The Lemon Index
BMW's 3.0 L twin-turbo inline-6 in the 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X6, Z4, model years 2007–2016. YouTube likes the 2010 best.
Less liked than most on YouTube: YouTube owner tone 42/100, #131 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2010 (49) and least about the 2012 (36); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
Owner score = the whole car's Lemon Index where this was its only engine that year; a gray dot means the model shared engines, so the number isn't this engine's alone. How we count
How each number is matched to the engine: (a) complaints filed under a version name that used only this engine that year (e.g. "335I"); (b) the model had only this engine that year, so its Lemon Index (complaints per car sold vs the average car) applies to every car with this engine; "all engines combined" = the model had several engines under one name, so its number is not this engine's alone. Owner complaints cover the whole car (brakes, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine. None of these is a failure rate. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts that name the engine or a version that used it. A video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of its generation, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars with it | Owner complaints | Complaints naming "N54" | YouTube says | Top complaint areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | BMW 3 Series 335ci, 335i, 335xi | 317 complaints (a: filed as 335i) | 6 | 41 (20 videos, 3 naming 2007) | fuel system, electrical, engine |
| 2008 | BMW 3 Series 335ci, 335cxi, 335i, 335xi BMW 5 Series 535i, 535xi BMW X6 X6 xDrive35i | 414 complaints (a: filed as 335i, 535i) | 9 | 41 (29 videos, 6 naming 2008) | fuel system, engine, electrical |
| 2009 | BMW 3 Series 335ci, 335ci xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive BMW 5 Series 535i, 535i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i BMW X6 X6 xDrive35i | 186 complaints (a: filed as 335i, 535i) | 3 | 40 (35 videos, 12 naming 2009) | fuel system, engine, air bags |
| 2010 | BMW 3 Series 335ci, 335ci xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive BMW 5 Series 535i, 535i xDrive BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i BMW X6 X6 xDrive35i | 58 complaints (a: filed as 335i) | 1 | 49 (29 videos, 10 naming 2010) | fuel system, engine, air bags |
| 2011 | BMW 3 Series 335is BMW 7 Series 740Li, 740i BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | 22 complaints (a: filed as 335is, 740i) | 5 | 43 (9 videos, 7 naming 2011) | engine, electrical, air bags |
| 2012 | BMW 3 Series 335is BMW 7 Series 740Li, 740i BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | 10 complaints (a: filed as 335is, 740i) | 0 | 36 (6 videos, 6 naming 2012) | engine, transmission & drivetrain, electrical |
| 2013 | BMW 3 Series 335is BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | 3 complaints (a: filed as 335is) | 0 | not enough videos | engine, fuel system, air bags |
| 2014 | BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | all engines combined: BMW Z4 7 complaints | 0 | not enough videos | — |
| 2015 | BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | all engines combined: BMW Z4 5 complaints | 0 | not enough videos | — |
| 2016 | BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i, Z4 sDrive35is | all engines combined: BMW Z4 4 complaints | 0 | not enough videos | — |
Known issues on record
- High-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures led to a recall, a class action and a 10-year/120,000-mile US warranty extension.
- Fuel injectors got a 10-year/120,000-mile US warranty extension and an updated design.
- Wastegate rattle from bushing wear got an 8-year/82,000-mile US warranty extension.
According to Wikipedia's BMW N54 article and its sources.
Every US version with this engine
| Model and version | Years | Power |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 3 Series 335ci | 2007–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335i | 2007–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335xi | 2007–08 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335cxi | 2008 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335ci xDrive | 2009–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335i xDrive | 2009–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 3 Series 335is | 2011–13 | 322 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 535i | 2008–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 535xi | 2008 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 5 Series 535i xDrive | 2009–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 740Li | 2011–12 | 322 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW 7 Series 740i | 2011–12 | 322 hp · 332 lb-ft |
| BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35i | 2009–16 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
| BMW Z4 Z4 sDrive35is | 2011–16 | 335 hp |
| BMW X6 X6 xDrive35i | 2008–10 | 302 hp · 295 lb-ft |
Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Engine and power: Wikipedia, BMW N54 (BMW ratings; US figures can differ by a few hp).
Quick answers
What cars have the BMW N54 engine?
In the US: the 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, X6, Z4, model years 2007–2016. See the version table for each one.
Is the N54 reliable?
Not one of the safer bets on our data. YouTube owner tone 42/100, #131 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. The most owner complaints (about any part of the car) filed under version names that used this engine were for the 2008 (414). Counts follow sales, so this is not a failure rate. Government complaints are filed by model and year, not engine, and they cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate. We only credit a number to this engine where the version name or the model year leaves no doubt. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the N54 make?
BMW rated it at 302 to 335 hp in US versions, depending on the car and year.