The 1995 BMW M3 has 4 safety recalls and 12 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (4 complaints).
Recalls4safety recalls
Complaints12filed by owners
Crashes · fires2 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths1 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
NHTSA recall 98V178000 · Aug 4, 1998 · 340,000 vehicles
Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT, SUCH AS A THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, OR FAN BELT, CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COOLANT TEMPERATURE AND SYSTEM PRESSURE. IF THE INDICATIONS OF A CRITICAL OVERHEATING CONDITION IS NOT NOTICED BY THE DRIVER, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT DAMAGE TO, OR FAILURE OF, A COOLANT SYSTEM COMPONENT COULD OCCUR.
Risk: IF A CRACK WERE TO FORM OR A SEAM WERE TO SEPARATE IN THE HEATER CORE END PIECE, HOT COOLANT COULD SUDDENLY BE EXPELLED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.
Vehicle speed control
NHTSA recall 97V131000 · Aug 19, 1997 · 410,000 vehicles
Problem: THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE CABLES ARE ATTACHED TO THE SAME THROTTLE VALVE ACTUATING LEVER AT THE THROTTLE HOUSING. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING ON EITHER CABLE COULD BREAK DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES COUPLED WITH VIBRATION. IF THE BUSHING BREAKS, THE OUTER CABLE HOUSING CAN SEPARATE FROM THE BUSHING. IN THIS CASE, DURING APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE PEDAL WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED, THE OUTER TUBE COULD CATCH ON THE EDGE OF THE BROKEN BUSHING.
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE VALVE TO REMAIN PARTIALLY OPEN. IT HIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE CAR MIGHT NOT DECELERATE AS EXPECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING STEEL CLIP ON THE OUTER TUBE OF EACH CABLE IN THE AREA OF THE ADJUSTING SCREW AND PLASTIC BUSHING. THE CLIP IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE OUTER TUBE FROM DISLODGING FROM THE BUSHING.
Problem: THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH CAN FAIL ALLOWING THE SWITCH TO REMAIN IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS OFF" POSITION OR IN THE "BRAKE LIGHTS ON" POSITION.
Risk: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER WILL NOT OPERATE OR WILL BE CONTINUOUSLY ON, REGARDLESS OF BRAKE PEDAL POSITION. FOLLOWING DRIVERS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
NHTSA recall 94V151000 · Aug 10, 1994 · 57,000 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (OVSC)
Problem: IN A FMVSS NO. 208 30 MILES-PER-HOUR COMPLIANCE TEST, AN UNBELTED TEST DRIVER DUMMY'S CHEST MAXIMUM RESULTANT ACCELERATION WAS 70.8 G'S, WHICH EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE VALUE OF 60 G'S. ALSO, THE UNBELTED PASSENGER DUMMY'S LEFT FEMUR MAXIMUM LOAD WAS 2361 LBS, WHICH EXCEEDS MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE VALUE OF 2250 LBS. THE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Risk: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE OCCUPANT WILL BE SUBJECTED TO AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Fix: ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODELS ONLY, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SUPPORT CROSSMEMBER WITH A CROSSMEMBER USED ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODEL. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION REAR BUSHING SUPPORTS WILL BE REPLACED WITH BUSHING HAVING DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS. THE STEERING COLUMN FRONT SUPPORT BEARING AT THE FIREWALL WILL BE REPLACED WITH A MODIFIED PART USING A TEFLON INNER SURFACE AND TEFLON SPRAY WILL BE APPLIED TO THE COLUMN HOUSING IN THE AREA OF THE BEARING. A BRACE WILL BE ADDED BETWEEN THE KNEE BOLSTER SUPPORT AND THE STEERING COLUMN.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
M3
20mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 26 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
3 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
M3
20mpg combined
City / highway
17 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
3 L · 6 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,100/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulic Foundation components; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
4
1
0
0
—
Air bags Frontal
3
2
0
1
—
Suspension Rear › Springs; Rear
2
0
0
0
—
Fuel system, gasoline Storage › Tank assembly
1
0
0
0
—
Steering Hydraulic power assist system
1
1
0
0
—
Exterior lighting Brake lights › Switch
1
0
0
0
—
Engine and engine cooling Cooling system
1
0
0
1
—
Seat belts Front › Buckle assembly
1
0
0
0
—
Tires
1
0
0
0
—
Wheels
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Aug 1, 2019Tires TIRES ARE MANUFACTURED BY FEDERAL (TAIWAN IMPORT). TREAD IS DELAMINATING OVER THE ENTIRE CROSS-SECTION OF TREAD, TIRE UNDER 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 5K MILES. WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE PER GOOGLE. TIRES HAVE BEEN USED FOR REGULAR ROAD-DRIVING IN NJ. NO ACCIDENT HAS TAKEN PLACE (YET).
Apr 2, 2009 · 87,000 milesAir bags AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON FOR 2 MINUTES; COMMON PROBLEM FOR 1995 3 SERIES ACCORDING TO INTERNET FORUM (HTTP://WWW.FIXYA.COM/CARS/T595499-AIRBAG_LIGHT). *TR
Nov 10, 2005 · 175,000 milesService brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module I OWED THIS 1995 BMW M3 SINCE NEW AND ABS AND AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON VERY FREQUENTLY. ABS: NEED TO REPLACE ABS PUMP AND ABS MODULE. AIRBAG: NEED TO REPLACE SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *NM
Mar 2, 1995 · 1,845 miles · 1 injuryEngine and engine cooling › Cooling system SAFETY RECALL 98V-178; REGARDING THE 1995 BMW M3. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICE ELEVEN TIMES FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, HOT COOLANT WAS EXPELLED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN THROUGH THE OPEN WINDOW AND SUNROOF. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED MINOR BURNS AND IRRITATION TO HIS SKIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, HOUSING, RELATED GASKETS AND CONNECTORS WERE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WAS STATED IN THE RECALL. *JB
Sep 14, 2004Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch WHILE APPLIED THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON. THE DRIVER HAS PLACED REFUSES ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER BRAKE LIGHT WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT BUT THE CAMPAIGN BULLENTIN WAS NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
Jun 19, 2003 · 102 milesSuspension › Rear PASSENGER SIDE REAR SHOCK TORN OUT FROM THE SHOCK TOWER. STRESS CRACKS IN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SHOCK TOWER WITH FAILURE IMMINENT. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES OF THE SHOCK TOWERS BEFORE AND AFTER THEY WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE CAR AS WELL AS THE SHOCK TOWERS THEMSELVES. I HAVE FOUND MANY EXAMPLES OF THE SAME PROBLEM ON BMW M3'S REPORTED ON NATIONAL E-MAIL LISTS. I CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF THE E-MAILS.*JB
Aug 12, 2002Service brakes, hydraulic THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING, AND THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED.*DT *JB
Aug 18, 2002 · crashSteering › Hydraulic power assist system WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WAS SIDESWIPED, RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.