2002 BMW M3
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
These records cover every 2002 BMW M3. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
5 recalls name the 2002 BMW M3. Newest first.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase…
Risk and remedy
Risk
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and convertibles; 2001-2005 330xi…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator resulting in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners in September 2014. A second notice was mailed when an adequate supply of parts became available, on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please…
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.
BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.
Risk and remedy
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.
Remedy
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available, estimated for July, BMW will notify owners again to contact their dealers and schedule a replacement of the passenger air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.
Owner complaints
40 complaints2 involved a crash1 involved a fire1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
See attached document for complaint
- Electrical system
BMW M 3 parked in the driveway and had been turned off for several hours I was wax the car when I noticed a puff of smoke coming out of the air condition vent so I sat in the driver seat to investigate out of habit I close the door I planed to open the windows and the convertible top to take a…
BMW M 3 parked in the driveway and had been turned off for several hours I was wax the car when I noticed a puff of smoke coming out of the air condition vent so I sat in the driver seat to investigate out of habit I close the door I planed to open the windows and the convertible top to take a look the car went into antitheft mode and locked me inside the smoke became thick quickly I tried to break the window with my elbow with no luck I was getting ready to try to kick the window if I could reach it with my foot I’m on most 70 years old so it was tough even moving I couldn’t get out ..my wife and daughter Who were in the backyard and saw what was happening they broke the window so that I could climb out of the car I sprayed the air conditioning vent with water which is also dangerous but I had to put it out I then disconnected the battery as quickly as I could I have called an insurance adjuster and had mechanics look at it apparently the LCM or the light control module for some reason caught fire I was lucky I had someone there to help me someone else might not be as lucky I did breathing a bit of the smoke and I’ve had cough but I don’t feel it’s severe I will have it looked out eventually would just like the car to be evaluated by BMW engineers to see if they can figure out why it caught on fire Before I pay money to have it repaired I’m not sure I can drive it again
- Air bags
In november, 2020, I received a notification from BMW that the previous fix to my airbag was only a temporary fix, and I needed to bring my car in for a permanent fix. in january, 2021, the airbag light went on. I am getting ready to start driving my cars on a regular basis again, so I took the…
In november, 2020, I received a notification from BMW that the previous fix to my airbag was only a temporary fix, and I needed to bring my car in for a permanent fix. in january, 2021, the airbag light went on. I am getting ready to start driving my cars on a regular basis again, so I took the car in this week for the airbag recall. they spent 2 hours, to allegedly replace a module. as I was getting ready to leave, the airbag light was still on. they said that wasn't part of the recall, and I needed to pay $200 to have it diagnosed. 3 hours later, they said it was an airbag module (presumable different than the one they allegedly just replaced), and they said it IS not part of the recall. now, the first repair for the airbag was roughly two years ago, now they are saying the module that IS failing IS not related to the recall. I think they either didn't do the airbag module when it was in for the repair or the fact they installed a "temporary fix" two years ago IS leading to the failure of this module today. anyway, I don't see how this IS not part of the recall. oh, they want $2,000 to fix it.
- Electrical system
The door central lock control module fails on all of the E46 BMW models where the passenger and driver can become trapped in the vehicle because the door locks cannot be unlocked in any way because of the faulty GM5 central locking module
- Structure › Body · Suspension
Upon inspection, vehicle's rear subframe mounting points show cracking and other signs of structural fatigue consistent with other similar vehicles that have undergone complete rear subframe failure. Vehicle's subframe needs to be reinforced and BMW settled in a class action suit regarding the issue, however, the issue was not escalated to a recall, possibly leaving thousands of unsafe vehicles on the road.
- Unknown or other
Passenger door would not open from inside or outside the car. Car was parked, door would not unlock after pushing remote or console button or when pulling door handle inside which normally unlocks it. This could be a death trap in case of fire! I hear there are known issues with the GM5 module.
- Air bags
Air bag light came on.......
