BMW M3 years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say
We compared 24 model years of the BMW M3 by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2006, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2002, 2011, 2009 stand out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.
Complaints per year on the road
| Year | Complaints | Per year on road | Index | Recalls | Crashes | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2023 | 2 | 1 | 0.6 | 1 | 2 | Typical |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2021 | 3 | 1 | 0.6 | 3 | 0 | Typical |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | Typical |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0.3 | 2 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 | 0.5 | 3 | 0 | Typical |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 0.4 | 3 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2013 | 13 | 1 | 1.1 | 2 | 2 | Typical |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | 0.5 | 3 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
| 2011 | 41 | 3 | 2.9 | 4 | 0 | Most complaints |
| 2010 | 15 | 1 | 1.0 | 4 | 1 | Typical |
| 2009 | 45 | 3 | 2.8 | 5 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2008 | 82 | 4 | 4.9 | 5 | 4 | Most complaints |
| 2006 | 216 | 10 | 11.7 | 5 | 6 | Most complaints |
| 2005 | 37 | 2 | 1.9 | 3 | 1 | Typical |
| 2004 | 112 | 5 | 5.5 | 3 | 1 | Most complaints |
| 2003 | 141 | 6 | 6.7 | 5 | 8 | Most complaints |
| 2002 | 90 | 4 | 4.1 | 5 | 4 | Most complaints |
| 2001 | 14 | 1 | 0.6 | 4 | 1 | Typical |
| 1999 | 11 | 0 | 0.4 | 1 | 3 | Fewest complaints |
| 1998 | 14 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | Typical |
| 1997 | 19 | 1 | 0.7 | 2 | 3 | Typical |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | Fewest complaints |
- 20252 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20232 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 20221 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
- 20213 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 20189 complaints · 0 recallsTypical
- 20173 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
- 20165 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 20154 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 201313 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 20126 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
- 201141 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
- 201015 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 200945 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 200882 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 2006216 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 200537 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
- 2004112 complaints · 3 recallsMost complaints
- 2003141 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 200290 complaints · 5 recallsMost complaints
- 200114 complaints · 4 recallsTypical
- 199911 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
- 199814 complaints · 1 recallTypical
- 199719 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
- 19961 complaints · 1 recallFewest complaints
Fewest complaints for their age: 1996, 2022, 2017, 2015, 1999, 2012.
About this comparison
What BMW M3 years have the most complaints?
Adjusted for years on the road, 2006, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2002, 2011, 2009 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 24 model years compared.
Is this a reliability rating?
No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.