1993 BMW M3

Routine

No owner complaints are on file for this vehicle. It has been recalled 1 time.

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System98V178000

Filed Aug 4, 1998340,000 vehiclesBayerische Motoren Werke

Defect. 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.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN RADIATOR CAP TO CONTROL PRESSURE AND PROVIDE GREATER COOLANT OVERFLOW IN THE EVENT OF OVERHEATING.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2008

Year	Complaints	Recalls	Fires	Assessment
2025	2	0	0	Routine
2023	1	1	0	Routine
2022	1	0	0	Routine
2021	3	3	0	Routine
2018	9	0	1	Routine
2017	3	2	0	Routine
2016	5	3	0	Routine
2015	4	3	0	Routine
2014	0	1	0	Routine
2013	13	2	0	Routine
2012	6	3	0	Routine
2011	31	4	1	Routine
2010	15	4	0	Routine
2009	45	5	0	Routine
2008	82	5	2	Routine
2007	0	3	0	Routine
2006	14	5	0	Do not drive
2005	12	3	0	Do not drive
2004	31	3	0	Do not drive
2003	54	5	1	Do not drive
2002	40	5	1	Do not drive
2001	14	4	0	Do not drive
2000	0	2	0	Do not drive
1999	11	1	0	Routine
1998	14	1	0	Routine
1997	19	2	0	Routine
1996	1	1	0	Routine
1995	12	4	0	Routine
1994	0	1	0	Routine
1993 — this page	0	1	0	Routine
1992	0	1	0	Routine
1991	0	1	0	Routine
1990	0	1	0	Routine

Compare every M3 year →

Other BMW models

All BMW models →

X5 3,129 328i 2,576 X3 1,986 325i 1,368 Z4 1,280 3 Series 842 528i 830 330i 813 335i 809 X1 666

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 4, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.