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Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 BMW M3 problems

Owners filed 19 complaints about the 1997 BMW M3 with NHTSA between May 1997 and Oct 2005. The most-cited component is tires (4).

Full 1997 M3 research
Complaints
19
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Tires4
  2. Visibility3
  3. Air bags3
  4. Equipment3
  5. Engine and engine cooling2
  6. Suspension1
  7. Wheels1
  8. Fuel system, gasoline1
  9. Vehicle speed control1
  10. Steering1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19971
19983
19994
20001
20018
20021
20030
20040
20051

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Tires

4 reports1 crash
“THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND 3 TIMES, THIS BLOWOUT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE UNDER CARRIAGE AND FRONT BUMPER, THIS TIRE WAS 5 HOURS OLD, THE SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WHICH HAD A BUBBLE AND BLEWOUT WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THIS TIRE WAS 6 MONTHS OLD (BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE730, 245/40ZR17BW). NLM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2001TiresODI 560947
Get this fixed

Visibility

3 reports
“DT: WHEN PULLING INTO A STOP THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL SLOW DOWN IN THE SPEED THAT THEY WORK. THEY WILL SLOW DOWN TO THE DELAY, INTERMEDIATE SETTING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST 2004. WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER,THEY SAID THAT IT IS THE WAY THEY ARE DESIGNED. THERE ARE OTHER YEAR, MAKE, AND MODELS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW. THE CONTACT STATES THAT IT IMPAIRS THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2005VisibilityODI 10139474
Get this fixed

Air bags

3 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2002Air bagsCrash reportedODI 761726
Recall: Air bags: sideGet this fixed

Equipment

3 reports
“THE SPEAKERS FAILED. NLM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2001EquipmentODI 559939
Get this fixed

Engine and engine cooling

2 reports
“LATENT DEFECT IN BODY CAUSING WHEEL MOUNTS TO TEAR AWAY FROM CAR. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2001Engine and engine coolingODI 746851
Get this fixed

Suspension

1 report
“REAR SHOCK MOUNT TOWER TORE FROM BODY OF CAR, BOLTS AND ALL. NO MODIFICATION DONE TO SUSPENSION, NORMAL DRIVING, NO ADVANCE NOTICE. NO TRACK DRIVING. BMW MAKES A REPLACEMENT KIT TO REMEDY THIS WEAK BODY AREA. BMW MESSAGE BOARDS HAVE MANY SIMILAR M3'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT HIGH SPEED WOULD PROVE FATAL.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2001SuspensionODI 754494
Get this fixed
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.