2013 BMW 3 Series

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy

19–28 mpgcombined; city 16–25, highway 23–35; every version of this model year

Five years of fuel

$14,370–$21,180U.S. average; Ohio $13,540–$19,960 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026

NHTSA overall safety rating

5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested

Recall campaigns

6over its history; check a VIN for open ones

Owner complaints

388filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2013 3 Series. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

• ActiveHybrid 3.0 L, RWD
• HP seen with 3.0 L
• SA

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 388 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 3 Series. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

1. 20061,238
2. 20071,038
3. 2008686
4. 2009387
5. 2010273
6. 2011892
7. 2012174
8. 2013388
9. 2014403
10. 2015212
11. 2016105
12. 201778
13. 201873
14. 201941
15. 202053
16. 202133
17. 202215
18. 202312
19. 20249
20. 20255
21. 20261

Every 3 Series year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 3 Series over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 718 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2013 3 Series, the latest on Feb 20, 2025. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: electrical system (234), equipment (214), engine and engine cooling (101), engine (79), power train (46).

NHTSA defect investigations

Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2013 3 Series.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2013 BMW 3 Seriess for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: subcompact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–7 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

Swipe the table sideways for more columns.

Sources and dates

• U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
• NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
• U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data