Model year record

2005 BMW M3 recalls & problems

The 2005 BMW M3 has 3 safety recalls and 12 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is air bags (4 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints12filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 0reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

3 recalls for this model year carry an NHTSA do not drive advisory. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Safety recalls

Air bagsJan 15, 2020

Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module

Recall 20V018000292,948 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Air bagsJun 11, 2018

Air bags

Recall 14V428000574,007 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and convertibles; 2001-2005 330xi sedans; and 2001-2006 M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the air bag inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator resulting in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners in September 2014. A second notice was mailed when an adequate supply of parts became available, on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

Air bagsMay 28, 2015

Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

Recall 15V318000419,235 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

NHTSA advisory: do not drive affected vehicles until repaired.

Problem: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.

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.

Crash test ratings

2005 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

M3 Convertible

17mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 21 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3.2 L · 6 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel

M3

17mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 22 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3.2 L · 6 cyl · Manual 6-spd · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel

M3

17mpg combined

City / highway	15 / 21 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel

M3 Convertible

16mpg combined

City / highway	14 / 20 mpg
Fuel	Premium Gasoline

3.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic (S6) · Rear-Wheel Drive · about $5,150/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	Typical mileage*
Air bags	4	—
Engine and engine coolingEngine	3	—
VisibilityWindshield	2	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission	2	—
Unknown or other	1	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Unknown or other
EVAPORATOR CORE DESIGN FLAW IS CONDUCIVE TO MOLD AND MILDEW BUILDUP. OVERTIME, THE BACTERIA CAN BUILD UP TO THE POINT WHERE IT WILL RELEASE INTO THE VENTILATION SYSTEM UPON USE CAUSING UNSAFE HEALTH ENVIRONMENTS FOR BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS. STANDARD CLEANING PROCEDURES PROVIDED BY BMW ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE.
May 19, 2018 · 168,000 miles
Air bags
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) AND 14V428000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS FOR THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Jul 15, 2014
Air bags
TAKATA RECALL I'VE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR ALMOST A YEAR AT BMW SAN FRANCISCO. WHAT IS A "REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME" TO WAIT FOR THIS REPAIR?
Aug 29, 2016
Power train
SMG TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND RANDOMLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FOUR LANE AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. LIGHT WENT OFF AND IT SEEMED FINE L FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND SAME HAPPENED AGAIN WHEN I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TAKING MY SON TO THE HOSPITAL. I CALLED BMW AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WASNT A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND THEREFORE IT ISNT DEEMED AN ISSUE ON THIER END. I TOLD THEM I WASNTED THIS REPORTED AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE THE REPORT IN THIER SYSTEM. I WAS NOT AWARE UNTIL RECENTLY THAT YOU HAVE TO REPORT IT TO NHTSA. THE FORUMS I HAVE READ HAVE ALSO CALLED BMW AND REPORTED ISSUES. THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THEY HAVE TO REPORT IT TO NHTSA AND NOT BMW. VERY…
Aug 10, 2013 · 88,000 miles
Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Jul 15, 2014
Air bags
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
Mar 10, 2015
Engine and engine cooling
MY VEHICLE HAS 87,000 MILES AND I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT THE VANOS HAD FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS CAR, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME ALMOST $5,000 TO FIX. I'VE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER FOR THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER HAD ACCIDENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE CAR, IT'S IN ORIGINAL STATE. I SPOKE TO MY SERVICE ADVISER TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO, HOWEVER IT'S BEEN ALMOST A MONTH AND WON'T EVEN RETURN MY CALLS. I'VE CALLED THEM AT LEAST 20 TIMES DURING THE PAST MONTH, IT'S RIDICULOUS FOR SUCH A REPUTABLE COMPANY LIKE BMW TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OF A KNOWN ISSUE, WHICH I'VE READ ON SEVERAL BMW FORUMS, AND NOW THEY CAN'T EVEN RETURN…
Aug 26, 2011 · 87,000 miles
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
THERE ARE NO VISUAL SIGNS OF THIS FAILURE UNLESS THE VALVE COVER TO THE ENGINE IS REMOVED. UPON REMOVAL THERE IS A METAL FRAGMENT THAT IS RUNNING LOOSE UNDERNEATH THE VALVE COVER. WHEN THIS METAL PIECE FALLS OUT IT CAN ENTER THE TIMING CHAIN AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO HAVE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS PART BREAKS OFF DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN OF THE ADJUSTABLE TIMING MECHANISM (VANOS). A REDESIGN OF THE SYSTEM OR REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF PARTS IS NEEDED TO SOLVE THE ISSUE FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. AS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION I HAVE REPLACED THE $1000 DOLLAR PART WHICH HAS THE POSSIBILITY OF FAILING AGAIN. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE ON THE S54…
Jul 21, 2011 · 85,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bag Inflator RuptureOpenLed to recall 14V668
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico,…
EA15001 · opened Feb 24, 2015
Air Bag Inflator RuptureClosedLed to recall 13V172000
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico,…
PE14016 · opened Jun 11, 2014 · closed Mar 2, 2015
REAR LAMP ILLUMINATIONClosedLed to recall 11V438000
ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING.THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) SIB-630306 ON FEBRUARY 2007 TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION BY ADDING SUPPLEMENTARY GROUND WIRING TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI IS UPGRADING TO AN EA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE.
PE09036 · opened Aug 7, 2009 · closed Dec 22, 2009
REAR LAMP ILLUMINATIONClosed
IN MARCH 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. MARK PETERS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF REAR LAMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES.AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER WAS SENT TO BMW IN APRIL 2009, AND ODI RECEIVED BMW'S RESPONSE IN JUNE 2009.THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINS LIGHTING FOR THE BRAKE LAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNALS.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) WAS ISSUED BY BMW IN JANUARY OF 2007 INSTRUCTING SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO EXAMINE AN 8 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR HEAT-RELATED DAMAGE AND TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRING TO THE CONNECTOR.COMPLAINANTS HAVE ALLEGED THAT SIGNIFICANT THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING HAS OCCURRED.THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR TOTAL LOSS OF ALL LIGHTING (BRAKE, TAIL, AND TURN SIGNAL) FOR THE EFFECTED REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI WILL OPEN A…
DP09002 · opened Apr 8, 2009 · closed Aug 6, 2009