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Before you buy a used BMW Serie 3 (F30/F31).

2012–2019 · Petrol / Diesel / Plug-in hybrid · 9 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

BMW Serie 3 (F30/F31), real photo of this generation
Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 9 of its engines.

  • ZF 8HP oil level, leaks and harsh shiftsAutomatic gearbox
    Period mentioned
    2009–2026
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Only if fitted with the automatic gearbox described in the record.

316i (N13)

Petrol

320i / 328i (N20, hasta 2015)

Petrol

320i / 330i (B48, desde 2015) · 335i / 340i (N55 / B58, 3.0)

Petrol

These also apply, described above: BMW petrol electric water pump, leaks and VANOS

316d / 318d / 320d (N47, hasta 2015)

Diesel

  • Stretched rear timing chainTiming system
    Period mentioned
    2007–2015 (improved from 2011)
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

318d / 320d (B47, desde 2015)

Diesel

These also apply, described above: B-engine coolant leaks and EGR cooler

330d / 335d (N57)

Diesel

  • N57 timing chainTiming system
    Period mentioned
    2008–2018 (most cases 2008–2011)
    Mileage mentioned
    From 200,000 km

330e

Plug-in hybrid

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

M3 (F80, S55, 3.0)

Petrol

  • S55 crank hubTiming system
    Period mentioned
    2014–2021
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the BMW Serie 3 (F30/F31)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
316i (N13)Petrol21 with conditions1
320i / 328i (N20, hasta 2015)Petrol51 with conditions1
320i / 330i (B48, desde 2015)Petrol31 with conditions1
316d / 318d / 320d (N47, hasta 2015)Diesel21 with conditions1
318d / 320d (B47, desde 2015)Diesel21 with conditions1
330d / 335d (N57)Diesel21 with conditions1
330ePlug-in hybridFewest documented11 with conditions1
335i / 340i (N55 / B58, 3.0)Petrol31 with conditions1
M3 (F80, S55, 3.0)Petrol21 with conditions1

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 330e (Plug-in hybrid).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Plug-in hybrid.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official BMW dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Water in the starter motor: no start or the starter stays engaged (BMW 3, 5 and 7 Series)Electrical and electronic systems

How to check it: Ask a BMW garage to check with the VIN whether either campaign is outstanding; if the starter keeps turning or you smell burning, switch off and do not leave the car next to buildings.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 10 checked

Timing / lubrication

  • Look out for: Chain rattle on cold starts, VANOS engine light, rising oil consumption and, in severe cases, the engine seizing with no prior warning.

    Ask them to check: Listen to a cold start, check the oil filler cap for plastic debris and read VANOS codes.

Timing system

  • Look out for: High-pitched whine from the engine that rises with revs, rattle on a cold start.

    Ask them to check: Check the guides through the oil filler opening and listen for the whine with the bonnet open.

  • Look out for: Rattling from the rear of the engine (gearbox side) on a cold start, getting worse over time. In extreme cases the engine cuts out while driving.

    Ask them to check: Listen with the engine fully cold, ideally with a mechanic's stethoscope on the rear of the block.

  • Look out for: Chain rattle for the first 5–10 seconds after starting; on engines with low oil pressure, noises and oil pump damage.

    Ask them to check: Listen to a cold start and check the oil change history. The gearbox must come off to replace it.

  • Look out for: Engine or drivetrain warning, rough running, or the engine cranks but won't start because the ECU blocks it after detecting timing deviation.

    Ask them to check: Read camshaft deviation with a diagnostic tool and check whether the hub has moved. The permanent fix is a pinned or keyed hub.

Oil leaks

  • Look out for: Oil leak at the front of the engine, oil on the auxiliary belt (squeal or burning smell), sometimes oil and coolant mixing.

    Ask them to check: Visual inspection of the filter housing area, the belt and the bottom of the engine.

Cooling / leaks / VANOS

  • Look out for: Temperature warning and limited power with no prior warning (water pump); burning oil smell or smoke from leaks onto the exhaust or belt; rough idle and VANOS codes (2A82, 2A87).

    Ask them to check: Check the water pump and thermostat history, look for leaks at the valve cover and oil filter housing, and read VANOS codes.

Injection / turbo

  • Look out for: Repeated judder or surging when accelerating between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm in hot weather, with no engine light and no stored fault codes.

    Ask them to check: Tell the garage it only happens in hot weather and between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm even with no codes; ask them to check the wastegate pressure converter (next to the oil filler cap) before replacing coils, injectors or the turbo.

Cooling / EGR

  • Look out for: Coolant loss with a low-level warning, coolant or oil residue at the rear of the engine; on diesels, internal coolant loss with no visible leak (EGR cooler).

    Ask them to check: Check the coolant level, look for leaks under the water pump and at the oil filter housing, and on diesels confirm by VIN whether the EGR cooler campaign was done.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Harsh shifts (especially engaging D and 1st to 2nd), slipping or jerking; oil leaks from the pan, the mechatronic connector sleeve or the seals.

    Ask them to check: Check the oil level with the official procedure (correct temperature and engine running), look for leaks at the pan, connector sleeve and seals, inspect the pan for impact damage and review adaptation values with ISTA.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

2A822A87

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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