- Air bags
This car IS subject to the airbag recall.i was first notified of this in september 2014. Since then, BMW has repeatedly put off the target date for this repair. Back in october 2014, an article in the financial times stated that replacement parts for the first 25% of the parts would not be…
This car IS subject to the airbag recall.i was first notified of this in september 2014. Since then, BMW has repeatedly put off the target date for this repair. Back in october 2014, an article in the financial times stated that replacement parts for the first 25% of the parts would not be available until february 2015. If BMW was aware of this in october 2014, why didn't they make alternate arrangements with another vendor and backcharge takata? *tr
- Air bags
BMW sent me a recall notice to replace the takata passenger side air bag. I contacted my dealer in late october. the dealer has not responded and BMW USA says it does not know when parts may be available. the car was purchased in miami, fl new from a BMW dealer and was located in the florida…
BMW sent me a recall notice to replace the takata passenger side air bag. I contacted my dealer in late october. the dealer has not responded and BMW USA says it does not know when parts may be available. the car was purchased in miami, fl new from a BMW dealer and was located in the florida keys for approximately 3 years. I now live on the water in northern california where the humidity IS typically 99% overnight and my deck does not dry all day due to high humidity. summertime temperatures are in the upper 80S to low 90S with several days each summer above 100 f. while I understand parts shortages, I am also unable to drive with a passenger in my car in what I believe IS a safe manner. if a manufacturer cannot fix as recall in a reasonable time they should make other provisions for vehicle owners. *tr
- Electrical system · Engine · Power train
I am filing this complaint on behalf of myself and the countless others experiencing this potentially fatal defect in bmw's smg pump unit. I was driving on the freeway for about 5 minutes when I noticed my car immediately shifted into neutral without me making that decision. I was in the middle of…
I am filing this complaint on behalf of myself and the countless others experiencing this potentially fatal defect in bmw's smg pump unit. I was driving on the freeway for about 5 minutes when I noticed my car immediately shifted into neutral without me making that decision. I was in the middle of changing lanes when this happened. The smg warning light came on. I put my hazards on. The car abruptly slowed as it chose to shift back to 4TH gear as I was going 65mph. I tried shifting back up to gear safely get to the shoulder but with no luck as the vehicle went back into neutral. The cars behind me came very rapidly and two almost hit me as a result of this pump failure. By this time I was traveling around 40mph in a 65+ traffic zone. I finally rolled my car down the shoulder to safety. I replaced the smg relay with a spare new one I always carried in the car. I waited 10 minutes for the vehicle to cool off as I knew this was the infamous smg pump issue. The car started back up with no light and drove me almost the entire route back home. Just about a mile from my home, same thing happened. This time leaving me completely stuck in a busy intersection. Luckily, the people behind me were kind enough to help push my car out of the way. I called a friend and we pushed the car all the way back to my garage. Now this IS just the first time it has happened. It happens in less than 3 minutes of driving the car just when I try to move it never breaking 15mph. Bmwna ignores our complaints as their dealerships make money hand over fist with this $4000 repair. My complaint IS not with the repair amount. Us M3 owners are aware of the maintenance and repair costs for our highly specialized vehicles. However, this pump malfunction IS a very real danger to all drivers. We've seen this happen to vehicles with anywhere from 15K to 120K miles on them. BMW needs to issue a recall. *tr
- Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields · Suspension
I took my car into the BMW dealer for a inspection, they found the subframe/trunk floor was cracking and would not be able to put my car on a vehicle lift for further inspection and advised me it may not be safe to drive. Looking into this online this seems to be a common saftey problem with these cars. *tr
- Power train
Multiple incidents since the day after we purchased the car: ?driving in 4TH gear (anywhere from 10 to 40 mins of driving) will suddenly feel as if clutch IS engaged so I cannot accelerate, yellow transmission warning light comes on, then I have to coast to a complete stop and shut the engine off.…
Multiple incidents since the day after we purchased the car: ?driving in 4TH gear (anywhere from 10 to 40 mins of driving) will suddenly feel as if clutch IS engaged so I cannot accelerate, yellow transmission warning light comes on, then I have to coast to a complete stop and shut the engine off. it can take several attempts to restart the car to re-engage back into 1ST gear. noticed if I wait long enough, once the transmission warning light also turns off then I can restart back in first gear. all this while driving in auto mode. ?same issue as above but has happened in the lower gears while accelerating or when cruising at higher gears, for example, 6TH gear and manually shifting into 5TH, warning light will come on, car will not be in gear, will have to coast to a stop and attempt to restart with 1ST gear again. ?same issue as above, but has happened while parked at a red light, indicator shows 1ST gear, but when I try to go, the warning light comes on and i?m not in gear, requires a stop/restart of engine again ? Sometimes multiple tries. this happens on both even, declined and inclined road surfaces. ?this IS extremely dangerous as we have been left dead in the road attempting to restart the car while there's on-coming traffic around us! *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
