The Most Infamously Common E30 Fault

[Barx325i]

rear axel bushes

that's a winner, has that been mentioned yet or did it slip the net?

[TurboTurner]

another vote 4 central lockin when i brought it had all 3 door motors on my cab broken and the pin that connects the wire on the door to the car was corroded lol

also had a oil leak coming from a rubber seal near the oil filter

now fixed that looks like the head might be leaking oil but i love the car!

wouldnt be a clasic if i wernt under the bonnet!

[TonyWilson]

It's all a love hate relationship

[richardlkay]

so there's not much to look out for then

[e30_singh]

Rust is probably the biggest factor, stopping me buying another E30 again.

They rust everywhere, windscreen, jacking point, sunroof, window seals, arches!

[blackcountrybimmerman]

Hydrolic Headlight adjusters never work

You got there before me Alex!

Has anyone here actually got a working system?

Mine works fine...

[6potpower]

Rust is probably the biggest factor, stopping me buying another E30 again.

They rust everywhere, windscreen, jacking point, sunroof, window seals, arches!

Mine has no rust and it never has

[Felix79]

Speedo dieing

SI board going due to leaking battery.

[HairyScreech]

rear axel bushes

that's a winner, has that been mentioned yet or did it slip the net?

thing is i bet most people havent noticed that there gone on there car, i bet buggered bushes are 10x more common than we would believe.

[leeparkes]

All of the above plus

Bonnet strut!

I once had one of the rollers on the bonnet slam on the middle of my back on a windy day.

pain is not the word!

[Cypriotgeeza]

All of the above plus

Bonnet strut!

I once had one of the rollers on the bonnet slam on the middle of my back on a windy day.

pain is not the word!

+2!! Its happened to me with mine AND my dad with his baur! haha

[Fushion_Julz]

I would say number 1 issue is the headlight adjusters...Never seen a working set....and I had a 320i company car back in 1990 and they didn't work on that, even!

The upholstery, especially the drivers' seat (base and bolsters) would be a close second...and it isn't just cloth that's a problem, leather is equally as prone to wear!
The comfort seats are marginally better, and they don't have the spring collapsing issues of the sports seats...

Front/rear fuel lines rusting, central locking relays swimming in water, sunroof panels and trays rusting out, rear arch rust, front wing lower edge rust, leaky rear light and boot seals, touring tailgate rust, touring sagging headlining, noisy or seized heater motors and leaky heater valves are all other common issues...

Things like bushes, though, are service items, really...all cars have those sort of problems if they aren't looked after.

[Morat]

rear axel bushes

that's a winner, has that been mentioned yet or did it slip the net?

thing is i bet most people havent noticed that there gone on there car, i bet buggered bushes are 10x more common than we would believe.

Knackered RSBs do make you feel like a drift hero - until you realise that you're only doing 20mph

[toby]

The Most Infamously Common E30 Fault - post whoring?

[Nay]

Rust

Water in footwells.

Sqeaky, whinning steering.

Central locking


Buying an E30??

[KimH]

From reading many posts here, and elsewhere, virtually anything under the bonnet functioning less than 100% results the ubiquitous Kangaroo petrol that seems to find its way into most E30s. I’ve heard of people fixing it with any ”“ some ”“ or all of the following: fuel pump; fuel filters; injectors; rubber hoses; inlet manifold gaskets; distributor caps; rotor arms; Spark plugs; HT Leads; TPSs; FPRs; AFMs; ECUs; electrical connectors, and in my case, the blue temp sensor.

[Rav335uk]

Well these are over 20 yrs old, so some of it will need replacing

[TouringTash]

owners not using E30 wiki.

[octanejunkie]

As Hairy said, i bet bushes have to the most common failed component. Many E30's will have shagged out bushes, but people may not know as the symptoms are not that obvious.

Generally though, the faults (rust issues aside) are nearly all electrical. Only interior items come second.
Many electrical faults can be eradicated by spending an afternoon cleaning up connections.

RUST is the number one fault though. Who hasn't had to deal with it in some form or another on their E30???

[Speedtouch]

You've all overlooked the most crucial item - the infamous glovebox torch, being either missing, not working, or having dropped down behind the centre console.

I have four of them, in various states of disorder.

[godinman]

Not posted about much, but in my experience it's a rare E30 that has an intact brake fluid tank/pot/thing lid.

[alan1272]

how about corroded rear brake lines? never had an E30 where they didn't need replacing and what a git of a job they are!

[svenga]

My e30 hydro headlight adjustment works spot on, is this a browny point?

However i have the common temprimental fuel gauge, brake wear indicater flicking on & off, rear arch surface rust.

And an overtightened clutch fluid pot which cracked the lid letting water & condensation inside meaning i get a sloppy clutch occasionally!

[trevski]

Can't believe no one has mentioned the famous cracking head on the m20 due to it being made from cadburys dairy milk

[Barx325i]

not sure that raised any concern in the 316..

[zaust]

Been reading all of this and my conclusion is....

The most common E30 fault is the "Nut behind the wheel".

[beemerbird]

To be honest, I think the most common E30 fault is 'owner delusion' which arises when people buy a relatively cheap car, only to find it sucks every spare ounce of time and money from said owner!

[Dezzy]

Go and buy any 1990 car and hope to spend no time and money on it. See how far you get.

[daimlerman]

ABS light stuck on due to a relay

Good call.

Thats a prefacelift thing i'm sure.

My '88 touring has the early system,and I am sure that early 'Bracknell Specials' in facelift form will do to....

[e30topless]

Been reading all of this and my conclusion is....

The most common E30 fault is the "tight C Nut behind the wheel".

I corrected it for ya

[Dezzy]

Been reading all of this and my conclusion is....

The most common E30 fault is the "tight C Nut behind the wheel".

I corrected it for ya

Problem now is driftcockers want to ruin them!

[e30den]

water temp gauge

A heavy handed tap on the dash sorts mine out.
lumpy idle i can live with.

[shimsheemer]

Just one?!?

My vote would have to be the wobbly fuel gauge that causes the handbrake button to disappear thus allowing water into the boot which in turn causes a lumpy idle from time to time which, of course, causes the ABS light to come on which naturally adds a little more rust here and there forcing the intensive headlight wash system to jam...

[LagunaE30]

cracked dash? chattering gearboxes? leaky convertible roofs? just some of the things i've come across in my time

[e30_mtec]

noisy diff??? every e30 has that issue