2013 BMW 3 Series Problems
- Complaints
- 21filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 3,750miles, 18 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 BMW 3 Series (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 21 consumer complaints for the 2013 BMW 3 Series. The part named most often is electrical system, with 7 complaints (33% of the total), followed by engine (7) and transmission and drivetrain (6). 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 89% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 3,750 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 42 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 17 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 5 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Electrical system7 33%
- Engine7 33%
- Air bags3 14%
- Brakes2 9.5%
- Fuel system1 4.8%
- Body and structure1 4.8%
Also reported: Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Electrical system: “The door lock actuators have failed. This makes it so that the doors do not open when you are inside the vehicle attempting to get out by pulling the door handle. This is a safety issue not allowing me to get out of my vehicle. If this issue is not resolved by paying the $1500 to fix the issue the doors will stop opening completely making this even more of a safety issue over time. This issue only gets worse and is directly related to the functionality of the car. This door lock actuator should be recalled on all vehicles Bmw makes that are having this same issue. …”
NHTSA complaint #11191736, filed 2019-03, 65,536 milesEngine: “As I was approaching the on ramp for the highway, I sped up in order to merge into oncoming traffic. I depressed the gas pedal completely to the floor but the car picked up extremely slowly as if it did not have any power. I also noticed at the same time that my engine temperature seemed to be unusually low for a vehicle that had been running for over an hour. There had also been an extremely loud fan noise that would come on every 2 minutes or so. …”
NHTSA complaint #10546219, filed 2013-09, 1,825 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “Heard noise and the car starting shaking and then car died on me and service on middle of nowhere and I starts the car back but it got stalled many times and it was shifting the gear to neutral it was a bad experience I could had an accident brand new Bmw.”
NHTSA complaint #10500706, filed 2013-02, 2,515 milesVehicle speed control: “Had similar problem as previously reported incident (09/30/2013), the loss power. This was the second time for me. The first incident occurred on october 29, 2013. When I put foot on gas, the car would not accelerate. I took car to dealer and two days later was told the auxiliary power supply needed to be replaced, but the replacement part was unavailable: there were no parts in the country nor could they tell me when the part would be available. I was told I could continue operate the car and I should not be concerned. The loss of power occurred again november 15. …”
NHTSA complaint #10552529, filed 2013-11, 11,109 milesMileage when problems were reported
89% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 1,825 and 11,109 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2013 BMW 3 Series in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 42 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11014417Feb 20, 2025Electrical system. The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 240,000 miles as determined from the original first…
- 11008105Sep 16, 2024Fuel system. Only fuel nozzles with the recommended “specified” diameter for diesel engine passenger vehicles can beinserted into the filler neck. Most fuel stations have their diesel fuel pumps fitted with this…
- 11000627May 3, 2024Other or unknown. Radio R/C with FEM Return
- 10249437Jan 16, 2024Electrical system, Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors). The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
- 10249027Jan 11, 2024Electrical system. The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers…
- 10240305Aug 2, 2023Equipment, Steering, Suspension. Spl Parts, Inc. communications index accompanying MCP uploads 23mc40464 & 23mc40471
- 10240273Jul 17, 2023Suspension, Steering, Equipment. This is the companion to SPL Parts, Inc.'s SB 23-01 mailed by private label independent distributor Turner Motorsports.
- 10240266Jul 14, 2023Equipment, Suspension, Steering. SPL Parts, Inc. manufacturers and distributes aftermarket lower control arms for dedicated competition vehicles and "track day" cars some of which may be used on both track and highway. SB 23-01…
- 10193494Aug 1, 2018Electrical system. Butt connector for repairing a plug connection. The ?top up coolant? message is displayed in the central display (CC message ID 166). When checking the cooling system there are no leaks found and…
- 10215025Jun 1, 2017Equipment. Shipping specific non-deployed vehicle safety devices to lighting resources, llc. This service Information bulletin provides information on shipping "specific" noin-deployed vehicle safety devices…
Other model years of the BMW 3 Series
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 21 | 3,750 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2012 | 7 | 38,634 | 3 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2010 | 30 | 59,256 | 2 | — | — | 31 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2009 | 53 | 68,000 | 1 | — | — | 54 · Typical | Stable |
| 2008 | 68 | 55,000 | 2 | — | — | 50 · Typical | Stable |
| 2007 | 115 | 60,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2006 | 202 | 66,050 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2005 | 25 | 70,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 77 | 80,450 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2003 | 73 | 77,217 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 26 | 92,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 36 | 117,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 88 | 95,500 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 6 | 105,330 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1997 | 5 | 67,600 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All BMW 3 Series model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 BMW 3 Series have?
NHTSA recorded 21 consumer complaints for the 2013 BMW 3 Series as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2013 BMW 3 Series is reported most often?
Electrical system is named most often, in 7 complaints (33% of the total), followed by engine with 7.
Has the 2013 BMW 3 Series been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 2013 BMW 3 Series reported?
Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 3,750 miles and the middle half falls between 1,825 and 11,109 miles; 89% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.