The exhaust cam hub tabs break off on the 2000-2008 BMW M3 models. If caught when only one tab breaks it can be replaced. If both tabs break completely off the engine will seize. There are hundreds of people with the same issue. BMW na will not address this issue. *js
- Power train
Trouble with smg transmission. Car will not stay in gear and bucks hard trying to engage. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
I have a BMW M3 which has an smg transmission. I was driving and all of a sudden my car loses power to change the gears and my car started to jerk while on the road nearly crashing into another car. It turns out that the smg pumps for BMW M3 have always a high failure design flaw. The cost to fix…
I have a BMW M3 which has an smg transmission. I was driving and all of a sudden my car loses power to change the gears and my car started to jerk while on the road nearly crashing into another car. It turns out that the smg pumps for BMW M3 have always a high failure design flaw. The cost to fix that IS also unbearable which nears the $5,000 mark. There has been forums going around that this IS indeed a design flaw for BMW. I almost nearly got into a car accident, but thankfully I was ok. Please look into this matter as I feel as well as everyone else in the BMW comunittee that it should be a recall. Thank you for your time. *tr
- Exterior lighting
TL* the contact owns a 2002 BMW M3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, all of the exterior lamps would sporadically fail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance…
TL* the contact owns a 2002 BMW M3. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, all of the exterior lamps would sporadically fail. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 86,000 and the current mileage was 108,000. The vin was not available. car should be included in nhtsa campaign ID number 11v438000 same exact problems. Updated 10/19/2011 *ln
- Electrical system
BMW 2002 M3, remote key does not work, broken general module. *tr
- Suspension
Inspection at dealer, BMW of peabody, 221 andover street, peabody ma 01960, found both rear springs broken. I was told that this IS quite normal for BMW 3 series. I believe that broken rear springs could contribute to loss of control and possible injury to persons.
- Visibility › Rearview mirrors/devices
The rear mirror in my vehicle IS a self-dimming one. while parked in the garage overnight, I came out to a significant discoloration in the glass, almost like there was water inside of the mirror. I figured it would need replacement, but did not think it would deteriorate so fast. the next…
The rear mirror in my vehicle IS a self-dimming one. while parked in the garage overnight, I came out to a significant discoloration in the glass, almost like there was water inside of the mirror. I figured it would need replacement, but did not think it would deteriorate so fast. the next evening, I parked in the garage again. I came out the next morning and the discoloration had worsened. I noticed splatter all over the area underneath the mirror. it appears the fluid had leaked out and dripped all over my shifter, trim, window buttons, and cupholders. any part that was plastic had burn marks from the splatter of the corrosive liquid. I was very uneasy cleaning up the remaining liquid as it IS obviously very corrosive. I spoke with bmwna and they instructed me since the car IS out of warranty, there was nothing they could do. this issue IS beyond a damaged part; it IS a safety and health hazard. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
I own a 2002 BMW M3. There are six camshaft bolts behind a plate cover. BMW speced bolts that were too soft until 2004 when they changed bolt spec to a hardened steel with loctite. Prior to this the bolts had no loctite. The issue IS starting to surface all over the web. The failure IS that the…
I own a 2002 BMW M3. There are six camshaft bolts behind a plate cover. BMW speced bolts that were too soft until 2004 when they changed bolt spec to a hardened steel with loctite. Prior to this the bolts had no loctite. The issue IS starting to surface all over the web. The failure IS that the bolts do not stay screwed in. They back out and stop against the plate cover. Eventually they shear off and if this happens it causes catastrophic failure to your engine. In my case I was going 15mph so the damage was only $10,000. The car hammered to a stop. BMW IS refusing to acknowledge the issue suggesting out of warranty. My concern IS that I have 60K on the car when the issue occurred first. A p0011 camshaft timing fault comes up. A BMW service center cleared the fault and replaced some coils and sparkplugs ($663) and sent me on my way. Three days later the bolts sheared. The dealership said they "had never seen this before". They also said BMW had issued no bulletins to address the bolts. Every independent BMW facility I interviewed in portland was well aware of the issue and already doing engine rebuilds for their customers. I think this IS gross negligence on bmw's part for not acknowledging the issue and dealing with it. I also think the dealer IS guilty of clearing the fault without checking further. The bid on my work IS $10,000 (two valve heads and a vanos system plus 50 hours of labor). This IS an estimate until they pull the engine apart more. online you can see on you tube my issue by watching this video. On all the forums there are threads to see the issue. You can see this by a google search of "BMW camshaft bolt shearing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6rdvbhscfg bottom line IS if the bolts are not replaced eventually they will shear off and cause catastrophic engine damage. The faster the speed of the car the worse the damage. The problem IS appearing it seems after 30K and for many including me between 60-90k. *Tr
