2003 BMW 3 Series

Problems owners report

Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 BMW 3 Series, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.

• Exterior lighting23
• Air bags21
• Electrical system12
• Structure5
• Suspension4
• Power train4
• Latches/locks/linkages4
• Tires3
• Engine and engine cooling3
• Visibility2

NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported

Compared with other years

NHTSA ODI complaints by model year

Engines

The most common engines in 2003 BMW 3 Series cars on Dutch roads are the 1.8 petrol (85 kW, 114 hp), 2.0 petrol (105 kW, 141 hp) and 2.2 petrol (125 kW, 168 hp), out of 9 versions with at least 20 cars.

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

2,698 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 33% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €56,256.

Most common APK defects

• Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen1,909
• Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde1,228
• Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect882
• Band onvoldoende profiel670
• Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld609
• Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm489
• Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt397
• Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm338

Colours

RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording

In the United Kingdom

7,387 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 9,234 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, 12,204 of these cars first registered in 2003 took their annual MOT test. 64% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2003 the figure was 57%.

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

906 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 298,000 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

668 2003 cars are on the New Zealand register; 54% arrived as used imports, 41% 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 2003 BMW 3 Series.

Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada

Recalls

No recall campaigns cover the 2003 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 2003 BMW 3 Series: known faults, fixes and updates.

NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)

NHTSA investigations

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation