2020 BMW 3 Series Reliability & Recall Report
Based on 15 NHTSA recalls and 108 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.
F
36/100
Very High Reported Activity — 2020 BMW 3 Series
The 2020 BMW 3 Series shows very high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Counts are raw and are higher for popular models, so see how we score this below. Review the issues and recalls carefully, and have the vehicle inspected before buying.
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15
NHTSA Recalls
15 recalls on record
108
Owner Complaints
Filed with NHTSA
4
Crash Reports
2 fire reports
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NHTSA Recalls — 2020 BMW 3 Series (15)
All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized BMW dealer at no charge to the owner.
🔧 Seat Belts: Pretensioner
In the event of a crash, if the seat belt pretensioners fail to lock, there is an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear seat belts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 10, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer at…
🔧 Exterior Lighting: Headlights
Headlight failure can reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headlight control units, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW…
🔧 Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or…
🔧 Structure: Body: Trunk Lid
If a person were inside the trunk compartment, they may not be able to get out, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the interior trunk release cable and properly install the cable, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners…
🔧 Engine
If the counterbalance shaft loosens, severe engine damage could occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
🔧 Seat Belts: Front: Buckle Assembly
If the air bag and/or seat belt pretensioners deploy improperly in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt buckles, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW…
🔧 Steering: Linkages: Tie Rod Assembly
A damaged or fractured tie rod may affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: BMW and Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear tie rods, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service…
🔧 Seats
An improperly welded seat frame may not properly restrain the occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat frame and back rest, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
🔧 Seat Belts
An audible chime that does not properly alert the driver to fasten their seat belt increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the receiver audio module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 12, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Showing 10 of 15 recalls. View all on NHTSA.gov →
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Most Common Problems — 2020 BMW 3 Series
Based on 108 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.
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BMW 3 Series — Complaints by Year
A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2020 model year is highlighted.
→ Decode a BMW VIN — free BMW VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.
⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2014, 2015 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.
✅ Best model years: 2019, 2021, 2022 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.
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Frequently Asked Questions — 2020 BMW 3 Series
Is the 2020 BMW 3 Series reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2020 BMW 3 Series has 15 recall campaigns and 108 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How many recalls does the 2020 BMW 3 Series have?
The 2020 BMW 3 Series has 15 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 BMW 3 Series?
The most commonly reported problems for the 2020 BMW 3 Series are: Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Engine And Engine Cooling. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.
Is the 2020 BMW 3 Series safe to buy?
The 2020 BMW 3 Series has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 15 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.
What year BMW 3 Series should I buy?
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the BMW 3 Series are: 2019, 2021, 2022. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2014, 2015.
How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.
Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update.
For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit
NHTSA.gov/recalls.