- Visibility
Auto dimming mirror on 2002 BMW M3 coupe leaked and IS now permanently dimmed on 3/4 of the mirror. it now inhibits my ability to see out the rear of my car. I have been told that the liquid IS toxic and corrosive, however BMW still has not issued a recall. *tr
- Structure › Body · Structure › Frame and members · Suspension › Rear
After 2.5 years of ownership of vehicle a slight "clunk" coming from the rear of the vehicle IS noticed when moving forward from a stop some times. within a few weeks the "clunk" became louder and occurred more often. in addition the a loud "bang" accompanied by vibrations would come from the…
After 2.5 years of ownership of vehicle a slight "clunk" coming from the rear of the vehicle IS noticed when moving forward from a stop some times. within a few weeks the "clunk" became louder and occurred more often. in addition the a loud "bang" accompanied by vibrations would come from the rear when going over speed-bumps. during this time the car began feeling unsafe when on hills or in the rain. if I was on a hill and started moving forward I feared after the large "clunk" a major failure could lead to the car losing its rear drivetrain or suspension and falling backwards. I also felt the car was not safe in the rain and the rear of the car would shift around when under load or accelerating. I took the car to a local repair shop and was told the rear subframe was tearing at multiple points. I was told this was a common manufacturer defect of the BMW 3-series that has been a problem for over 15 years and newer model cars would tear the entire floorpan out. The repair IS costly and the shop said they would not warranty or guarantee any repair of this part as it IS a manufacturer defect. I contacted BMW na and they had a representative contact me and setup an inspection at a local BMW certified repair shop. I took the car to the repair shop and the BMW rep there said he would take a look at it. he said that 99% of the time the damage IS covered as it IS a problem in even their lowest models and even in automatic transmission cars. later I received a call from the shop and was told that BMW would to fix the car with no cost to me. they said it was a manufacturer defect and a serious safety risk. a week later I received a call from the BMW na representative, he said the car was inspected again and decided that the car was driven too hard and therefore will not be repaired. The repair cost IS estimated at $7600. at this point the car IS unsafe to drive and now with confirmed tears in the body the car could suffer from rust and/or rodent/pest problems. *tr
- Tires
I was traveling at a high rate of speed on the freeway, when I heard a noise. As the noise got louder, I realized it must be a flat tire as the vehicle begin to pull in one direction. As the noise got louder I saw smoke coming from the back passenger side of vehicle. I pull over to find that the…
I was traveling at a high rate of speed on the freeway, when I heard a noise. As the noise got louder, I realized it must be a flat tire as the vehicle begin to pull in one direction. As the noise got louder I saw smoke coming from the back passenger side of vehicle. I pull over to find that the tire had completely separated from the sidewall. The tire was a continental contisport contact 255, 40ZR 18, on a 2002 BMW M3. The tire appears to have simply blown out due to the separation. I believe this to be defective workmanship. I was told by the tire dealer that this IS "common" for low-profile type tires. I do not think this an acceptable explanation, as the tire was not underpressurized, bare and/or damaged. I believe this blow out was due to a tire defect (tire separation). The only tire I could find to replace it was another brand. I will not put continentals on my car in the future. I do not feel safe driving on them since I do alot of freeway driving, and I wonder when one of the other tires will separate and blow out. *nm
- Power train › Manual transmission
On november 2ND, 2005, at 6:30 p.m., my family got into the M3. That included my wife in front, and three daughters in the back. We were on the way to meet my father for dinner. We had planned to take the 60 freeway westbound, of which the on ramp IS off a street called chino hills parkway. To our…
On november 2ND, 2005, at 6:30 p.m., my family got into the M3. That included my wife in front, and three daughters in the back. We were on the way to meet my father for dinner. We had planned to take the 60 freeway westbound, of which the on ramp IS off a street called chino hills parkway. To our shock, the freeway was jammed like a parking lot, so we proceed to make a u-turn to take an alternate side road. Travelling southbound on chino hills parkway at about 25 to 30 mph in 2ND gear, the smg gear indicator goes to "0". I do not recall shifting at all, so I just proceed to move the gear lever to put it back in gear. It does not change, reamins at "0", and since my foot IS still on the gas pedal, I just hear the revs of the engine while noticing I have no power to move forward. Thankfully, we were on a slight downward slope, so I was able to safely coast to a stop by the right side of the road. the first thing I notice IS the yellow gear-shaped transmission light has come on. I proceed to shut the car off, thinking a restart would correct the situation. I try shifting into gear, but it remains at "0". Before I restart the second time, I pop the hood open, and go out to close it, having heard that sometimes the smg pump acts funny if the hood IS not closed. I'm still unable to shift. I turn off the engine, wait a few minutes. This time, the engine doesn't even start! This happened two more time. Finally, on the sixth restart, the engine comes alive, and I am able to shift into gear. The yellow transmission light IS still on, but we made it home since this all happened about 3 miles from home. the car has been flatbedded to the dealership.
