Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
19
Latest Oct 12, 2005
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since May 2, 1997
What this page shows
Our database holds 19 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1997 BMW M3. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–19 of 19
Visibility
Filed Oct 12, 2005
DT: WHEN PULLING INTO A STOP THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL SLOW DOWN IN THE SPEED THAT THEY WORK. THEY WILL SLOW DOWN TO THE DELAY, INTERMEDIATE SETTING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2004. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER,THEY SAID THAT IT IS THE WAY THEY ARE DESIGNED. THERE ARE OTHER YEAR, MAKE, AND MODELS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW. THE CONTACT STATES THAT IT IMPAIRS THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER.*AK
NHTSA ID
10139474
Incident
Sep 1, 2004
Airbags
Filed May 9, 2002
Crash reported
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
761726
Airbags
Filed Nov 29, 2001
Crash reported
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A RIGHT FRONTAL COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK
NHTSA ID
899680
Incident
Oct 13, 2001
Suspension
Filed Nov 13, 2001
REAR SHOCK MOUNT TOWER TORE FROM BODY OF CAR, BOLTS AND ALL. NO MODIFICATION DONE TO SUSPENSION, NORMAL DRIVING, NO ADVANCE NOTICE. NO TRACK DRIVING. BMW MAKES A REPLACEMENT KIT TO REMEDY THIS WEAK BODY AREA. BMW MESSAGE BOARDS HAVE MANY SIMILAR M3'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT HIGH SPEED WOULD PROVE FATAL.*AK
NHTSA ID
754494
Incident
Nov 5, 2001
Other / unspecified
Filed Jul 13, 2001
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN TRAVELING 10MPH CONSUMERS HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR. UPON INSPECTION OF VEHICLE CONSUMER FOUND TIRE WAS BENT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND FOUND THAT WHEEL MOUNT TORE AWAY FROM FRAME. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE DUE TO THE FACT THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
NHTSA ID
892802
Incident
Jul 9, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jul 7, 2001
AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS AND HAD TO RESET 3 TIMES.*AK
NHTSA ID
748050
Engine
Filed Jun 14, 2001
LATENT DEFECT IN BODY CAUSING WHEEL MOUNTS TO TEAR AWAY FROM CAR. *AK
NHTSA ID
746851
Incident
Jun 13, 2001
Fuel system
Filed May 13, 2001
FUEL HOSE CLAMPS FITTINGS AND COMPONENTS FAILING - MANUFACTURER ISSUED A 95-97 MODEL RECALL IN JAPAN BUT NOT IN THE US. *AK
NHTSA ID
745272
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 30, 2001
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND 3 TIMES, THIS BLOWOUT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE UNDER CARRIAGE AND FRONT BUMPER, THIS TIRE WAS 5 HOURS OLD, THE SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHICH HAD A BUBBLE AND BLEWOUT WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THIS TIRE WAS 6 MONTHS OLD (BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE730, 245/40ZR17BW). NLM
NHTSA ID
560947
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
BrakesElectricalEngine+4 more
Filed Feb 27, 2001
THE BRAKES GRIND AND SQUEAL WHEN THE CONSUMER IS ATTEMPTING TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP IMMEDIATELY INSTEAD IT SLIDES A FEW FEET BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE COMPLAINT WAS RESOLVED AND THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER PROBLEMS BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURS. NLM
NHTSA ID
559939
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 30, 2000
CONSUMERS PURCHASED A NEW SET OF BRIDGESTONE POTENZA TIRES (25540R17, DOT EJ0XJEA030), SEVERAL HOURS LATER ONE OF THE NEW TIRES EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT DUE TO A TORN BEAD WHICH CAUSED THE THE CAR TO LOOSE CONTROL, SPIN THREE TIMES AND SLIDE OFF INTO THE MEDIAN, NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED, DEALER REFUSED CONSUMERS REQUEST FOR COMPENSATION (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT). NLM
NHTSA ID
556461
Incident
Aug 3, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 22, 1999
WHILE DRIVING IN DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC WENT AROUND VEHICLE, AND AT THAT POINT THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN . VEHICLE LUNCHED OUT OF CONTROL. PUT IT INTO PARK, SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, RESTARTED AND STILL THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN. CONTACTED THE DEALER, FOUND THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE PART. *AK
NHTSA ID
853215
Incident
Nov 18, 1999
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Sep 1, 1999
WHILE DRIVIN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING A LOUD NOISE AND GRAY SMOKE TO ENTER INTO VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS FOGGING UP THE WINDOWS WHICH MAY AFFECT VISIBILITY, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. HAPPENED 6 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. DEALER REPLACED HOSES/SEALS AND ETC. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
846337
Incident
Jun 3, 1997
Heating & air conditioning
Filed Aug 18, 1999
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN A BURNING SMELL, A MIST COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS AND A LOUD NOISE. NLM
TIRES FAILED TWICE. IN BOTH CASES THE TIRES WERE WORN THROUGH TO THE METAL BEFORE STOPPING. ANOTHER CASE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, FELT SOFTNESS IN STEERING AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. WITHIN 5 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED.
NHTSA ID
539861
Incident
Jan 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Feb 4, 1998
LOSS OF FAN AND UNIT CONTROL SETTINGS WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF THEN RESTARTED. SETTING WILL NOT REMAIN IN OFF POSITION WHEN VEHICLE IS RESTARTED.
NHTSA ID
530109
Visibility
Filed May 2, 1997
REAR WINDOW: DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND THE REAR WINDOW COMPLETELY SHATTERED. CAUSE UNKNOWN , HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
NHTSA ID
811962
Incident
Apr 30, 1997
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.