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.
14
Latest Nov 10, 2008
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
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 Feb 1, 1998
What this page shows
Our database holds 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 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 1–14 of 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
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 24, 2000
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELLERATE. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. BEEN IN DEALER'S SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
871349
Incident
Jul 5, 2000
Body & structureElectrical
Filed Aug 11, 2000
HORN STOPPED WORKING ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMED PROBLEM. BUT, AFTER 3 MONTHS HORN WOULD GO OUT AGAIN. LAST TIME DEALER REPLACED THE CONTACT POINTS. ALSO, HALF OF THE SPOILER CAME OFF, BOLTS HAD FALLEN APART WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING SPOILER TO FALL OFF IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING.*AK
NHTSA ID
867613
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Airbags
Filed Feb 12, 1999
Crash reported
CONSUMER RAN INTO A POLE AND SPLIT POLE IN HALF, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AUTOMOBILE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
834786
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999
BRAKES DISC FAILED. YH
NHTSA ID
606724
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
Visibility
Filed Jul 5, 1998
THE FACTORY INSTALLED REAR VIEW MIRROR BLOCKS A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE DRIVER'S FIELD OF VIEW AND CREATES A VERY LARGE AND EXTREMELY UNSAFE BLIND ZONE.
NHTSA ID
537744
Electrical
Filed Feb 1, 1998
BATTERY FAILURE.
NHTSA ID
607713
Incident
Dec 1, 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.