- Air bags
Rear park distance control sounded and airbag warning light came on simultaneously. software reprogrammed 2 times so far which corrected the airbag warning light. warning light has come back on after each reprogramming as soon as park distance control sounds. note: car has smg transmission. *jb
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Rear lamp illumination
Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly IS not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue IS with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are…
Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly IS not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue IS with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the system.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 on february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.odi IS upgrading to an ea to further investigate the issue.
- Rear lamp illumination
In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. Mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 BMW 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to BMW in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp…
In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. Mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 BMW 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to BMW in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by BMW in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating BMW complaints and related warranty data.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10244237Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material-
- 10225126Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column.
- 10194296Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles: 1. Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking from high speed with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F) increases the likelihood of cracks to form.
- 10184591SERVICE ACTION - HEAD AIR BAG HOLDER RETROFIT: A rattle noise may develop from the head air bag (ITS) gas generator contacting adjacent component. This noise can be heard while driving on an uneven roadway.
- 10160287TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL-RELATED SHORT-TERM ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSEQUENTIAL REPAIRS This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B01 31 18 dated October 2018.
- 10160244TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL-RELATED SHORT-TERM ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND CONSEQUENTIAL REPAIRS This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B01 31 18 dated October 2018.
- 10154816In an effort to improve the completion rate on Takata air bag recall affected vehicles; BMW NA has expanded the BMW Ultimate Rewards platform to include a new Recall Support page. This page will allow IRFs to check their customers VINs for open Takata recalls; and get rewarded for helping us with completing repairs.
- 10153726Takata class action settlement. Customer support program. Front driver side airbag modules.
- 10150160State Inspection and Emission (I/M) Test Fails Due To an Invalid VIN Number. The customer of an affected vehicle may fail to pass an I/M test due to a non-compliant 17digit vehicle identification number (VIN) stored in the DME (Digital Motor Electronic). The VIN read out and displayed on the state test printout does not match the actual VIN of the vehicle. If the DME was reprogrammed using the previously available BMW service equipment (e.g., Progman, GT1), it is possible that only the last 7 digits of the VIN were entered into the DME, and positions 4 through10 may only contain default characters. For example: The state I/M tester or OBD scan tool may read out WBAAA00000A123456 instead of the correct full 17-digit VIN, WBAZZ03492A123456.
- 10149558For the above-referenced vehicles with passenger?s side airbag modules, BMW of North America, LLC (?BMW NA?) will provide a Customer Support Program as outlined in the Takata Settlement Customer Support Program Overview attachment. This ?component-specific? customer support program applies only if there is a defect in materials or workmanship of the Takata passenger?s side airbag module in a listed vehicle.
- 10149557For the above-referenced vehicles with driver?s side airbag modules, BMW of North America, LLC (?BMW NA?) will provide a Customer Support Program as outlined in the Takata Settlement Customer Support Program Overview attachment. This ?component-specific? customer support program applies only if there is a defect in materials or workmanship of the Takata driver?s side airbag module in a listed vehicle.
