By make

Known BMW problems at the APK

Over all generations together BMW has an A-problem 49% less often than cars of the same age (rank 5 of 33 makes). 67 times a part fails clearly more often than average on a BMW generation.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

By part

Warning lights

Repair: medium
  • 1-serie E87 2005–2011 · 9.6% at 16+ yrs (national 5.6%)
  • 5-serie G31 2017–2024 · 6.5% at 9–10 yrs (national 3.1%)
  • 3-serie E90/E91 2005–2012 · 8.4% at 16+ yrs (national 5.6%)
  • X5 G05 2018–2026 · 1.5% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • 2-serie Active Tourer F45 2016–2022 · 1.5% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • X2 F39 2018–2024 · 1.4% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • 5-serie G30 2017–2025 · 1.4% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • X1 F48 2016–2023 · 1.3% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • X3 G01 2017–2025 · 1.2% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • 4-serie F32/F36 2013–2021 · 0.9% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • X1 E84 2009–2025 · 0.8% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)

Switch on the ignition: all lights come on briefly and go out after starting. If one stays on, ask about the cause.

Springs and shock absorbers

Repair: medium
  • 5-serie F11 2010–2018 · 9.5% at 16+ yrs (national 2.6%)
  • 3-serie E90/E91 2005–2012 · 6.1% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.4%)
  • 1-serie E87 2005–2011 · 5.9% at 16+ yrs (national 1.6%)
  • 5-serie G31 2017–2024 · 4.6% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.8%)
  • 3-serie F30 2012–2020 · 5.1% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.5%)
  • 1-serie F21 2011–2020 · 3.0% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.4%)
  • 5-serie F10 2010–2019 · 2.8% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.5%)
  • 4-serie F32/F36 2013–2021 · 1.9% at 11–12 yrs (national 1.1%)
  • 3-serie F31 2012–2019 · 2.2% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.5%)
  • X1 E84 2009–2025 · 1.0% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.4%)

Push each corner down firmly: the car should rebound once. Look for oil on the dampers and whether the car sits level.

Leaks

Repair: medium
  • 1-serie F20 2011–2020 · 12.3% at 13–15 yrs (national 5.6%)
  • 5-serie F11 2010–2018 · 9.0% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.6%)
  • 5-serie F10 2010–2019 · 7.9% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.7%)
  • 3-serie F31 2012–2019 · 7.3% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.7%)
  • 1-serie F21 2011–2020 · 6.9% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.7%)
  • 1-serie E87 2005–2011 · 9.3% at 13–15 yrs (national 5.5%)
  • X1 E84 2009–2025 · 9.0% at 13–15 yrs (national 5.6%)
  • 3-serie F30 2012–2020 · 5.1% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.7%)
  • 4-serie F32/F36 2013–2021 · 2.6% at 9–10 yrs (national 1.4%)
  • 2-serie Active Tourer F45 2016–2022 · 1.0% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.5%)

Look under the engine and where the car was parked. Open the bonnet and look for wet, greasy spots.

Brakes

Repair: medium
  • 1-serie F21 2011–2020 · 7.0% at 7–8 yrs (national 2.6%)
  • 3-serie F30 2012–2020 · 5.4% at 5–6 yrs (national 1.8%)
  • 5-serie F11 2010–2018 · 6.4% at 16+ yrs (national 3.2%)
  • 4-serie F32/F36 2013–2021 · 4.2% at 5–6 yrs (national 1.8%)
  • 1-serie E87 2005–2011 · 5.6% at 16+ yrs (national 3.3%)
  • 3-serie F31 2012–2019 · 5.0% at 11–12 yrs (national 2.8%)
  • 1-serie F20 2011–2020 · 4.0% at 5–6 yrs (national 1.8%)
  • 3-serie E90/E91 2005–2012 · 4.9% at 16+ yrs (national 3.3%)

