2018 BMW 3 Series: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 58 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the fuel system, engine, and electrical. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2018- Owner complaints
- 58
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes reported
- 5
- 4 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2018 BMW 3 Series: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which 3 Series is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2018 BMW 3 Series. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cylGas | AWD, RWD | 27 mpg |
| 3.0L 6-cylGas | RWD | 20 mpg |
| 2.0L 4-cylPlug-in hybrid | RWD | 350 mi range |
- The 2018 BMW 3 Series was sold in three versions. Confirm which one this is from the window sticker, the engine cover, or the VIN report before you compare prices.
- On the plug-in hybrid, watch for the car moving off on electric power at low speed and for any hybrid system warning on the dash.
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A 3 Series that averages well under the EPA 20 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Oil filter housing coolant leak
53,000–65,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 BMW 3 Series, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Fuel system13No crashes
Most of these complaints are about a diesel fuel system recall on the 328d that dealers cannot complete because the replacement part is unavailable. Owners say the wait has gone on too long. Failures that do happen are serious: stalling at 50 mph, heavy shuddering with a check engine light, a no-start that a new fuel pump did not fix, and a high-pressure pump that burst and damaged nearby parts. A gasoline 320i report describes fuel odor and a fuel tank ventilation warning around 47,000 miles.
Stalling and getting stranded are the main risks. A failed high-pressure fuel pump can spread metal shavings through the fuel system, so the injectors, lines, pump and tank all need replacing. Other reports cover a faulty fuel level sensor that leaves the car stuck on the interstate, a collapsed filler hose that blocks refueling, and a fuel tank leaking at the top flange with no warning lamp. Coolant leaks from the cylinder head expansion tank hose also appear here, with overheating and reduced power that repeated dealer repairs fail to cure.
Engine12No crashes
Coolant leaks dominate. The oil filter housing cracks and dumps coolant, which owners say happens around 50-60k miles. The low-coolant warning shows up only when the tank is nearly empty. Plastic coolant hoses and connectors also crack, sometimes several at once, and the coolant pump can leak too. Overheating, power loss and engine damage follow when the leak goes unnoticed. Two reports involve smoke or fire under the hood. A coolant-leak recall covers part of the problem, and some owners paid for the repair before the recall arrived.
Electrical91 crash
Fire is the most serious pattern. Smoke and flames come from the rear seat and rear window area, and owners link them to the rear defroster wiring. One person was injured. Other reports describe all power cutting out while driving, steering included, on a nearly new car. Water getting into the roof antenna fin disables the emergency call system. Smaller complaints cover rodents chewing wiring, dropped phone calls and Bluetooth audio failures, and no way to shift into neutral when the car is dead.
Transmission41 crash
Stalling while driving is the main pattern. Cars shut off at highway speed or when coming to a stop, sometimes with drivetrain malfunction or transmission-not-in-park messages. One repair traced the stalling to a failed fuel pump and fuel rail that sent metal shards into the tank and injectors. Persistent coolant leaks with jerky running and repeated unsuccessful repairs also appear. One crash with an injury is tied to a rattling noise and a loss of control above 30 mph.
Airbags31 crash
The repeating fault is a failed passenger seat occupancy sensor. A restraint system malfunction warning comes on, and the faulty sensor can stop the airbags from deploying. Repairs cost roughly two thousand dollars, and at least one car had under 34k miles. A separate report describes airbags that did not deploy in a front-left impact at about 45-50 mph, and the driver was injured. Owners note that BMW extends airbag coverage on some other models but not this one.
Acceleration and cruise control31 crash
Unintended acceleration is the main concern. The car surges forward at low speed while parking, and one report links this to a collision with a parked car. A stuck cruise control rocker switch keeps raising speed past 80 mph. A third complaint is really about a run-flat tire that failed on the freeway, with severe vibration, pulling and grinding despite the reinforced sidewalls. Three complaints are too few to show a clear pattern.
Brakes21 crash
Two unrelated problems appear. In one, the car lunges forward at a stop light while the brake is held, the pedal goes to the floor, and the car hits the vehicle ahead. That report is crash-related. The other is quieter but still risky: rear brake pads wear down to metal around 40000 miles with no brake wear warning. The wear is found only after a rubbing noise appears.
