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BMW 3 Series 316i Business Line common faults.

2008–2012, saloon, petrol, 122 HP.

The fault list covers: N45B16 engine, GS6 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

2 fault write-ups. Both are important. 3 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

2 important faults

Electric water pump: silent failure, immediate overheating

critical

In these engines the water pump is not belt driven but has its own electric motor. It gains on fuel consumption, but it opens a new failure path: the pump or its electronics often simply stops with no warning. Measured in the official complaints, the typical mileage is 161,000 km (a tenth of the complaints already at 81,000, a tenth only above 257,000 km). So the common wisdom of "around 100,000 km" is early: most of the failures happen between 130,000 and 250,000 km.

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With a belt driven pump the flow weakens gradually, here the circulation stops in an instant. In urban traffic the temperature crosses the limit within minutes, the cylinder head distorts, and the repair is an engine rebuild.

Replacing a still good pump at around 120,000 to 150,000 km costs less than repairing an overheated engine. If the replacement is already in the service book, the pump has already been changed.

between 81,000 and 257,000 km

What to check

  • Watch the coolant temperature gauge after startup: it should settle evenly, not jump around
  • Standing still with a warm engine, listen for whether the cooling fan and the pump are working
  • Ask for a fault code read: codes pointing at coolant flow belong here
2 more steps in the write-up

Blower motor connector corrosion: short circuit and fire, even on a parked car

critical

The contacts between the wiring harness and the blower motor regulator wear against each other and corrode. The connection becomes unreliable, the connector heats up, the insulation of the harness is damaged, and that can lead to a short circuit and finally a vehicle fire.

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The short circuit and the fire can happen while the engine is switched off, and also while the car is parked. A car standing in a garage can catch fire too.

According to the German technical press, in January 2021 around 430,000 cars in Germany and more than half a million worldwide were recalled for this, all E90/E91/E92/E93 3 Series. In the USA more than 700,000 2006 to 2011 3 Series cars had already been recalled for the same thing in autumn 2017, after claimants in three separate cases cited injuries. The maker disputed that the fault had ever caused personal injury or an accident.

The EU Safety Gate names it in two separate alerts: the 3 Series (A12/00390/21) and the X5/X6 (A12/01261/21).

The campaign is free, but only if it was carried out. On a fifteen year old car, ask about it, because nobody will offer it unprompted.

What to check

  • Ask the franchised dealer by VIN whether the blower motor connector campaign was carried out
  • Switch the blower on through every speed: a blower that hesitates or drops out at one speed can point to the connector fault
  • Smell the cabin with the blower running: burnt plastic or insulation is an immediate warning
2 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

BMW 3 Series 316i Business Line

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Official recall3 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

A12/00039/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The connector of the positive battery cable on the front power distribution box may be damaged over the lifetime of the vehicle by vibrations and currents. This may lead to failure of the engine and of the vehicle's electrical system, including headlights and occupant protection which will increase the risk of an accident and injuries to the occupants.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

A12/0819/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The connector of the positive battery cable on the front power distribution box may be damaged. This might result in a failure of the vehicle’s electrical system and engine during driving, potentially leading to an accident.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

A12/1019/18Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The plug connection for the positive battery cable may be defective. This could cause the vehicle electrics and the engine to fail while the vehicle is in motion.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

N45B16

90 kW (122 HP) · petrol

GS6 · 6-speed manual, longitudinal (Getrag GS6)

manual · 6 speed

Torque limit450 Nm
MakerGetrag

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
316i Business Line
Body
saloon
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1597 cc
Power
90 kW (122 HP)
Drive
RWD
Production
2008–2012

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Engine oil and oil filter (BMW condition-based service)

    • LongLife25,000 km or 2 years

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All E90 versions

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms