2006 BMW M3 Owner Complaints

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK INDY 500 TIRE FAILED ON SIDEWALL

NHTSA ID

11415304

Incident

May 1, 2021

Mileage

65,000 mi

THE SMG TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY COMES OUT OF GEAR IN ANY SITUATION AND IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND/OR ON A HIGHWAY AND LOOSE ALL POWER. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALL ACCIDENTS AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE READ MANY ARTICLES STATING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS FOR THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION WITH A POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE HEAT SENSOR ON THE HYDRAULIC PUMP. BMW REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND FORCING OWNERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET $3000 TO $4000 FOR A PUMP REPLACEMENT WITHOUT A GUARANTEE OF FIXING THE ISSUE. I AM STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE CAR AND CANNOT SELL IT THIS WAY.

NHTSA ID

11084684

Incident

Nov 15, 2017

Mileage

104,000 mi

YESTERDAY (01/06/17) - WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION, 2 SIDE AIRBAGS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED, THROWING LOOSE PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO THE CABIN AND INTO MY FACE. CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF ENGINE FOR SMOKE TO DISAPPEAR. I AM GOING TO TAKE MY CAR TO BMW DEALER TOMORROW MORNING FOR EVALUATION

NHTSA ID

11060996

Incident

Jan 6, 2018

Mileage

131,000 mi

THIS LETTER IS IN REFERENCE TO TWO MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ 255/35ZR19 96Y TIRES WHICH BOTH FAILED WITHIN 1,130 MILES OF EACH OTHER FROM IDENTICAL FAILURES. THESE TWO FAILURES WERE ON THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES. THESE TWO TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ON THE SAME DAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016, BY A DEALER. THE CAR HAD 104,775 MILES ON IT AT THE END OF THIS SERVICE. ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, WHILE DRIVING TO OHIO FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE (ONE OF THE ABOVE PILOT SPORT TIRES) AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT 121,801 MILES. THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL COMPLETELY. ON DECEMBER 8, 2017, AT 122,934 MILES THE OTHER MICHELIN PILOT SPORT TIRE FROM THE ABOVE SET ALSO FAILED. WHILE IN THE PARKING LOT I HEARD THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE VENTING AIR AND IT QUICKLY WENT FLAT. THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL HARD A LARGE CRACK CIRCLING ALMOST HALF THE TIRE. THESE TWO FAILURES OCCURRED ONLY 1,130 MILES APART IN THE SAME PART OF THE TIRE. THESE TWO TIRES HAD 17,026 AND 18,159 MILES RESPECTIVELY, FAR UNDER THE WARRANTED LIFE AND THE TYPICAL LIFE. THE SECOND FAILURE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY MICHELIN IN A CASE I OPENED BASED ON AN EVALUATION OF THE TIRE BY A MICHELIN AUTHORIZED DEALER. MICHELIN HAS NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FIRST FAILURE BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE THE TIRE.

NHTSA ID

11056768

Incident

Nov 21, 2017

Mileage

121,801 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (ADVANCED VALENCIA BMW, 23435 VALENCIA BOULEVARD, VALENCIA, CA 91355) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11035873

Incident

Jul 14, 2014

TAKATA RECALL: YOUR SITE IMPROPERLY SHOWS NO RECALLS WHEN VIN USED, AND CONFUSES 2006 M3 (E46) WITH THE 2006 3 SERIES SUCCESSOR (E90?), EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL NOTICE RCRIT-14V428-8638 SHOWS "MODEL YEAR 2000-2006 BMW 3 SERIES (E46) - INCL-M"

NHTSA ID

11000038

Incident

Jun 19, 2017

Mileage

40,488 mi

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30MPH ON LOCAL STREET IN A STRAIGHT DIRECTION. DRIVER-SIDE, SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. NO PRIOR INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WERE ON. NEVER HAD ANY AIRBAG LIGHTS ON IN THE HISTORY OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. REPLACED PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AS PART OF RECALL IN 2014. AWAITING DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG ALSO AS PART OF RECALL IN 2015. *TR

NHTSA ID

10920125

Incident

Oct 30, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10903053

Incident

Sep 1, 2016

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA IN JULY 2015 ABOUT A DRIVE-SIDE AIRBAG RECALL FOR MY 2006 BMW M3. (THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER RECALL.) WE ARE NOW 9 MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVED THAT NOTICE AND I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM BMW. WHEN I CALL MY LOCAL DEALER THEY CAN ONLY SAY THAT BMW IS TELLING THEM PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE "SOMETIME THIS YEAR". WHEN I ASK WHAT I CAN DO IN THE MEANTIME (NOT DRIVE THE CAR? WHAT?) I AM TOLD TO NOT WORRY TOO MUCH BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN AN INCIDENT IN A BMW. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF AIRBAGS HAVE TO BE REPLACED BUT 9+ MONTHS SEEMS LIKE A LUDICROUSLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10864122

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

TAKATA RECALL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10794710

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10745803

Incident

Feb 1, 2015

THIS CAR HAS AIRBAG RECALL AND DESPITE 2-3 PHONE CALLS TO BMW DEALERSHIP IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. ALL I AM TOLD IS THAT I AM "ON A LIST". THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY CAN FIX IT. I RECEIVED INITIAL LETTER ABOUT RECALL IN SEPT 2014, TOLD TO CALL IN NOVEMBER. CALLED IN NOV AND DEC WITH SAME RESPONSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10682260

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED EVERYTHING RUN SMOOTH EXCEPT ONE DAY IT STARTS SOUNDING LIKE A TRACTOR. VANOS BOLTS COME LOOSE. BMW NEEDS TO RECALL THE VANOS OF THE E46 M3 ASAP HAPPENED TO 50 PERCENT OF PEOPLE I KNOW WHO HAVE THIS CAR AND I KNOW ABOUT 100. *KB

NHTSA ID

10416810

Incident

Jul 14, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3 WITH AN SMG TRANSMISSION. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN EITHER FIRST OR SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. UPON ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND WOULD MOVE FORWARD AT A VERY SLOW PACE. HE STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN RE-ACCELERATE BEFORE IT WOULD PICK UP POWER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FAILURE. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE CLUTCH DISC AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER. THE OUTPUT CYLINDER CLUTCH, THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT AND THE ACTUATOR WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,000. UPDATED 2/17/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD BUCK WHEN ACCELERATING. THE CLUTCH AND SALVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/22/10

NHTSA ID

10301889

Incident

Nov 10, 2008

Mileage

28,000 mi