BMW M3
Owners filed 442 complaints across 33 model years of the BMW M3. The 2008 drew the most (82).
Which BMW M3 years should you avoid?
No BMW M3 year stands out. Across the 6 model years old enough to judge, none drew twice the complaints of a typical year (about 43), and none shows an unusual share of fires, crashes or deaths for its age.
Too new to judge: 2025. Complaints take a few years to arrive, so a new model year looks better than it is.
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every BMW M3 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Too new | 2 | 0 | — | — | Lane Departure › Warning | Routine | |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 | — | — | Seat Belts | Routine | |
| 2018 | 9 | 0 | 1 | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2017 | 3 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2015 | 4 | 3 | — | — | Fuel/Propulsion System | Routine | |
| 2014 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2013 | 13 | 2 | — | 2 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2012 | 6 | 3 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2011 | 31 | 4 | 1 | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2010 | 15 | 4 | — | 1 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 45 | 5 | — | 1 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 2008 | 82 | 5 | 2 | 4 | Power Train › Automatic Transmission | Routine | |
| 2007 | 0 | 3 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 2006 | 14 | 5 | — | — | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2005 | 12 | 3 | — | — | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2004 | 31 | 3 | — | — | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2003 | 54 | 5 | 1 | 3 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2002 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Air Bags | Do not drive | |
| 2001 | 14 | 4 | — | 1 | Power Train › Driveline › Driveshaft | Do not drive | |
| 2000 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | Do not drive | |
| 1999 | 11 | 1 | — | 3 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 1998 | 14 | 1 | — | 2 | Power Train › Manual Transmission | Routine | |
| 1997 | 19 | 2 | — | 3 | Tires | Routine | |
| 1996 | 1 | 1 | — | — | Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly | Routine | |
| 1995 | 12 | 4 | — | 2 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1994 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1993 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1992 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1991 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine | |
| 1990 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.