RoadVitals

1998 BMW M3

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
14
Latest Nov 10, 2008
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Nov 15, 1999
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
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.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 BMW M3, most frequently naming the transmission, brakes and airbags categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 11 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Transmission317.6%
  • Brakes211.8%
  • Airbags211.8%
  • Electrical211.8%
  • Suspension211.8%
  • Visibility211.8%
  • Body & structure15.9%
  • Driver assistance15.9%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
99V063001

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Nov 15, 1999
16,749 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT WITH A SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM CONSISTING OF DOOR-MOUNTED THORAX AIR BAGS (REAR DOOR AIR BAGS ARE OPTIONAL), A CENTRAL ELECTRONIC SENSOR AND DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, LEFT AND RIGHT SATELLITE IMPACT SENSORS, AND ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS SYSTEM IS UNDULY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS, SUCH AS CONTACTING LARGE POTHOLES OR CURBS AT SUBSTANTIAL SPEED.
The risk: THIS COULD CAUSE THE SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SIDE CRASH. IN ADDITION, THE BATTERY SAFETY TERMINAL (BST) COULD ALSO ACTIVATE, DISCONNECTING THE STARTER CABLE FROM THE BATTERY. IN THIS CASE, THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE AND THE ENGINE WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN, BUT AFTER STOPPING, COULD NOT BE RESTARTED.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE CENTRAL COMPUTER CONTROL MODULE THAT REGULATES THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEMS.
BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKEView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 14
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 10, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

ON OCTOBER 13TH AT APPROXIMATELY 1800HRS THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF MY 1998 BMW M3 "RAPIDLY DEFLATED" RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER CRASH. APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF THE INNER SIDEWALL WAS LEFT SHREDDED. WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND WARM, WITH NO DEBRIS OR CONTAMINATION ON THE ROAD SURFACE(SR-62). THE TIRE WAS INSTALLED BY A BMW SERVICE CENTER 5/7/08 AT 68,814 MILES, ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 82,943 MILES. THE DUNLOP 8080E P245/40 ZR-17 DOT# DMC903Y1607 WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE GOOD TREAD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT BY THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL AND THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CHECKED THREE DAYS PRIOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10248328
Incident
Oct 13, 2008
Mileage
82,943 mi
Suspension
Filed Oct 11, 2006

1) NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION 2) LEFT REAR STRUT-TOWER FAILURE RESULTING IN PENETRATION OF STRUT AND SPRING AND FAILURE OF REAR SUSPENSION. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND ACCIDENT. 3) REPAIRS PENDING. KNOWN ISSUE W/ BMW E-36'S. *NM

NHTSA ID
10170545
Incident
Sep 24, 2006
Mileage
66,590 mi
Suspension
Filed May 8, 2005

THE SHOCK WELLS RUSTED AND CRACKED MAKING SHOCKS PROTRUDE OUT OF IT'S MOUNTS.

NHTSA ID
10120195
Incident
Oct 1, 2003
Mileage
110,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Nov 23, 2004

REPEATED FAILURE OF THE SHIFT GATE. TRANNY STICKS IN 5TH GEAR POSITION, CAUSING DANGEROUS SHIFT DELAYS WHILE IN TRAFFIC. SEE: HTTP://WWW.BRAZEAURACING.COM/TECH/TRANSMISSIONS.HTM FOR A PARTIAL LISTING OF THOSE AFFECTED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10100387
Incident
Nov 15, 2004
Mileage
7,200 mi
Visibility
Filed Nov 17, 2004

PROBLEM1: REAR DEFOGGER NOT WORKING. CHECKED THE SYSTEM, FUSES OKAY, VOLTAGE CORRECTLY SUPPLIED TO REAR WINDOW HEATING CONTACTS. HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE WINDOW ITSELF ARE FAILING. AFETY ISSUE: NO VISIBILITY THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW WHEN FOGGED.*AK PROBLEM2: AUTOMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ARE QUITTING ERRATICALLY LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER, AIR BLOWER, HEATING OR AIR CONDITIONING. CAR HAS NO SAFETY DEFAULT OR MANUAL OVERRIDE OPTION. SAFETY ISSUES: OCCUPANTS CAN GET FROST BITES OR FREEZE TO DEATH IN HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS OR SUFFER FROM HEAT STROKE DURING HOT WEATHER. FOGGING OF THE WINDSHIELD AND SIDE WINDOWS WITH DISFUNCTIONAL BLOWER.

