Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 BMW M3 problems
Owners filed 14 complaints about the 2001 BMW M3 with NHTSA between Jul 2001 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is structure (4).
Complaints
14
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Structure4
- Power train4
- Suspension3
- Engine and engine cooling3
- Wheels1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Visibility1
- Air bags1
- Parking brake1
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 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
4
0
2
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Structure
4 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BMW M3. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF A SEVERE CRACK IN THE SUBFRAME THAT SUPPORTED THE REAR WHEELS AND SUSPENSION. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.”
Power train
4 reports
“INSPECTION BY TWO MECHANICS SHOWS CRACKS IN THE SUBFRAME HOLDING THE BACK WHEELS. THERE WAS A LEGAL CASE INVOLVING THIS DEFECT THAT WAS SETTLED BY BMW WHICH WAS TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOTIFY ALL OWNERS OF 3 SERIES BMW'S ABOUT THE DEFECT SO IT COULD BE FIXED. THEY NEVER INFORMED ME OF DEFECT AND HAVE STALED ON THE REPAIR.”
Suspension
3 reports
“LEFT REAR SUSPENSION SPRING BROKE WITH ONLY ABOUT 50K MILES. RESULTED IN NOISE, POOR SUSPENSION CONTROL OVER BUMPS. REPAIR SHOP IS REPLACING WITH A NEW ONE. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
3 reports
“THE ENGINE OF THE BMW 2001 M3 HAD SERIOUS ENGINE FAILURES. THE REQUEST FROM THE BMW DEALERSHIP ON EXPLAINATION WAS REJECTED, NOR WAS THERE ANY EXPLAINATION FROM THE CONSUMER RELATIONS OF BMW NA. THE FAILURE WAS CONVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS THE ONLY ABNORMAL CAR IN THOUSANDS THAT WERE SOLD. FROM MY RESEARCH THERE WERE MORE THAN 100 DOCUMENTED CASES OF THE NEW E46 M3 ENGINE HAVING PROBLEMS RANGING FROM CRANKSHAFT FAILURE TO FULL ENGINE DETONATION AND OIL SPILLAGE. BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO COMPENSATE OWNERS OF A $60K CAR IN THE DECREASE IN VALUE OF THE CAR AND ALSO HAVE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR ONGOING PROBLEMS (THERE ARE COMPLAINTS THAT NEW "REPLACED" ENGINES ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS). THERE IS A VERY HIGH CHANCE A DEADLY ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR IF I DID NOT NOTICE THE PROBLEM EARLY, RANGING FROM OIL SPILLS TO FIRE. BMW IS NEGLECTING THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE BY NOT NOTIFYING THEM WHEN FIRST SIGNS OF PROBLEMS OCCUR. IRONICALLY BMW DOES KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE REPLACED ALL THE PARTS IN THE NEW ENGINE WHILE KEEPING QUIET TO CURRENT CONSUMERS, ALSO MECHANICS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REPLACE PARTS WHILE WORKING IN THE AREA OF…”
Wheels
1 report
Latches/locks/linkages
1 report
“PASSENGER DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED EITHER FROM INSIDER OR OUTSIDE. APPEARS LIKE THE DOOR IS DOUBLE LOCKED. LUCKILY BOTH DOORS ARE NOT DOUBLE LOCKED WITH PASSENGER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. POSSIBLE FAILURE OF LOCK ACTUATOR WITHOUT WARNING OR FAILURE OF GM5 MODULE *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.