Most common 2011 BMW M3 problems
Share of the 31 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 →
2011 BMW M3 recalls (4)
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2011 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 2011 BMW M3 owners say
Engine & cooling
Starting from a traffic light at Woodlands Parkway and Gosling Road in the Woodlands, TX - Vehicle accelerated normally during shifting from 1st to 2nd gear. When shifting from 2nd to 3rd - Engine RPM went to ZERO and vehicle suddenly lost all power and died. There was a large Ford F150 behind the car. Thankfully, I was watching the tachometer and coasted to the shoulder before attempting to shift back to 2 and try a rolling start at which point vehicle came to an abrupt and sudden stop. Car was towed to an approved mechanic and was diagnosed as "another seized S65" engine. OPINION of Expert engine builders and bearing manufacturers is that the original BMW S65 bearing dimensions result in inadequate journal clearance and has been thoroughly documented. …
While driving my low milage 2011 BMW M3 (42K miles) on the highway, out of no where, I noticed the car driving a little differently and slightly shaking. This happened moments before I reached my exit. I pulled over at a gas station right off the exit and opened the hood, the engine was making a tinging/scraping noise with each revolution. I closed it up, and drove to my home which was a couple minutes away. While driving, the noise was happening more in lower gears. When I got home, I looked under the car and saw it was leaking oil, and still making the noise. After some investigation, I learned the rod bearings in the engine had failed, resulting in complete engine failure. I purchased the car from an authorized BMW store at 38K miles in May of 2017, I always serviced it at my local BMW store - this occurred February 3rd, 2018. …
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 BMW M3. While driving at 55 MPH, the air conditioner stopped functioning and the odor of burning plastic entered the cabin. The contact disconnected the fuses to the air conditioner to correct the failure. Reeves import motorcars dealer located in tampa, florida was made aware of the failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was previously repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 17V676000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
The car was parked at a flat space parking lot. When I tried to open the vehicle using a fob key, the alarm started to go off. I was not able to access the vehicle other than using a key blade to open the door manually, however all system was dead. I have replaced the fob key battery, checked the battery status, and ran the error code system, but everything was fine. After some research, I've found out that there is a recall on the similar models (BMW 3 series) for a fuse box - battery connection issue. And giving a good press towards the fuse box located in the glove-box did fix the problem temporarily, however the issue has kept happening since then. 3 series manufactured March 2007 through July 2011 have been recalled during the NHTSA campaign id number: 13V044000. …
Air bags
Between 11/04/16 and 11/08/16 I left my vehicle with reeves BMW dealership in tampa, fl for the Takata airbag recall which they told me they completed. I continued to get warning letters from the NHTSA for this recall and recently I brought my car to a different BMW dealership which told me the reeves BMW dealership reported they completed the work and my airbag could not be changed under the recall. I took my airbag off the steering column and photographed the label on the back which shows the airbag installed in my car was produced in May 2010 which is part of the Takata airbag recall batch and was prior to the assembly of my car at the factory. I am very angry this recall work was not completed by reeves BMW dealership as I was told and that I have been placed at unnecessary risk for the past 4 years. …
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2011 BMW M3. The contact received notification NHTSA campaign number 16V071000 (air bags), however the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact called the stevens creeks BMW (4343 stevens creek blvd st clara ca 9505[phone]) and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. The manufacturer was aware of the issue and were not able to confirm when the parts would become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. The VIN was not available.
2011 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: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 BMW M3 a good car?
Based on 31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 M3 rates avoid: 2.8× 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 2011 BMW M3?
The engine & cooling — 16 complaints, 52% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (7) and air bags (6).
How many recalls does the 2011 BMW M3 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2011 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 2011 BMW M3 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 43,000 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.