2010 BMW 3-Series BMW 3-Series 2010

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2010 BMW 3-Series repairs by problem area

Engine (41%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (3%)

Brakes and Traction Control (5%)

Suspension and Steering (8%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (25%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (11%)

Other (6%)

Chart based on 271 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2010 BMW 3-Series.

2010 BMW 3-Series engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (5%)

$1000 - $2499 (14%)

$500 - $999 (11%)

$100 - $499 (19%)

< $100 (51%)

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

Chart based on 79 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2010 BMW 3-Series

Engine not specified

2000 mi steel fuel filler opening jammed (the small gate in the tube seized-up). 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon

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

84000 mi

US $1000
Replaced coils and mass air flow sensor as part of the maintenance where spark plugs needed changing. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Wagon

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

77700 mi

US $500
Fuel Pump stopped working without any warning 
67580 mi Replaced two bad coils 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

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

44950 mi

$3000
Full fueling system overhaul - new HPFP, Plugs, Coils were installed.  OFHG replaced due to leaks.  Water pump replaced due to leaks. 
51460 mi

$100
valve cover gasket oil leak. gasket replaced 
38000 mi Valve cover gasket, 2 valves replaced and seals. 
80000 mi

US $50
Water pump failed. 
85000 mi

US $50
6 fuel injectors replaced, cable cover gasket replaced. 
31480 mi Turbocharger blew due to a crack in one of the charge pipes. Repairs were covered by Warranty. 
39680 mi Replaced leaking radiator 
45760 mi Replaced coolant expansion tank, again, due to cracked tank. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

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

49200 mi

US $3150
Fuel injectors stuck open and one bad spark plug. Coils replaced preventatively 
19700 mi replace 3 fuel injectors 
47600 mi

US $150
Replaced fuel injectors for cylinders 4-6 
55300 mi Engine miss-fired in cyl #4 from time to time in 1500-2500 rpm rangernI replaced all all coils and replaced the spark plug in cyl #4. Engine runs smooth and no longer has the issue. Not sure if it was the coil or the sp. 
59000 mi

US $70
Boost pressure converter started making strange noise. I found and installed a replacement. 
60100 mi

US $425
Carbon clean intake valves. 
66300 mi Got engine malfunction message - reduced power mode when I was 200 miles from home. Car was sluggish but kept driving. I traced the problem to a stuck rear turbo wastegate. Pulled vacuum and the gate did not move. Used some WD40 to lubricate. 
70000 mi

US $450
Oil Filter Housing gasket was leaking and needed replacement. 
81000 mi

US $1600
Car was having miss-fire on cold start. Replaced valve cover and valve cover gasket. Installed updated Rob Beck PCV valve. Replaced index 7 fuel injectors with index 12 injectors. Car runs fine after repair. Still seems to burn .25 quart per 500 miles. Hard to chase that issue since it could be normal engine/turbo wear at 82 kmiles. 
31700 mi Driver side exhaust had a severe flapper rattle on cold start. The entire left side muffler and exhaust were replaced. 
47400 mi leaking valve cover gasket 
56000 mi Cracked valve cover 
69000 mi

US $300
My stock charge pipe blew off and shattered. I replaced the stock plastic one with an aftermarket metal one. 
60140 mi Leaking coolant from engine compartment. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

16100 mi Fuel injector for cylinder one was inoperative causing misfire and rough operation. Injector replaced. 
24700 mi Three fuel injectors failed. Car was repaired and while the repairs were I was given a loaner. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 265hp 3.0L I6 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

98580 mi

C $2200
EGR malfunction since spring/summer 2014. Difficult to diagnose. Had to replace EGR cooler following warranty replacement of EGR valve a second time. Seized flap valve inside the cooler. 
34300 mi Check engine light came on. Code indicated a sensor in the SCR tank was incorrect. Dealer replaced the tank containing DEF fluid. 
53000 mi

US $230
Service Engine Soon light came on indicating problem with MAF sensor. Couldn't reset. 
88000 mi

