The 2013 BMW 3 Series is a small car that came with a choice of 2.0L 4-cyl and 3.0L 6-cyl engines. At 13 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Subcompact Cars, Compact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.0L 4-cyl, 3.0L 6-cyl (turbocharged versions available) |
| Transmissions | Automatic (S6), Manual 6-spd, Automatic (AM-S7), Automatic (S8) |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 16–25 city / 23–35 highway / 19–28 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,950–$4,350 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 317–461 grams per mile |
| EPA fuel economy score | 4–7 out of 10 |
| EPA greenhouse gas score | 4–7 out of 10 |
| Curb weight (NHTSA test vehicle) | 3,399 lb |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,288–4,872 lb |
| Versions tested by EPA | 28 configurations: 335i Coupe, 335i Coupe xDrive, 335is Convertible, 335i Convertible, 328i, 328i xDrive and more |
| Age | 13 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data; weights from NHTSA crash-test records. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls covering the 2013 BMW 3 Series. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, 2012-2016 Z4 sDrive28i, 528i, 528i xDrive, 328i, 328xi, 2016-2018 X5 xdrive 40e, 2014-2016 228i, 228xi, 428i, 428i xDrive, 328xi Gran Turismo, 2013-2017 X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, 2015-2018 X4 xDrive28i, 2015-2016 428xi vehicles. An…
Risk: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an integrated…
Risk: A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2016 328d xDrive sedans and 2013-2015 328d xDrive station wagon vehicles. The constant-velocity joint which transfers power between the transfer case and the rear drive shaft, may become damaged, possibly resulting in loss of power to the rear wheels.
Risk: A loss of power to the rear wheels can affect vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the vehicle is parked after a loss of power to the rear wheels and the parking brake is not engaged, unintended rollaway can o
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i…
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2013-2018 BMW 328d and 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon and 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d and 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) module with an…
Risk: The melting intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i…
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2015 320i, 320xi, 328i, 328xi, 335i, 335xi, and ActiveHybrid3 vehicles manufactured October 20, 2011, to June 22, 2015, 2014-2015 328xi Sports Wagon vehicles manufactured March 21, 2013, to March 17, 2015, 2014-2015 328d, 328xd vehicles manufactured June 28, 2013, to…
Risk: If the side marker lights do not illuminate, the vehicle may be less visible at night, increasing the risk of a crash.
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, 2012-2014 BMW 320i Sedan, 328i Sedan, 320i xDrive Sedan, 328i xDrive Sedan, 2012-2013 BMW 528i Sedan, 528i xDrive Sedan, 2013-2014 BMW X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i Sports Activity Vehicle, 2013-2014 BMW X3 xDrive28i Sports Activity…
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
BMW of North America LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 320i, 328i, 320i xDrive, and 328i xDrive sedans; model year 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagons; model year 2012-2013 528i and 528i xDrive sedans, model year 2013-2014 X1 sDrive28i and X1 xDrive28i vehicles and model year 2012-2014 Z4 sDrive28i roadsters. Due to…
Risk: A failure of the brake vacuum pump results in a reduction in braking power that could increase the risk of a crash.
Owners have filed 383 complaints about the 2013 BMW 3 Series with NHTSA. 37 reports involved a crash and 10 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 23 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 BMW 3 Series, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, RWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9.5% |
| 2 Dr, RWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★★ | 9.3% |
| C, RWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★★ | 9.3% |
| 2 Dr, AWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★★ | 9.3% |
| 4 Dr, AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 9.5% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 633 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2013 BMW 3 Series. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
1 of them is a warranty extension. Warranty extensions mean the manufacturer agreed to cover a specific repair beyond the normal warranty. They rarely still apply to a car this age, but they point to known weak spots.
The Footwell Module (FRM) limited warranty for defects in materials and / or workmanship has been supplementarily increased to 15 years / 240,000 miles as determined from
Only fuel nozzles with the recommended "specified" diameter for diesel engine passenger vehicles can beinserted into the filler neck. Most fuel stations have their diesel
Radio R/C with FEM Return
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the ba
Upon opening and closing the tailgate, a creaking/groaning sound can be heard from tailgate actuator.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 3 defect investigations covering the 2013 BMW 3 Series.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pe
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to
Loss of power assist braking
In a letter dated September 26, 2013, BMW Group submitted a safety recall notice to NHTSA identifying a defect condition in the vacuum pump oil supply that may result in loss of power assist braking in 76,191 model year (MY) 2012 through 2014 BMW 3-Series, 5-Series, X1 SAV, X3 SAV, and Z4 vehicles equipped with 4-cylin
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2013 3 Seriess that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2013 BMW 3 Series; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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