- 10148179Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles. INFORMATION 1. Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking from high speed with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F) increases the likelihood of cracks to form. These surface hairline cracks are usually spread over the entire brake disc friction area, and have no negative influence on the durability or braking performance. The rotors should not be replaced only for their appearance reasons. When performing routine service on the brake system (pad replacement due to wear), the brake discs should be replaced if surface cracks are found to be greater than 13 mm, or if the brake disc thickness is below the minimum thickness. Always replace brake discs in pairs (per axle). Install new brake pads when replacing discs. By doing this, the service life of the friction pad surface is increased, and an even material loss is ensured. 2. Vibrations and/or steering wheel torsional vibrations during braking are caused by applying the brakes on discs with minimal to heavy corrosion. These vibrations are most noticeable when braking from high speeds with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F), and will diminish with normal everyday operation. Parts replacement is not required. 3. After high brake loads, running noises can be heard when applying the brakes, and may also be heard to a limited extent after the brakes are released. (See the note in the Owner's Manual). These noises are reduced during normal everyday operation, due to further erosion of the brake pad friction lining. Visible surface cracks or craterlike recesses on the brake pad surface are caused by a minor difference in the material of the pad lining, which will decrease with further operation and should not be replaced due to their appearance.
- 10148100Special Technical Campaign. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has urged vehicle manufacturers to conduct an investigation into air bags which may not deploy correctly. BMW is cooperating with this request. Takata is a supplier of air bags to several automotive manufacturers. They have informed NHTSA of a small number of cases of improperly deploying air bags in a few specific areas of the US. None of the reported cases involve any BMW vehicles. No determination has been made by BMW and Takata that a safety issue exists.This program involves the driver and front passenger air bag system. Specifically, the air bag system may have been manufactured with an inflator that was not produced to specification. After long-term exposure in high absolute humidity environments, in a crash in which air bag system deployment occurs, the air bag system housing may rupture. To assist Takata with their determination, BMW will be collecting air bags from a limited number of customer vehicles. Once the affected vehicle population has been determined, owners of affected vehicles will be notified by letter to visit their authorized BMW center to have their air bag(s) replaced. Additional information will be provided at that time. A press release from NHTSA on this topic is expected to be issued on Monday, June 23, 2014.
- 10147242Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI 34 04 14 dated December 2014. Designates changes to the bulletin. INFORMATION 1.Visible cracks are caused by high thermal stresses during rapid heating and cooling of the brake discs. Braking from high speed with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F) increases the likelihood of cracks to form. These surface hairline cracks are usually spread over the entire brake disc friction area, and have no negative influence on the durability or braking performance. The rotors should not be replaced only for their appearance reasons.When performing routine service on the brake system (pad replacement due to wear), the brake discs should be replaced if surface cracks are found to be greater than 13 mm, or if the brake disc thickness is below the minimum thickness. Always replace brake discs in pairs (per axle). Install new brake pads when replacing discs. By doing this, the service life of the friction pad surface is increased, and an even material loss is ensured. 2. Vibrations and/or steering wheel torsional vibrations during braking are caused by applying the brakes on discs with minimal to heavy corrosion. These vibrations are most noticeable when braking from high speeds with cold brake components (less than 212 degrees F), and will diminish with normal everyday operation. Parts replacement is not required. 3.After high brake loads, running noises can be heard when applying the brakes, and may also be heard to a limited extent after the brakes are released. (See the note in the Owner's Manual). These noises are reduced during normal everyday operation, due to further erosion of the brake pad friction lining. Visible surface cracks or craterlike recesses on the brake pad surface are caused by a minor difference in the material of the pad lining, which will decrease with further operation and should not be replaced due to their appearance.
- 10145331Diagnosis of Compound Brake System Complaints in M Vehicles:
- 10040853BMW: 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.
- 10037025BMW: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty.
- 10033130BMW vehicles: fuel level sensor repairs. Where it IS necessary to replace the right or the left side fuel level sensor due to a failure, the entire pump and housing or delivery unit (suction jet assembly) do not need to be replaced as well. In some cases, epc does not show that the repair kit IS available separately in the illustration, but it IS available in the parts description. All models. No model years listed.
- 10032574BMW: voluntary emissions recall 08e-a03; M3 s54-dme reprogramming for catalyst conversion diagnosis. The dme programming, as originally installed, may cause the obd diagnostic to erroneously evaluate the efficiency of the catalytic converters.
- 10030850BMW: 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.
- 10029304BMW: as originally installed, the dme programming may cause the obd diagnostic to erroneously evaluate the efficiency of the catalytic converters. Model E46 (M3) coupe and convertibles.
- 10012783Bremi ignition coil replacement on S54 engine. This service bulletin supersedes si120803 dated may 2004.
Every BMW M3 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.