US $1150
SES light, one bad glow plug, bad glow plug controller. replaced all six glow plugs and controller. Defective MAF (Mass Air Flow Meter) 
94000 mi

US $1200
Leaking Charge Air Pipe/Hose. 
35000 mi Fourth time for injector problem (cylinder #2) via SES light. No noticeable driveability issues. 
35000 mi SES light continued to come on. BMW repurchased the vehicle - mechanic I spoke with thought it might be due to excessive carbon build-up as a result of direct injection. 
84000 mi Service Engine Soon light came on about three days after full car tune up. Independant repair shop's computer tool was unable to identify exactly what the repair needs to be. Something about the diesel exhaust treatment fluid sensor. 
87000 mi

US $128
Service Engine Soon light had been on for one month. Local mechanic did not have system to address repair. SES went off three days prior to service call. Still took it in. Something to do with the diesel exhaust temp guage. No repair. 
90300 mi SES light and code says that the diesel exhaust fuel sensor is bad and that in order to replace it, the DEF tank in its entirety needs to be replaced. System also reported a past case that a cylinder had misfired. 
104000 mi

US $2000
Coolant hose busted. Car over heated and wouldn't run. 
3300 mi Software upgrade with major clear and complete reflash 
69800 mi

US $130
The back pressure turbo hose ruptured and had to be replaced 
26000 mi Check engine light went on intermittently 
44000 mi Leaky fuel injector causing rough running. 
45500 mi Faulty DME controller found to be repeatedly causing injector faults. Replaced the unit. 
53000 mi Service engine soon light came back on and engine ran rough. 
78000 mi Glow plug failure 
90500 mi

US $50
Exhaust NOx sensor failed. 
53800 mi Replaced the active tank (Urea) due to a faulty sensor. 
58000 mi

US $50
Supply module replaced (SCR System) 
60000 mi

US $50
Problem: SES light and DEF fluid was being pumped out of the tank through vent tubes. NOX sensors replaced SCR catalyst replaced Urea Tank replaced. 
65000 mi

US $350
Urea tank would pump DEF out of the vents onto the ground. Serpentine belts replaced. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 181hp 2.0L I4 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

17560 mi Timing chain replacement 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

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

28520 mi

$200
Oil cooler 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

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

65100 mi

US $1869
Faulty eccentric shaft sensor 
57000 mi

US $2600
Oil filter housing stand gasket and coolant. Oil pan gasket, oil pan bolts. Spark plus and ignition coils. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

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

66000 mi

US $3500
ignition coils malfunctioned oil leak and related parts 
70000 mi Internal leak in fuel tank vent system. Replaced fuel pump, vent line from tank to fill neck, fill neck to canister, canister to purge valve and purge valve. Replaced canister. Installed gas tank. 
52300 mi

US $114
Service Engine Soon light was on. Inspection detected defective fuel cap which was replaced. 
49000 mi

US $650
Oil filter gasket not properly installed at quicklube, took it to F.A.T.S. who had to replace sensors, new filter, etc. car was cutting out in power 
49000 mi

US $650
Replaced coil pack 
82100 mi Bad ignition coils, replaced under control warranty 
90000 mi

US $50
Oil filter housing cracked, replaced under CPO warranty 
58000 mi

US $11
Car is starting to burn oil. Had to top up a quart after a 300 mile trip when Oil indicator was in the middle level before starting. Hasn't done so for the last 58000 miles. Need to monitor in future. 
53500 mi

US $600
Serpentine belt and tensioner wore out.replaced. 
77000 mi

US $675
Two cylinders were misfiring - replaced all coils and plugs and runs great again 
22000 mi Gas tank had a air leak. Replaced tank. 
50500 mi

US $600
Tensioner is failing. Causing premature wear on fan belt. Is a recall item. 
57000 mi

US $300
The serpentine belt guide had loosened, creating excessive wear on the belt itself. 
81000 mi Car was misfiring and could not be driven. Towed to Dealership. All coils and plugs replaced under the SULEV Warranty. No charge. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

230-horsepower 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

69000 mi O2 sensor out 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

200-horsepower 2.5L I6 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

56000 mi

US $50
Ignition coils and plugs went bad. 
49600 mi

A $1500
- 80,000km service - replace front brake rotor, pads and sensors - replace faulty radiator cooling fan - replace coolant expansion tank - replace electric water pump - replace thermostat - replace brake fluid - flush coolant from engine and radiator 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Hardtop conv.