Steering2No crashes
Both complaints describe a sudden loss of steering assist. On the 330e plug-in hybrid, a charging malfunction message comes just before steering and brakes stop working at highway speed, and the car runs off the pavement. The other report describes a popping noise, then collision, steering and pedestrian warning lights, and steering that turns heavy as the electric assist drops out. Both carry a real loss-of-control risk.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints 3 Series owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
The vehicle gave a warning that the engine coolant was low and to power down before it overheated. Upon taking it to the dealer, it was discovered that the oil housing unit was defective. After doing online research, this is a very common issue with this part. I had a previous vehicle with a similar issue that caused the vehicle to shut down in traffic from overheating.
Filed with NHTSA, January 2025
Unknown - I returned from a work related trip out of the country, started my vehicle and coolant was pouring everywhere. BMW stated there's a recall coming out but have not seen one since the repair in April which was over a thousand USD.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2022
Car just shut off when driving at 65mph and never started back up, took it in and repair was a bad fuel pump and fuel rail line causing metal shards to go through fuel tank and injectors.
Filed with NHTSA, June 2025
How the 2018 compares with other 3 Series years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2018 has the most owner complaints of the 8 3 Series years we cover, about 3.2 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Fuel system130
- Engine122
- Electrical94
- Transmission41
- Airbags31
- Acceleration and cruise control30
Where the 2018 fits in the 3 Series's history
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2018 is the seventh model year of the 3 Series's sixth generation (2012–2019).
It includes the 2016 update.
What changed for 2016
- Updated exterior styling
- New technology for infotainment and driver assistance features
- Engine improvements
Recalls to confirm (5)
Recall repairs are free at any BMW dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
21V907000Fuel systemNov 2021
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold.
Risk: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. An interim owner notification letter was mailed on January 18, 2022. The remedy is expected to be available in June 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 6, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
21V586000Fuel systemJul 2021
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, X5 xDrive35d, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, and 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d vehicles. The high-pressure fuel pump may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the high-pressure fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 14, 2022. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V755000EngineOct 2018
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated cooler. If the EGR cooler leaks internally, the coolant can mix with diesel engine soot. The high EGR temperatures may result in these particles possibly smoldering and melting the intake manifold.
Risk: The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the EGR cooler as necessary. If a leak has already occurred, the engine intake manifold will also be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began May 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V652000EquipmentSep 2018
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance, i3 Rex, i3 Sport Rex, X5 xDrive40e, i3 BEV, i3 Sport BEV and 2019 i8 and i8 Roadster vehicles and 2018-2019 530e iPerformance, 530e xDrive iPerformance and 740Le xDrive iPerformance vehicles. Capacitors within the TurboCord Portable Chargers may fail, possibly resulting in a shock hazard or a fire.
Risk: An electrical shock or a fire can increase the risk of injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the charging cable, and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
18V465000EngineJul 2018
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 BMW 540d xDrive vehicles. The crankshaft sensor may be equipped with incorrect firmware, preventing the sensor from properly processing input from the crankshaft reluctor ring, possibly resulting in a vehicle stall. On September 12, 2018, BMW expanded the recall to a total of 5,309 vehicles including certain 2018-2019 BMW 540d xDrive, 230i M240i, M240i xDrive, X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 330i, 330i xDrive, 340i, 340i xDrive, 330i xDrive Gran Turismo, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, 530e, 530e xDrive, 640i xDrive Gran Turismo, 330e, 2019 430i Gran Coupe, 430i xDrive Gran Coupe, 440i Gran Coupe, 440i xDrive Gran Coupe, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, 740i, 740i xDrive, MINI Cooper, Cooper S, JCW, MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), and MINI Clubman (Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, JCW All4) vehicles.
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the crankshaft sensor, free of charge. The recall began September 6, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Also looking at these instead of a 3 Series?
Cars shoppers compare with the BMW 3 Series, with their own 2018 checklists.
2018 owner complaints, side by side
- Audi A435
- Mercedes-Benz A-Class52
- 2018 BMW 3 Series58
- Mercedes-Benz C-Class518
- Mercedes-Benz CLA529
- Toyota Camry708
- Tesla Model 3951
