Shock Absorber Replacement Rear – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series Sedans (F30)

September 7, 2023

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Shock Absorber Replacement Rear – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series Sedans (F30)

The following procedure gives step-by-step instructions on removing the rear shock absorbers from 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series sedans.

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Possible Symptoms: Clunking form backend when turning or stopping, rough ride over bumps

This repair can be used on the following BMW models:

2011

316d Sedan, 318d Sedan, 320d ed Sedan, 320d Sedan, 320dX Sedan, 320i Sedan, 320iX Sedan, 325d Sedan, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328i Sedan, 328iX Sedan, 330d Sedan, 330dX Sedan, 335i Sedan, 335iX Sedan, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2012

316d Sedan, 316i Sedan, 318d Sedan, 318dX Sedan, 320d ed Sedan, 320d Sedan, 320dX Sedan, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Sedan, 320iX Sedan, 325d Sedan, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328i Sedan, 328iX Sedan, 330d Sedan, 330dX Sedan, 335dX Sedan, 335i Sedan, 335iX Sedan, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2013

2014

2015

316d Sedan, 316i Sedan, 318d Sedan, 318dX Sedan, 318i Sedan, 320d ed Sedan, 320d Sedan, 320dX Sedan, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Sedan, 320iX Sedan, 325d Sedan, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328i Sedan, 328iX Sedan, 330d Sedan, 330dX Sedan, 330e Sedan, 330i Sedan, 330iX Sedan, 335dX Sedan, 335i Sedan, 335iX Sedan, 340i Sedan, 340iX Sedan, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2016

2017

316d Sedan, 318d Sedan, 318dX Sedan, 318i Sedan, 320d ed Sedan, 320d Sedan, 320dX Sedan, 320i Sedan, 320iX Sedan, 325d Sedan, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 330d Sedan, 330dX Sedan, 330e Sedan, 330i Sedan, 330iX Sedan, 335dX Sedan, 340i Sedan, 340iX Sedan,

2018

Advanced level repair.

Step 1 - Purchase Parts

You will need the following parts and supplies to perform this repair.

Rear Shock Absorber with Electronic Damper Control (EDC)

These OE replacement shocks are manufactured by Bilstein and have been specifically engineered to meet or exceed BMW factory standards. Please be aware that many BMW models were manufactured with or without EDC rear shocks. The best way to verify if your rear shocks have EDC is to look at the base of the shock where it attaches to the rear axle - if you see a wire plugged into a module attached to the shock, then your vehicle has EDC and this is the correct replacement part.

Rear Shock Absorber

These rear shock absorbers are for BMW vehicles that do not have Electronic Damper Control. They are Genuine BMW, which means they deliver factory performance and are the same shock absorbers that would be installed at the dealership.

Rear Upper Shock Mount

One of the most common sources of noise emanating from the rear suspension are worn shock mounts. The noise can be anything from a "grind" to a "thud"...especially when going around corners. The rear shock mounts attach the shock absorber to the body of the vehicle, and new ones should always be installed when replacing the rear shock absorbers on your BMW.

Step 2 - Repair Procedure

Unless otherwise noted, all vehicle repair step images in this article are copyrighted, and used courtesy of BMW of North America, Inc. .

1. Remove the rear shock absorbers

Shock Absorber Replacement Rear – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series Sedans (F30)

Click to enlarge image

- Remove the front wheels.

- Locate the rear camber cover (2). Unscrew the four nuts anchoring it to the rear axle and remove it from the vehicle.

View part diagram for this step

Click to enlarge image

- If the vehicle is equipped with electronic damper control (EDC), unplug the adapter wire (1) remove its wiring harness from the rear shock absorber.

View part diagram for this step