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

14500 mi bobine (ignition coils) replaced; software updates for the full car to improve performance and navigation / entertainment system. 
53320 mi

€750
2 of 4 coils replaced, after all 4 had been replaced on a engine failure AND all 4 where replace after that by a new type because of a recall. The new type apparently isn't much better... 
61380 mi

€1500
oil pump / oil pressure, coils and injectors replace for the third time ! 
85560 mi

€800
the tensioner for the chain was out for some strange reason and since that is supposed to be stuck in the bottom of the engine and being oiled by the engine - all oil drained ... 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

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

2000 mi Fuel pump was having issues starting. Replaced it. Apparently had to replacement the navigation system when they did it? Makes no sense to me either. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

turbocharged 300hp 3.0L I6 6-speed manual RWD

6000 mi A fuel injector went bad, causing the "Service engine" light to come on. 
10000 mi replaced high pressure fuel pump 
66960 mi

C $2000
Water pump failed causing an overheating issue which triggered an engine shutdown. Water pump serpentine belt replaced. 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

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

74000 mi

US $2000
Fuel actuator.. obd..bank2 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

414-horsepower 4.0L V8 6-speed manual RWD

43800 mi

US $20
Coolant expansion tank bleeder valve screw cracked. Screw is made of plastic and this is a common problem on BMWs 
68700 mi

US $165
Throttle actuator bank 2 failure, replaced for free under CA Extended Emissions Warranty 7yr/70k Air intake temperature sensor failure 
76000 mi

US $630
Replaced throttle actuator bank 1 
78000 mi

US $15
Loose rubber gasket inside intake plenum causing whistling noise upon acceleration. Sealed the gasket with RTV. Noise disappeared 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

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

41700 mi

US $100
Leaking head gasket, replaced 

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2010 BMW 3-Series 2dr Coupe

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

17500 mi Faulty ignition coils, misfiring 
28000 mi Faulty NoX sensor replaced. Emissions warning light illuminated. 
41300 mi

£100
Camshaft sensor faulty 

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2009.5 BMW 3-Series 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 241hp 3.0L I6 Diesel 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD

17980 mi Very rough idle when car in gear at lights. Dealership did software update to try and fix problem however, problem still persist. Rough idle still occurs at start up when car cold. Problem last for 20-30 seconds.  
32020 mi Car randomly vibrate on cold start for 20-40sec. Dealership still not sure what problem is. Re-booked with dealership to leave over for a few days to diagnose. 
33220 mi Been to dealership more than three times. After changing fuel pressure sensor, problem still there. Then found air flow meter faulty. 
43400 mi Engine chugging at cold start when in gear. This issue have been looked at more than 3 times in the past but still can not resolve. Air flow sensor changed but problem still there. Found oil leak in oil sump. Repair seal and other parts. Engine chugging at cold start when in gear. This issue have been looked at more than 3 times in the past but still can not resolve. Air flow sensor changed but problem still there. Found oil leak in oil sump. Repair seal and other parts. 
45260 mi Chugging problem finally fix after software update. 
52700 mi Chugging Problem came back. Has a particular bad day where it chugged all day on Saturday. 
57660 mi Boost sensor tie with cable tie since last service. Boost sensor clip broken. 
60760 mi Intercooler hose was ordered from Germany and took 2 weeks. Car return with vibration sound/rattling near the gearbox. Had to rebook again. 
77500 mi

A $2500
Glow plug module causing car choking problem during cold start up. Problem there since day one. finally diagnoise and parts replace intake manifold was strip and carbon clean 
83700 mi

A $700
MAF failed cause hesitation under hard acceleration 

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2010 BMW 3-Series Engine Problems

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 2010 BMW 3-Series problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.