What BMW M3 owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See BMW M3 safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64 |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 55 |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162 |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 190 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 205 |
| 2013 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 104 |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| 2011 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 121 |
| 2010 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 |
The vehicle systems named most often in BMW M3 complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
While driving, suddenly, with no warning smoke came from under the hood. I got off the road and turned off car immediately. Luckily, since I did turn off the car so quickly, it did not burst into flames but did create a fire within the engine. I have video of fire damage and BMW quote on repair stating fire damage. As in the past with BMW, there is a documented history of PCV-heater fires. NHTSA Recall 22V-119 states the BMW PCV valve heaters can short circuit, overheat and cause a fire.
I just did a software update for my 2025 M3 and all settings were lost. Most of this is a customer inconvenience, but brake auto hold was turned off so imagine my surprise when I took my foot off the brake and my car rolled forward. Thankfully I was paying attention or there could have been an accident. I rely on auto hold to keep my car stopped even when my foot is off the brake.
I am reporting a safety-related failure involving the clutch system on my 2022 BMW M3. At approximately 26,000 miles when I purchased, I began experiencing clutch-related issues, including slipping and abnormal engagement. I brought the vehicle to the BMW dealership on two separate occasions to report these concerns, but the dealership dismissed the issue and did not document or inspect the clutch. At approximately 33,000 miles, while driving on the freeway, the clutch failed to properly engage and would not catch gears, creating an unsafe driving condition and placing myself and other motorists at risk. This loss of engagement occurred during normal driving and was not related to abuse, r…
Loud clunking and creaking noise from front suspension when driving on uneven or bumpy road surfaces.
Car was parked and turned off in our driveway and it rolled backwards down the driveway and into the street
The lane departure warning in my 2025 BMW M3 is in the form of a vibration alert in the steering wheel. However, even when the vibration alert level is set to the highest, most intense level, it is barely noticeable, and is virtually indistinguishable from ordinary road vibration felt in the steering wheel. I took this to the dealer and was told this is normal. This cannot be normal, and it could easily cause a crash because the driver is probably not going to feel the vibration alert. I have posted about this on bimmerpost and others have complained of the same issue with their BMW M3 cars: [XXX] Assuming this is normal as the dealer claims, or even if it's just a limited problem in some …
The contact filed the complaint on behalf of her son who owned a 2013 BMW M3. The contact stated the vehicle was parked in a school parking lot, and the contact's son was sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle when the vehicle was crashed into violently by four vehicles. The vehicle was damaged in the front end, passenger's side, and rear. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was condemned to total loss. The son was forced out of the vehicle by the attackers and the occupants of all 4 vehicles inflicted bodily harm in addition to the unknown injuries sustained due to the crash. The son ran into the highway where the ambulance provided medical attention. The pol…
Unknown. I was driving home when I get a message stating âpassenger restraint system malfunctionâ
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
Intake Muffler Return
It was determined that due to a manufacturing defect, there may be a peeling of the sliding layer of the main bearing shells. The peeling may cause engine damage to your vehicle in some cases. The main bearing shells will need to be replaced.
Delivery Stop - Bearing Shell
While driving on a smooth and/or unevenroad, a âcrackingâ sound is heard from therear wheel arch area (highlighted in orange) on either the right or left side.
There may be an internal leakage in the brake fluid expansion tank (aka brake fluid reservoir). In the rarecase of a leak, the filling level sensor might malfunction over a relatively long period of time.
Evaporator Pipe Return
In some situations, an emergency call may be triggered in the vehicle without either the customer pressing the SOS Call button, or an airbag deployment event. In some cases, the customer may not even be inside the vehicle.
Hood lever is pulled twice but the hood only achieves the pre-latch position on both sides.
Protection Plate Return
Central Information Display (CID) in the vehicle is black or only displays âBMWâ. The head unit (HU-H5) is not responding in ISTA. Additionally, the Receiver Audio Module (RAM), Instrument Cluster (KOMBI) and Telematic Module 4 (TCB4) may not be responding in ISTA.
After replacing the Multifunctional Display (MFD), the Central Information Display (CID) is black. Thebacklight of the CID is illuminated, and touch function does register an audible sound.
A groaning sound from the front of the vehicle while driving can be heard, particularly while cornering. The groaning sound can be heard in the A-pillar/instrument panel area.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 20
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2010–2026, owners most often name: engine, air bags, power train. 103 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.
