2010 BMW 3 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 3 Series years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 BMW 3 Series. That ranks 9th out of 20 3 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (10 complaints, 33%), typically at around 72,500 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 30owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 BMW 3 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 10 | 33% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 6 | 20% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 17% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 10% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% | 60,006 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 7% | 5,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 3% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 3% | 2,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 3% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 3% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 3% | 450 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 3% | 53,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 BMW 3 Series recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2010-2012 1 Series Coupe, 1 Series Convertible, 3 Series Sedan, 3 Series Convertible, 2010-2011 3 Series Sportswagon, 3 Series Coupe, 5 Series Sedan, X3 xDrive 28i, X3 xDrive 30i, X5 xDrive30i, and Z4 sDrive30i vehicles. The aluminum bolts that secure the housing for the variable camshaft timing adjustment (VANOS) unit can loosen over time and possibly break.
Risk: Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the four VANOS bolts, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed December 18, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed June 19, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:crankcase (pcv)
Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 1 Series Coupe (128i); 2007-2013 3 Series Coupe (328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive); 2007-2010 X3 SAV (X3 3.0si, X3 xDrive30i); 2008-2013 1 Series Convertible (128i); 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi); 2006-2012 3 Series Wagon (328i, 328i xDrive); 2007-2013 3 Series Convertible (328i); 2006-2010 5 Series Sedan (525i, 525xi, 528i, 528xi, 530i, 530xi); 2006-2007 5 Series Wagon (530xi); 2007-2010 X5 SAV (X5 3.0si, X5 xDrive30i); 2006-2008 Z4 Coupe (Z4 3.0si); and 2006-2011 Z4 Roadster (Z4 3.0i, Z4 3.0si, Z4 sDrive30i) vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short can cause the PCV valve heater to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire while driving or, soon after driving when parked.
Fix: This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Dealers will install an electrical wiring harness with fuse protection for the PCV Valve heater in potentially affected vehicles, free of charge. This recall supersedes and expands previous NHTSA recalls 17V-683 and 19V-273. Vehicles previously repaired under the prior recalls will need to come back for the new recall remedy. The remedy is currently being developed. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 1, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 22, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Air bag light just came on, had it checked but still there
Found a broken bolt of the intake cylinder head, was broke without any reason. I not the only one, found this video. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7hizib96pq there are 3 more bolts inside the cylinder head that can cause serious damage on the engine if broken.
Takata recall - i think air bag and seat belt warning lights are on all the time. Bmw says there is no recall affecting this. Both stationary and moving.
Too long to remedy
In november 2017, bmw sent me letters regarding possible fire hazards due to defects of the blower motor wiring and the pcv valve heater (recall numbers 17v-676 and 17v-683). No recall has been issued and no repair offered to correct possible defects. I have experienced no problem related to these…
Other BMW 3 Series years
← 2009 3 Series · 2011 3 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 3 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 3 Series | 21 | 0 |
| 2012 3 Series | 7 | 3 |
| 2011 3 Series | 1 | 2 |
| 2010 | 30 | 2 |
| 2009 3 Series | 53 | 1 |
| 2008 3 Series | 68 | 2 |
| 2007 3 Series | 115 | 1 |
| 2006 3 Series | 202 | 3 |
| 2005 3 Series | 25 | 0 |
| 2004 3 Series | 77 | 0 |
| 2003 3 Series | 73 | 0 |
| 2002 3 Series | 26 | 0 |
| 2001 3 Series | 36 | 1 |
| 2000 3 Series | 88 | 1 |
| 1999 3 Series | 6 | 1 |
| 1998 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 3 Series | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 3 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 3 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2010 BMW 3 Series?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 10 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2010 BMW 3 Series?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2010 BMW 3 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 3 Series model years, the 2010 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.