BMW M3 recalls & problems by year

80 recalls and 439 owner complaints across 31 model years (1990–2023).

Most complaints200882 complaints

Most recalls20095 recalls

Crashes reported25in owner complaints

Injuries reported160 deaths

Owner complaints by model year

Year	NHTSA stars	EPA mpg	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
2023	—	18–19 mpg	1	1	1	0	0
2021	—	19 mpg	3	3	0	0	0
2018	—	19–20 mpg	0	9	0	1	0
2017	—	19–20 mpg	2	3	0	0	0
2016	—	19–20 mpg	3	5	0	0	0
2015	—	19–20 mpg	3	4	0	0	0
2014	—	—	1	0	0	0	0
2013	—	16 mpg	2	13	2	0	2
2012	—	16 mpg	3	6	0	0	0
2011	—	16 mpg	4	31	0	1	0
2010	—	16 mpg	4	15	1	0	0
2009	—	16 mpg	5	45	1	0	0
2008	—	16 mpg	5	82	4	2	3
2007	—	—	3	0	0	0	0
2006	—	16–17 mpg	5	14	0	0	0
2005	—	16–17 mpg	3	12	0	0	0
2004	—	16–17 mpg	3	31	0	0	2
2003	—	16–17 mpg	5	54	3	1	3
2002	—	16–17 mpg	5	40	2	1	1
2001	—	17 mpg	4	14	1	0	0
2000	—	—	2	0	0	0	0
1999	—	18–20 mpg	1	11	3	0	2
1998	—	18–21 mpg	1	14	2	0	1
1997	—	20–21 mpg	2	19	3	0	1
1996	—	21 mpg	1	1	0	0	0
1995	—	20 mpg	4	12	2	0	1
1994	—	—	1	0	0	0	0
1993	—	—	1	0	0	0	0
1992	—	—	1	0	0	0	0
1991	—	18 mpg	1	0	0	0	0
1990	—	18 mpg	1	0	0	0	0

Crash, fire, injury and death figures are what owners reported in their complaints; NHTSA does not verify them. A year with more complaints is not necessarily worse: newer and best-selling years collect more reports.

Most-reported problem areas, all years

Power train — 119 complaints
Air bags — 101 complaints
Engine — 62 complaints
Electrical system — 38 complaints
Engine and engine cooling — 31 complaints
Structure — 27 complaints
Visibility — 23 complaints
Suspension — 21 complaints