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2016 BMW 3 Series

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2016 BMW 3 Series — Safety Summary

The 2016 BMW 3 Series has 0 NHTSA safety recalls and 93 owner complaints on record. Transport Canada separately lists 7 Canadian recalls for this model. The most frequently reported complaint area is service brakes. It earned an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5. Based on this public data we rate its risk profile as medium. Enter your VIN above to confirm which of these apply to your exact vehicle, then get the Smart Buyer Report for AI analysis of this model's reliability, common issues by mileage, and a pre-purchase inspection checklist.

0
NHTSA Recalls
93
Owner Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
Medium
Risk Level

NHTSA Safety Ratings

Government crash test results

★★★★★
Overall
★★★★☆
Front Crash
★★★★★
Side Crash
★★★★★
Rollover

NHTSA Recalls

0 recall(s) for this year/model

No NHTSA recalls found for this year/model.
🍁

Transport Canada Recalls

7 Canadian recall(s) from the official Transport Canada database

Powertrain

2015-11-19

On certain M3 and M4 vehicles, the slip-joint located on the driveshaft going from the transmission to the rear axle may not have been greased properly during the manufacturing process. Over time, this could cause the slip-joint to fail, which would result in a loss of motive power increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect and replace the drive shaft as necessary.

🍁 Transport Canada #2015552· 6.00 units affected

Suspension

2016-09-08

On certain M-series vehicles that had the rear differential replaced during servicing, one-time use bolts holding rear sub-frame may have been inadvertently reused due to missing information in the repair instructions. This could cause the bolts to become loose as they would not achieve sufficient clamping force. A loose sub-frame could affect vehicle handling and stability which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction : Dealers will replace the rear sub-frame bolts.

🍁 Transport Canada #2016438· 24.00 units affected

Engine

2018-10-26

This recall was replaced by Transport Canada Recall No. 2021-711. On certain vehicles, the cooler for Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module may develop an internal leak and coolant could mix with diesel engine soot/sediment. In rare circumstances, this condition could result in smouldering particles and lead to the melting of the intake manifold, increasing the risk of a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the EGR cooler, and if necessary, replace it. If it is determined that the EGR cooler has leaked internally, the intake manifold will also be replaced. The EGR pipe connecting the cooler to the manifold will be cleaned. Note: An operator may be alerted to this condition by one or more of the following symptoms: A warning symbol in the instrument cluster displaying a loss of engine coolant, a reduction in engine power, an unpleasant odour (exhaust gas), an unusual noise from the engine compartment, and/or smoke from the engine compartment.

🍁 Transport Canada #2018587· 10,368.00 units affected

Fuel System

2021-07-29

Issue: On certain vehicles equipped with a diesel engine, the high-pressure fuel pump may wear prematurely. This can cause reduced engine performance and could lead to a sudden engine stall. Note: A warning lamp on the instrument cluster will turn on if the fuel pressure drops. Safety Risk: A loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the high-pressure fuel pump.

🍁 Transport Canada #2021469· 3,486.00 units affected

Engine

2021-11-19

Issue: On certain vehicles, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler could crack internally and leak. If this happens, you may notice the following symptoms: a warning symbol in the instrument cluster displaying a loss of coolant, reduced engine power, an unpleasant exhaust odour, an unusual noise from the engine and/or smoke from the engine compartment. Note: This recall replaces Transport Canada Recall no. 2018-587. Safety Risk: A cracked EGR cooler could create the risk of an engine fire. Corrective Actions: BMW will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the EGR cooler. The dealer will also inspect the intake manifold, and replace it, if necessary.

🍁 Transport Canada #2021711· 12,702.00 units affected

Engine

2024-08-13

Issue: On certain vehicles, fluid from the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system could leak on the intake air hose. As a result, the fluid could enter the electrical connector for the water pump and cause a short circuit. Safety Risk: A short circuit can create the risk of a fire, even while the vehicle is parked and turned off. Corrective Actions: To reduce the safety risk, BMW advises you to park your vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs are completed. BMW will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect and, if necessary, replace the water pump and electrical connector. The dealer will also install a shield on the connector.

🍁 Transport Canada #2024468· 78,381.00 units affected

Label

2024-08-15

Issue: On certain vehicles, the tire and loading information label does not list that there is no spare tire in both official languages. The label reads as "NONE" when it should read as "NONE / AUCUN". Canadian regulations require the information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safety Risk: This error does not affect vehicle safety. Corrective Actions: This is not a recall. The company has corrected the tire and loading information label for all new vehicles.

🍁 Transport Canada #2024544· 587,250.00 units affected

Contains information sourced from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database, licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Data is provided "as is" from Transport Canada's monthly release and may not reflect real-time updates. Transport Canada does not endorse this service. Always confirm open recalls with the manufacturer or Transport Canada before purchase.

Owner Complaints

93 complaint(s) filed with NHTSA

Top complaint categories:

SERVICE BRAKES9 (10%)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9 (10%)
ENGINE8 (9%)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER7 (8%)
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4 (4%)

Want the full picture?

The free data above comes from public NHTSA records. The Smart Buyer Report adds AI-powered analysis for this exact model — reliability score, common problems by mileage, real maintenance costs in CAD, a pre-purchase inspection checklist, a market value estimate, and Canadian notes on rust, winter, and fuel.

Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on CarHistoryReport.ca is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. CarHistoryReport.ca is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.