NHTSA ID
10100076
Incident
Jan 1, 2003
Mileage
70,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 23, 2004

THE GEAR SHIFT IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 1998 BMW M3 (4 DOOR), STICKS UNDER FIFTH GEAR AND OFTEN I AM ALSO UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR. THE ISSUE WITH THIS IS WELL KNOWN BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THE DANGER HERE IS THAT WHEN I WANT TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR I CANNOT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH TO 3RD BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT NATURALLY WANTS TO GO INTO FIFTH. THIS CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN GOING INTO A TURN OR NEEDING TO DOWNSHIFT TO CONTROL ENGINE SPEED RATHER THAN USING BRAKES WHEN CONDITIONS MAY BE TOO SLICK TO SAFELY APPLY THE BRAKES. *LA

NHTSA ID
10054719
Incident
Jan 10, 2004
Mileage
73,000 mi
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Sep 19, 2001

VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE DEALERS WITH BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REMAIN UNRESLOVED. DEALERS CANNOT LOCATE FAULT AND CONTINUES TO REPLACE BULBS OR BEND CONNECTORS ON SOCKETS. ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, OIL PAN GASKETS ALL FAILING WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. INLET LEAKAGE ON FUEL VALVE FAILING FOR SECOND TIME. MAJOR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM FOR SECOND TIME. DESPITE REPEATED REPORTS OF ROUGH SHIFTING, WITH PROBLEMS ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING GEARS, NO ANSWER OTHER THAN EVERYTHING IS FINE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN COMPARED WITH OTHER M3 VEHICLES AND DRIVERS ALL HAVE STATED AND EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE. STEREO, TEMPERATURE CONTROL FAILING. FRONT BUMBPER ASSEMBLY CONSISTENTLY LOSING PARTS. NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED WITH VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT VARIOUS DEALERS OVER 8 TIMES IN PAST YEAR WITH SIGNIFICANT OUT OF POCKET FOR RENTAL CAR EXPENSES.

NHTSA ID
752387
Incident
Oct 23, 2000
Airbags
Filed Jul 7, 2001

THE DEALER FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN TO RESET THE CODE AND SAY, "OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." APPARENTLY ITS A SENSOR IN THE SEAT, AND LOTS OF BMW'S ARE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS. SAFETY SYSTEM FAULTS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED.*AK

NHTSA ID
748051
Incident
Jun 29, 2001

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B340714

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material-

SIB-33-01-02

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:NON-POWERED AXLE ASSEMBLY

BMW: A GRINDING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL DURING SLOW CORNERING. WHEN TURNING A SLIP/STICK EFFECT IS CREATED ON THE LINING AND STEEL DISCS INCORPORATED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL CLUTCH CAUSES A GRINDING NOISE. *RM

SI-B11-07-09

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

BMW: THERMOSTAT HOUSING INSPECTION. THE RETAINING SPRINGS OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING QUICK RELEASE COUPLINGS FOR THE COOLANT HOSES MAY NOT BE LOCKED CORRECTLY. THIS SITUATION MAY RESULT IN A COOLANT LEAK. MODELS AFFECTED ARE M3 SEDAN (E90), COUPE (92), AND CONVERTIBLE (393). NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

000698

THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS INFORMATION ON NEW VEHICLE PREPARATION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR VARIOUS MODELS. *TT

120299

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH ON COLD START. *TT

72 04 98

AIR BAGS

INFORMATION ON NEW AIRBAGS. *YC

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW M3 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025200—
2024000—
2023110—
2022100—
2021330—
2018800—
2017320—
2016530—
2015430—
2014010—
2013132153.8
2012631—
2011314149.2
2010154151.3
2009455149.6
2008825155.2
2007031—
2006145249.5
2005123447.2
2004313459.0
2003545262.7
2002405257.0
2001144046.1
2000020—
1999111155.0
1998Viewing141042.5
1997192049.9
1996110—
1995124054.6
1994010—
1993011—
1992011—
1991011—
1990010—
1989010—
1988210—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.