In short
At 13–15 years (mostly built 2010–2013) 7.4% of 1,084 inspected BMW 3-serie E90/E91s had at least one A-problem at the APK, against 10.6% for all cars of the same age. Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 46% less often on this model than on average (rank 72 of 328 in the ranking). Most often it concerns brakes, exhaust and emissions and brake lines.
Cite these figures
CarXray.nl (2026). BMW 3-serie E90/E91 — APK defects by age. Based on RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. https://carxray.nl/en/modellen/bmw/3-serie-e90-e91/
A-problems
7.4%
n = 1,084 · 95% CI 6.0 – 9.1%
National, same age
10.6%
n = 1,277,358 · 95% CI 10.6 – 10.7%
Defects at the APK by age
- BMW 3-serie E90/E91
- National, same age
- 95% confidence interval
| Age | Built (approx.) | n | A-problems | 95% CI | All defects | National A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 – 4 years | 2021–2023 | — | insufficient | 1.3% | ||
| 5 – 6 years | 2019–2021 | — | insufficient | 1.9% | ||
| 7 – 8 years | 2017–2019 | — | insufficient | 3.1% | ||
| 9 – 10 years | 2015–2017 | — | insufficient | 4.7% | ||
| 11 – 12 years | 2013–2015 | — | insufficient | 7.2% | ||
| 13 – 15 years | 2010–2013 | 1,084 | 7.4% | 6.0 – 9.1% | 38.2% | 10.6% |
| 16+ years | 2010 or older | 8,044 | 8.0% | 7.4 – 8.6% | 43.2% | 15.3% |
Weak spots
What to check extra on this generation.
| Point to check | Share · sample · 95% CI | Vs. same class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 3.9% · n = 1,084 · 2.9 – 5.2% | 1.0× | |
| Exhaust and emissions | 1.0% · n = 1,084 · 0.6 – 1.8% | 2.3× | |
| Brake lines | 1.0% · n = 1,084 · 0.6 – 1.8% | 1.7× | |
| Control arms / ball joints | 1.0% · n = 1,084 · 0.6 – 1.8% | 0.5× |
Open recalls
Check the status of this specific car.
About this generation
- Production years
- 2005 – 2012
- RDW type code(s)
- 390L
- Trade name(s)
- 3-SERIE
- Registered (type group)
- 9,869
- Generation boundary
- Draft, being checked
See other 3-Serie generations Similar models
Same type of car and era, at 13–15 years. 3-serie E90/E91: 7.4% A-problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is the BMW 3-Serie reliable?
The APK tells you about defects, not breakdowns. At 13–15 years 7.4% of inspected BMW 3-serie E90/E91s had at least one A-problem (structure, safety or costly mechanics), against 10.6% nationally at the same age. The maintenance of the specific car matters more than the model.
How does the BMW 3-serie E90/E91 compare with other cars?
Over all ages together an A-problem occurs 46% less often on the BMW 3-serie E90/E91 than on cars of the same age. That puts it at rank 72 of 328 models in the CarXray ranking.
Which model years do these figures cover?
The inspections run from 2025-10 to 2026-09. Cars aged 13–15 years were then mostly built in 2010–2013. The data table shows the build years per age class.
What are the most common problems?
The most common A-problems at the APK are brakes, exhaust and emissions, brake lines. See the weak spots above and take them into your checklist.
Take these insights to the viewing
Use our checklist and focus on the key points for this BMW 3-serie E90/E91.