The Lemon Index2004 BMW 3 Series.
The 2004 BMW 3 Series is better than average by owner complaints: 49 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 53, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 19 to 22 mpg combined. The best BMW 3 Series year is 2022.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 582 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every BMW 3 Series year. 2004 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 50K to 114K miles on the car (338 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- airbags complaints mostly came at 59K–141K miles
- lights complaints mostly came at 65K–118K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 51K–126K miles
Recalls 5
- airbags 2020
These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temp.
- airbags 2018
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator resulting in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injur…
- airbags 2015
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusio.
Show all 5 recalls
- lights 2011
BMW IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 325I, 325XI, 330I, AND 330XI VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2001, THROUGH MARCH 1, 2005.
- brakes 2007
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUI…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems BMW told dealers about
BMW sent dealers 31 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- On these Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), the air conditioning cycles from cold to…
- "BMW NA is not requesting that these fuel tanks be returned to the Warranty Parts Return…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- OpenAir bag inflator rupture2015
- ClosedAir bag inflator rupture2014–2015
- ClosedRear lamp illumination2009
- ClosedRear lamp illumination2009–2011
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Fuel cost and engines
About $3600–4200 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
Automatic transmission problem of BMW 2004 330ci. After cold start transmission engaged with significant delay (~5 sec.) .
2004 BMW 3 Series owner · NHTSA complaint 10059016
More owner reports
Transmission does not ingage in forward direction for 30 seconds when car is cold.
NHTSA complaint 10058565
Bought the car new in dec. Transmission failed almost immediately. Dealer talked us into having a clutch pack replacement after software upgrade attempts failed.
NHTSA complaint 10068192
Quick answers
Is the 2004 BMW 3 Series reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.9× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 53; 100 is average, lower is better). The best BMW 3 Series year by this measure is 2022.
What are the most common 2004 BMW 3 Series problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (41%), engine (31%) and electrical (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 BMW 3 Series have?
5 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 BMW 3 Series get?
19 to 22 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 BMW 3 Series problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 50,000 and 114,200 miles. The middle report was at 80,500 miles, from 338 complaints.
Does the 2004 BMW 3 Series have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 41% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2004 BMW 3 Series cost in fuel a year?
About $3600 to $4200 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 BMW 3 Series have?
2.5L 6-cyl.
What BMW 3 Series year is better than the 2004?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2022, 2019 and 2017.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works