
Water pump, thermostat, and seals replaced due to bearing in water pump going bad. |
| 101300 mi | Service Engine Soon (MAL) Light |
| 115600 mi US $1400 |
Ran code reader Misfire cyl #6 Bad coil Replaced at Shop Performed inp II Major preventive maintenance while veh in shop All performed per BMW recommended guidelines |
| 119800 mi US $200 |
Repaired leaking oil relief valve = 103.00. Interval oil service {MOD} Installed Injen Tuned Short Ram Cold Air Intake {MOD} Dinan ST1 Program {MOD/Upgrade} Installed BS PSS10 Replaced noisy belt tensioner + new serpentine belt = 90.00 |
| 127600 mi US $500 |
Replace valve cover gasket Engine oil service mid interval |
| 40000 mi | MAF failure. Engine would not run |
| 41000 mi US $265 |
Cooling fan blades broke off. Replaced fan and viscous clutch. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed automated manual RWD
| 78000 mi US $1500 |
Engine thermostat Fuel filler sealing pump |
| 87000 mi US $3500 |
Railing for timing chain had worn, needed to be replaced. Replaced engine mounts and flex plate |
| 92000 mi US $1050 |
Replaced 2 exhaust hangers Tensioner and pully replaced, along with belts |
| 156000 mi US $3000 |
Oil leak |
| 110000 mi US $300 |
Fixed transmission crossbar mount |
| 71000 mi US $4500 |
Vanos system needs to be replaced. At the same time some bolts on exhaust camshaft were found to be sheared. |
| 63700 mi US $77 |
Inspection 2 (60,000 mile svc), the spark plugs are supposed to be replaced whch was not done during initial vsit. They also blamed chk eng light was bcause cold air intake was not connected when they got car which is not possible. |
| 74000 mi US $80 |
Replaced belt tensioner and ac belt |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
235-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 61000 mi | Oil filter housing gasket is leaking. |
| 83000 mi US $314 |
Thermostat replaced |
| 104000 mi US $5000 |
Valve guides in two cylinders came loose. Engine rebuilt. |
| 108000 mi US $400 |
Coolant reservoir tank cracked. Reservoir tank cracked |
| 110000 mi | Cylinder head cracked, one cylinder filled with oil |
| 72000 mi US $200 |
Installed Beisan vanos rings and anti-rattle spacer bearings to resolve vanos rattle. |
| 71000 mi US $120 |
leaky oil filter housing gasket, replaced gasket |
| 76000 mi US $150 |
Expansion tank float broken. Replace expansion tank, preventive replacement of water pump |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
235-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 29140 mi C $50 |
Transmission symbol illuminated on dash. Transmission went into safe mode which slows it down and makes it hard to drive. Car towed from my residence to dealership. Speed sensor on transmission replaced and computer reflashed. Problem was solved. |
| 36580 mi | Leaking temperature sensor on radiator. Lower rad hole replaced at same time. New battery installed. 7 year old battery not keeping a charge. |
| 42160 mi | Oil level sensor faulty |
| 55800 mi C $130 |
Ripped intake boot |
| 82460 mi C $200 |
Replaced thermostat and auxiliary drive belt |
| 26000 mi | After performing the recall, the CEL would not turn off. They had it for 40 days. They finally fixed by replacing the computer, but by then I had contacted an attorney and BMW had agreed to buy the car back. Very disappointing. Best car I've ever owned. |
| 64000 mi US $2000 |
Cooling hose replaced (leaking) |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD
| 85100 mi US $150 |
Full CCV refresh, new intake manifold gasket, new air distribution O rings, new ICV new DISA gasket, various old vacuum lines replaced. None had failed, but the CCV and associated hoses were very old and brittle. So a failure was near. |
| 50000 mi | When car running slowly or idling, smelled of antifreeze. Told dealer last summer, but no problem identified. Dealer seems to have located problem (replaced thermometer, I think). |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
225-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 45000 mi US $160 |
Engine intake hose had a huge hole/crack - part was replaced |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 52000 mi US $80 |
Thermostat stuck open, replaced thermostat |
| 86000 mi US $700 |
oil leak |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed manual RWD
| 63000 mi | Serpentine belt pulley bearings failing. Chewed up serpentine belt. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
333-horsepower 3.2L I6 6-speed automated manual RWD
| 79700 mi US $150 |
Throttle Position Sensor became erratic. Threw lots of codes. Car went into 'Limp' mode several times. Had to pull over stop and re-start engine. Replaced sensor. |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
235-horsepower 3.0L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 81000 mi US $1700 |
new radiator, water pump, expansion tank, hoses, vanos lines. |
| 86000 mi US $625 |
Oil level sensor replaced |
2005 BMW 3-Series 2dr Convertible
184-horsepower 2.5L I6 5-speed shiftable automatic RWD
| 26040 mi A $1000 |
Engine mounts replaced (collapsed) |
See TrueDelta's information for all BMW models.