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Exhaust and emissions

Repair: medium
  • 5-serie G31 2017–2024 · 1.9% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.3%)
  • X1 E84 2009–2025 · 2.4% at 16+ yrs (national 0.8%)
  • X5 G05 2018–2026 · 1.1% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.2%)
  • 5-serie F10 2010–2019 · 1.0% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.3%)
  • 3-serie E90/E91 2005–2012 · 1.0% at 13–15 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • 3-serie F30 2012–2020 · 0.7% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.3%)
  • 5-serie G30 2017–2025 · 0.5% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.2%)

Start the engine cold and watch for smoke and an uneven idle. Listen for blowing noises under the car.

Brake lines

Repair: medium

Use a torch to look along the lines near the wheels and rear axle: no thick rust or wet spots.

Control arms / ball joints

Repair: medium
  • 5-serie F11 2010–2018 · 13.2% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.9%)
  • 5-serie F10 2010–2019 · 11.9% at 13–15 yrs (national 1.9%)
  • X1 E84 2009–2025 · 8.2% at 9–10 yrs (national 1.1%)
  • X5 G05 2018–2026 · 7.5% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.9%)
  • 3-serie G20 2019–2026 · 1.3% at 3–4 yrs (national 0.4%)
  • 3-serie G21 2019–2026 · 1.3% at 3–4 yrs (national 0.4%)

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Engine and drivetrain

Repair: large
  • X1 F48 2016–2023 · 2.5% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.2%)
  • 2-serie Active Tourer F45 2016–2022 · 1.7% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.2%)
  • 1-serie F40 2019–2025 · 1.3% at 5–6 yrs (national 0.1%)
  • X2 F39 2018–2024 · 1.3% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.2%)

Start cold and listen for ticking, watch for smoke and jerks when shifting.

Drive shafts

Repair: medium
  • 5-serie G30 2017–2025 · 3.9% at 7–8 yrs (national 0.5%)
  • 5-serie G31 2017–2024 · 3.8% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.7%)
  • 5-serie F10 2010–2019 · 2.6% at 9–10 yrs (national 0.7%)

Look behind the front wheels at the rubber boots: no tears or grease around them. Drive a tight turn: no clicking noise.

Tyres

Repair: small
  • 1-serie F21 2011–2020 · 9.9% at 11–12 yrs (national 6.6%)

Check the tread and look for uneven wear: that points to an alignment problem. The DOT code on the tyre tells its age.

Steering

Repair: large
  • 3-serie G20 2019–2026 · 0.5% at 3–4 yrs (national 0.1%)

Turn the wheel while stationary: no play, knocking or heavy spot. On the test drive the car should keep running straight.

All BMW generations in a row

GenerationA-problems vs. the same ageKnown problemsInspected
X3 G012017–202579% less often17,799
X2 F392018–202479% less often32,441
2-serie Active Tourer F452016–202277% less often44,457
X1 F482016–202371% less often311,870
iX32020–202569% less often02,779
5-serie G312017–202468% less often45,696
1-serie F212011–202067% less often42,937
4-serie F32/F362013–202163% less often47,677
3-serie F312012–201962% less often312,006
i42021–202662% less often02,153
3-serie F302012–202057% less often412,949
5-serie G302017–202557% less often36,772
1-serie F202011–202054% less often221,641
1-serie E872005–201148% less often59,691
3-serie E90/E912005–201246% less often59,128
1-serie F402019–202541% less often26,157
5-serie F102010–201940% less often57,185
X1 E842009–202539% less often520,460
X1 / iX1 U112022–202638% less often0377
3-serie G202019–202634% less often26,120
3-serie G212019–202629% less often14,143
5-serie F112010–201815% less often45,989
X5 G052018–20269% less often36,868

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Frequently asked questions

Which problems are common on BMW cars?

At the APK warning lights stands out for BMW: on 11 of 26 generations it is clearly more common than on cars of the same age. Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know