RoadVitals

2018 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.
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Latest Aug 16, 2024
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.
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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.
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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.
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Overview

Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2018 BMW M3, most frequently naming the fuel system, engine and powertrain (other) categories. 55 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

  • Fuel system675.0%
  • Engine112.5%
  • Powertrain (other)112.5%

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

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

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

Fuel system
Filed Aug 16, 2024

- Fuel tank started slowly leaking fuel after filling tank up to full, only discovered after driving back home and noticing a strong smell of fuel. Repair records are with BMW of Sherman Oaks, CA. - Leaking fuel caused my garage to fill with strong odor of fuel which is unsafe as well as posing an extremely dangerous fire hazard with the exposed fuel leaking to the ground.\ - BMW Dealership inspected, verified no foul play and repaired the faulty part. - A CEL was displayed after which I shortly made a service appointment at BMW. It wasn't until filling the tank to full that I noticed the issue. As myself and others suspect, the leak could be due to the material that was used to construct the fuel tank, which is a plastic welding. My car only had ~21,000 before experiencing this issue and the replacement tank is of the same exact kind, so I expect this issue was not remediated by BMW and will probably experience this again.

NHTSA ID
11608984
Incident
Aug 3, 2024
Fuel system
Filed Jun 27, 2024

2018 M3 gas tank has cracked on the top and gas slushes around and leaks out. I filled up my tank and gas started leaking from the bottom. 2015-2016 BMW covers it but mine is made in 2017 has the same issue but no recall. This is very dangerous because it’s gas related.

NHTSA ID
11597225
Incident
Jun 21, 2024
Fuel system
Filed Oct 18, 2023

Forgot to include on initial complaint that cracked gas tank was identified by dealer. There was a previous NHTSA recall for the same platform, but did not include the 2018 model year.

NHTSA ID
11550627
Incident
Oct 16, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Oct 18, 2023

After filling gas tank a strong aroma of gasoline was noticeable. This happened three successive times.

NHTSA ID
11550617
Incident
Oct 16, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Aug 7, 2023

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Fuel tank rubber gasket failed How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Leaks large amount of fuel and can cause a fire or explosion Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes BMW technician looked over the repair. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights

NHTSA ID
11537054
Incident
Jul 21, 2023
Fuel system
Filed Jul 27, 2023

Fuel tank started leaking gasoline on the driver's side of the car. I only noticed because of the strong smell of gasoline and slipping a puddle of gas. I feel that my safety was at risk if I was to drive around with gasoline leaking out of the car that could have caused an explosion. I took the car to the dealership and the dealership will not cover the repair even though there is an emission warranty on the older versions of this car that have the same fuel tank issue. There was no warning light.

NHTSA ID
11534711
Incident
Jul 20, 2023
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 18, 2019

CRANK HUB WILL BE PRONE TO SPIN AND THEREFORE WILL DESTROY ENGINE WHICH WILL REQUIRE A FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
11289976
Incident
Dec 17, 2019
Mileage
8,000 mi
Filed Apr 4, 2019

HELLO, I HAVE A 2018 BMW M3 THAT IS ABOUT 12 MONTHS OLD. THERE WAS A SIRIUS XM (SATELLITE RADIO) TRIAL PERIOD OF 1 YEAR, AND NOW THAT IT IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE, THERE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT IN MY NAVIGATION WINDOW THAT COMES UP EVERY TIME I TURN ON THE CAR, THAT HAS TO BE CLEARED VIA PRESSING "OK" OR ELSE IT DOESN'T GO AWAY. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT IF I TURN ON THE CAR AND GO INTO REVERSE, THE REVERSE CAMERA WILL SHOW BUT GETS INTERRUPTED BY THE SIRIUS XM ADVERTISEMENT, AND DOESN'T COME BACK UNTIL THE ADVERTISEMENT TO RENEW IS MANUALLY CLEARED OUT. I ALMOST REVERSED OVER A PEDESTRIAN IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME. I HAVE SPOKEN TO BMW AND SIRIUS AND BOTH PARTIES POINT FINGERS AT THE OTHER SIDE, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY A BMW PROBLEM. CHECK THIS FORUM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS - HTTPS://F80.BIMMERPOST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1450130 THE WORST PART ABOUT THIS IS THAT BMW IS SAYING THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY-COVERED ISSUE AND THAT I NEED TO PAY MY BMW SERVICE SHOP $188 TO HAVE THEM "DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM. THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE THE IMPETUS FOR THIS "HOTFIX" CAN BE FROM AN AGENCY SUCH AS YOURSELF. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID
11193822
Incident
Mar 30, 2019
Mileage
13,500 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

B064725

SERVICE BRAKES

Protection Plate Return

B340921

SERVICE BRAKES

A turbine-like noise can be heard from the rear axle while deceleration during the first 300 miles of operation when braking from low speed.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

B310124

SUSPENSION

With the vehicle is on a lift and the front struts are in the extended position, there may be a cracking and orclicking type noise when turning the steering wheel left/right. See attached video V31 01 24. The sound can reoccur when the vehicle is lowered, and the wheels are once again under load. The noise might also be heard for a short time while driving.

B360121

STEERING

At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21.

B340714

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

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

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
2018Viewing800
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
1998141042.5
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.