Skip to content
KickTyres
MajorCommonEngine

BMW 3 Series: Piezo fuel injector failure and misfires (3.0 N54 twin-turbo petrol, 335i)

Piezo fuel injector failure and misfires (3.0 N54 twin-turbo petrol, 335i) is a common engine fault on the BMW 3 Series on the 2007–2010 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs ≈A$830 to ≈A$5,520 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 92 documented faults on the BMW 3 Series.

Vehicle
BMW 3 Series
Only on
Bi-Turbo / twin-turbo
Engine
N54
Years
2007–2010
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the BMW 3 Series as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All BMW 3 Series faults92 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

A single common-rail diesel fuel injector photographed against a plain background.Example of the part — not this vehicle

A common-rail diesel injector. Contamination damages the nozzle at the tip.

Panoha · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

Piezo fuel injector failure is a known issue on the 3.0 N54 twin-turbo petrol in the E90, E92 and E93 335i. In the US, BMW ran an emissions service campaign (10E-A02) to check and replace injectors on N54 engines built from April 2007 to November 2008 because they could cause misfires, and the injector has been revised many times since. A failing injector causes misfires, rough running and loss of power, and a leaking one can put fuel into the cylinder. Ask whether the injectors have been updated to a late index.

What you would notice

  • Misfire or engine warning light, often on a cold start
  • Rough idle
  • Stuttering or loss of power under boost
  • Fuel smell from the exhaust

How to check it

Where to look. Top of engine, fuel injectors

Start the engine cold and listen and feel for a rough or uneven idle. On the test drive accelerate firmly through the gears and feel for stuttering or hesitation, and watch for an engine warning light. Ask for invoices showing injector replacement and the injector index fitted. If a workshop inspection is possible: read misfire counters and stored codes with a BMW-capable scan tool and check the index numbers on the injector bodies.

Parts involved: Fuel injector, Turbocharger.

What it costs to put right

≈A$830 to ≈A$5,520 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, converted to Australian dollars, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Have the injectors been replaced, and which index are they?”
  • “Has it had misfire codes or coil and plug replacements?”
  • “Was the BMW injector campaign done?”

Now check the BMW 3 Series you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car still has money owing on it, has been written off or reported stolen, what kms it showed in past sale ads, whether it has had accident repair claims and what it is worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate and its state for the A$17.90 Vehicle Check, or the full history from A$24.99.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

BMW 3 Series buyer questions

Is piezo fuel injector failure and misfires (3.0 n54 twin-turbo petrol, 335i) serious on a BMW 3 Series?

We rate it major and common on the BMW 3 Series. Piezo fuel injector failure is a known issue on the 3.0 N54 twin-turbo petrol in the E90, E92 and E93 335i. In the US, BMW ran an emissions service campaign (10E-A02) to check and replace injectors on N54 engines built from April 2007 to November 2008 because they could cause misfires, and the injector has been revised many times since. A failing injector causes misfires, rough running and loss of power, and a leaking one can put fuel into the cylinder. Ask whether the injectors have been updated to a late index.

How much does it cost to fix on a BMW 3 Series?

≈A$830 to ≈A$5,520 at independent workshop rates, shown as an approximate guide in Australian dollars. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which BMW 3 Series years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2007–2010 BMW 3 Series. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Start the engine cold and listen and feel for a rough or uneven idle. On the test drive accelerate firmly through the gears and feel for stuttering or hesitation, and watch for an engine warning light. Ask for invoices showing injector replacement and the injector index fitted. If a workshop inspection is possible: read misfire counters and stored codes with a BMW-capable scan tool and check the index numbers on the injector bodies. Look here: Top of engine, fuel injectors