Most common 2008 BMW M3 problems
Share of the 82 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW M3 complaints by model year
Best M3 years: 2007, 2006, 2017. Years to avoid: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2010, 2003. Compare all years →
2008 BMW M3 recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi,…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020.
Electrical system › Wiring › Fuses and circuit breakers
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2009 328i and 328xi, 2009-2011 335d, 2008-2012 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible, and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles. The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and secure the positive battery cable connector, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical system › Wiring
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles.
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiring and electrical connectors, free of charge. Interim letters were mailed on November 27, 2017.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes, 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans, 2009-2011 335d sedans, 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons, 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module or inflator depending on the vehicle model, free of charge. The recall began March 9, 2018.
Power train › Clutch assembly
BMW is recalling 2,500 my 2008-2009 m3 passenger vehicles with an optional double clutch transmission. The problem involves the double clutch gearbox. In a situation of rapid vehicle deceleration, the transmission software May perform a multistage downshift.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the engine and transmission electronic control unit with updated software free of charge. The recall began on December 3, 2008. Owners May contact BMW at 1-800-831-1117.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 BMW M3:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2008 BMW M3 owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 37 →
Engine began suddenly making a very loud knocking sound without any warning, and I drove it straight to sandy sansing BMW service center, where they stated that the vehicle has suffered a catastrophic crank bearing failure. The engine has to be replaced now... Car has been meticulously maintained and always serviced at BMW dealers since it was new... A car with 56K miles on it should not have such an extreme failure in this nature...
After slowing for a yield sign, pressed accelerator and there was a delayed response, followed by sudden acceleration. Bumped truck in front of me during the surge. Car behind me almost rearended me when my car did not accelerate.
Engine & cooling all 21 →
I've been driving BMW for over 12 years. My absolute favorite car to drive. I've had my M3 for a year. My dream car. I took the upmost care of her. Coming home from work late Monday driving around 65-70 miles per hour. I heard a loud noise from my car and an engine malfunction notification on my car. Almost hit an 18 wheeler as my car lost control before I swerved into a ditch. Had it towed to my mechanic where he confirmed a piece of a rod poking out the lower part of my block. I never thought the rod bearing failure would ever happen to me! It happened. I currently have no car and I still make payments. I have to get a ride to work which I hate. BMW should be held responsible for all s65 motors that have these no clearance rod bearings. This was my baby. Now she'll never be the same again.
I have a BMW e92 chassis. I have spoken to many, many owners of the same BMW and they have said the same thing. The throttle body actuators are defective on these bmws. When the malfunction takes place the BMW goes into limp mode. The car is not able to rev above 3K RPM nor go a speed of over 55 MPH. This is incredibly dangerous on the interstate when your car does this. I did not feel safe as well as many people I've talked to and this has happened to them. It is a known issue on the e92 BMW around 79,000 miles. The BMW M3 of this year is very popular and there are many owners. The rod bearings also go out in this car and create the same safety issue. I believe the throttle actuators and rod bearings going bad and putting the car into limp mode is an incredibly dangerous issue. I have called BMW na and they will not look into them as they are not an 'active recall'.
Electrical system
During a regular fuel stop at a gas station, I noticed the central lock button nor the physical door hinge fail to operate to open the door for me to exit. The fuse for the central power door lock/unlock button blew out, completely disabling the interior door hinge mechanism. I got trapped inside but thankfully the power was still on and the rear doors remained unlocked. So, I lowered the driverside window and crawl outside. Then open the unlocked reer door to enter the vehicle from the back seat. Then located the fuse box, searched on the internet to itenfy the effected fuse, replaced damaged one to another fuse (dedicated to another function), temporarily replaced with the same ampage fuse. For my vehicle, there is no visible solution to enter the physical key to open the door from the outside that are typically found under the exterior door handle. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 BMW M3. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked in reverse on a hill. The emergency brake was not applied properly and the vehicle rolled down the hill and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's vehicle sustained damages to the hood, bumper, and fender. The vehicle was towed by aaa to automaster BMW (3328 shelburne rd, #3, shelburne, vt 05482, [phone]) where it was diagnosed that the electrical system needed to be replaced. The electrical system was replaced; however, the body damage was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 19V472000 (electrical system) as a potential cause of the failure, but he had not received a recall notice. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and assisted with the repair cost. …
2008 BMW M3 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 4.0L 8-cyl | 7-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 BMW M3 a good car?
Based on 82 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 M3 rates avoid: 6.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the M3 at the same age. It is one of the M3 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 BMW M3?
The transmission & drivetrain — 37 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (21) and electrical system (9).
How many recalls does the 2008 BMW M3 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2008 BMW M3, the most recent from January 15, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW M3?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2006 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2010 and 2003. See the full BMW M3 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 BMW M3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 15,000 miles; 62% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.