Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 1993 BMW 3 Series cars on Dutch roads are the 2.5 petrol (141 kW, 189 hp), 1.6 petrol (73 kW, 98 hp) and 2.0 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp), out of 7 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 petrol | 141 kW 189 hp | 237 |
| 1.6 petrol | 73 kW 98 hp | 102 |
| 2.0 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 83 |
| 1.8 petrol | 83 kW 111 hp | 74 |
| 1.8 petrol | 103 kW 138 hp | 44 |
| 1.8 petrol | 82 kW 110 hp | 34 |
| 1.6 petrol | 75 kW 101 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
703 first registered in 1993 are on Dutch roads; 52% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen94
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde87
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect41
- Band beschadigd41
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld41
- Band onvoldoende profiel39
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm38
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan33
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
319 cars built in 1993 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,385 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 536 of these cars first registered in 1993 took their annual MOT test. 70% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1993 the figure was 67%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1993 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.8% | 17.2% |
| Brakes | 6.7% | 11.2% |
| Suspension | 5.8% | 10.0% |
| Visibility | 5.8% | 6.9% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.9% | 7.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3.5% | 9.7% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
78 of these cars first registered in 1993 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 249,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
158 1993 cars are on the New Zealand register; 34% arrived as used imports, 55% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1993 BMW 3 Series.
| 1998197 14 Oct 1998 | Heater And Defroster On certain vehicles, failure of a cooling system component such as thermostat, water pump or fan belt can result in a significant increase in coolant temperatur… |
| 1997173 9 Oct 1997 | Engine On certain 318IC, 318IS, 318TI, 325I, 325IC, 325IS, 525I, 525IT, 530I, 530IT, 540I, 740I, 740IL, 840CI and M3, the cruise control and throttle cable are attache… |
| 1996158 7 Oct 1996 | Lights And Instruments On certain 325I, 325IC, 325IS, 525I, 525IT, 530I, 530IT, 535I, 540I, 735I, 735IL, 740I, 740IL and 750I, the brake light switch may fail due to a reduction of co… |
| 1994115 12 Jul 1994 | Engine On certain 318I and 318IS vehicles, under certain conditions, with low ambient temperatures (-10 degrees and colder) and a warmed-up engine, water vapour in the… |
| 1994096 30 May 1994 | Fuel System On certain 318I, 318IC, 318IS, 325IC, 325IS, 325IX, 525I, 535I, 735I and 735IL vehicles, the fuel feed hose could harden and "set" over time due to engine compa… |
| 1993100 19 Jul 1993 | Heater And Defroster On certain 318I, 325I and M3 vehicles, elevated pressure in the cooling system due to overheating could result in cracking of the heater core end piece. Should… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1993 BMW 3 Series.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 1993 BMW 3 Series: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 601210 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE ABS/ASC WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED DURING DYNAMOMETER TEST. *YC *JN |
| 50897 | RECALL 96V111 - THIS RECALL CAMPAIGN INVOLVES THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TW |
| 10249437 | The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met. |
| 10025585 | REAR BULB FAILURE. MODEL E92 (3 SERIES COUPE) VEHICLES PRODUCED UP TO JANUARY 21, 2008 ARE AFFECTED. THE BULB OUT WARNING SHOWS IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *PE |
| 10025584 | N54 RATTLE NOISE FROM TURBOCHARGER AREA. MODELS E90, E92 AND E93 (3 SERIES) 335I AND 335XI; E60 AND E61 (5 SERIES) 535I AND 535XI, ALL WITH N54 ENGINE FROM THE START OF PRODUCTION TO JANUARY 17, 2008 PRODUCTION. *PE |
| 10025573 | N52 EDK THROTTLE JAMMING FAULTS 2D09, 2CED AND 2CEC. MODEL E90 AND E91 (3 SERIES) AND E60 AND E61 (5 SERIES), ALL MODELS UP TO 11/2005 WITH N52 ENGINE. *PE |
| 10015410 | CHECK ENGINE LAMP ILLUMINATED AND/OR VEHICLE OVERHEATS. BMW E90 (3 SERIES) ALL E90 (3 SERIES) AND E60 (5 SERIES) MODELS EQUIPPED WITH N52 ENGINE. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)