2010 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 274 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 8 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine cooling, engineOct 20, 2023
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.
Loose or broken VANOS unit bolts can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 23V707000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, exhaust system, emission control, crankcase (pcv)Mar 2, 2022
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 22V119000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, cooling system, fanAug 10, 2012
This recall involves aftermarket parts sold by Valeo. Valeo is recalling certain engine cooling fans, part numbers 696121, 696273, and 696275, used as service replacement parts for model year 2008-2011 BMW 1-Series, 2006-2011 BMW 3-Series, 2000-2009 BMW 5-Series, 2004-2005 BMW 6-Series, and 2006-2007 BMW 7-Series vehicles. A metal-oxide semiconductor may overheat due to insufficient screwing of the semiconductor on the aluminum heat sink. This primary failure could cause adjacent components on the fan assembly motor circuit board to overheat and short.
This condition could cause the fan motor to become inoperative, or cause the motor circuit board in the assembly to overheat, potentially leading to a fire in the engine compartment.
Valeo will notify owners and replace the fans free of charge. The safety recall began on August 22, 2012. This recall is being conducted by Valeo, not by BMW. For further information, owners may contact Valeo at 1-888-718-2536.
Campaign 12E029000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine and engine cooling
48 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Aug 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact had received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), 17V676000 (Electrical System), and 17V683000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer in June 2026. The contact later received a phone call on June 23, 2026, and was informed that the vehicle was ready to be retrieved. The contact went to the dealer; however, while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine seized. The contact informed the dealer of the issue with the vehicle and that the engine had seized. The vehicle was left at the dealer. The contact received a call from the dealer on August 17, 2026. The contact was informed that the engine had failed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact informed the dealer that the vehicle had no issues when the vehicle was taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 201,023.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Apr 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags), 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that while accelerating from the vehicle idling, and turning left or right, the transmission hesitated before shifting hard. Occasionally, while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated, hesitated, and failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle intermittently stalled, and the contact would release the accelerator pedal, depress the brake pedal, and allow the steering wheel failure to self-correct. The failures became more persistent. The ABS, check engine, X-Drive Fluid, ESC, and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that after adding fluid, the failure persisted. The driver's front seat air bag failed to activate intermittently while the driver's seat was occupied. The heating system occasionally failed to operate. The contact became aware of fluid under the vehicle. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic to be diagnosed, and the air bag and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The certified mechanic recommended an oil change because the engine oil was dirty. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact radiator was repaired to resolve the failure with the heating system, but the failures persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failures. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the vehicle was idling rough and occasionally, the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but was more frequent. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. While the vehicle was idling, the RPM was fluctuating between 800 - 1,000 RPM. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was a failure with the VANOS valve timing system. The contact was informed that the VANOS valve timing system needed to be replaced. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that recalls were VIN-specific and that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 8, 2025
A few months ago, I tried to get the above-referenced recall item taken care of at BMW of West Houston (Texas). I was told by the dealership service advisor that it would take at least two days to get the work done. The recall notice, of course, says the work should take about four hours. I was also told that in many cases the valve cover gets bent when performing this work and the cost of the replacement valve cover would be my responsibility. I was very disappointed of course. I don't think that I should pay for anything related to getting a safety recall taken care of. Safety recalls are very serious and for that reason I have sent the enclosed letter to BMW of North America I have also sent a letter to BMW of West Houston, 20822 Katy Freeway, Katy, TX 77449 expressing my disappointment. I am hopeful that I can get this recall, and the several other recalls this particularly car is subject to, taken care· of soon and without much drama. I would appreciate any guidance you can provide.
Engine and engine cooling, May 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 335I. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was self-diagnosed, and the contact stated that the camshaft timing bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired by the contact. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Aug 27, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine and engine cooling, Air bags, Jul 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V513000 (Air Bags) and 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was misdiagnosed. The contact stated that several parts were replaced, including a new radiator hose, a new water pump, and several unknown sensors. The failure reoccurred and became persistent. The contact stated that the vehicle had to be towed to the residence three times. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power, stalled, and failed to restart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into "Safe Mode" and decelerated with the check engine warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 105,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there was a rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with starter failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact was informed that the rattling sound was related to an engine issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received the notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BWM 328I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed failures with the camshaft position sensor and VANOS assembly bolts. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was sputtering, jerking, shuddering, and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drove to her destination; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, then the vehicle stalled and shuddered when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The failure recurred several times. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly jerked and lost motive power. The contact was able to arrive to his destination, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 10, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with three detached VANOS bolts. The contact was informed that the VANOS bolts needed to be replaced. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked or hesitated upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with an unknown warning light illuminated. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 156,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 3, 2024
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2010 BMW 328i. The contact's girlfriend received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated after parking the vehicle, the engine made an abnormal sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the failure was related to the recall. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, he heard an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine and check ignition warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was losing motive power and was able to coast to the side of the road as the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle but after several failed attempts the vehicle failed to start. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact had not informed the manufacturer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the bolts sheared off and entered the engine, and the vehicle began to skip and shut off. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who referred the contact to the BMW dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Jan 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2010 BMW 328I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V707000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle coasted to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 25 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.