Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 22% | 8,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 60% | 20,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 25% | 95,000 miles |
| 2013 | 4 | 31% | 28,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 33% | 25,000 miles |
| 2011 | 16 | 52% | 46,000 miles |
| 2010 | 4 | 27% | 63,000 miles |
| 2009 | 5 | 11% | 57,000 miles |
| 2008 | 21 | 26% | 80,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2005 | 3 | 25% | 87,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 10% | 103,000 miles |
| 2003 | 5 | 9% | 98,000 miles |
| 2002 | 13 | 33% | 64,000 miles |
| 2001 | 3 | 21% | 21,000 miles |
| 1999 | 1 | 9% | 13,000 miles |
| 1998 | 1 | 7% | — |
| 1997 | 3 | 16% | — |
| 1995 | 1 | 8% | 2,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
There's a known issue with 2015+ BMW f80 M3 s55 engine. The issue is the crank hub spinning out and damaging the car. It leaves the vehicle in a dangerous state when driving on the road and to others near by. This issue happens to stock vehicles and modded ones. If the crank hub spins while the car is moving, it can leave the car in a dangerous state with no power. Links about it: https://www.youtube.com/results... Specific video that explains the crank hub issue with this model of a car: https://youtu.be/sjr3zhegs_u?t=160 this issue has personally happened on my M3. I was coasting down a hill towards a green stoplight, and a drivetrain malfunction error popped up on my screen. I immediately pushed in the clutch, and within 1 second my engine turned off. My car was left with no power, the engine would not restart. …
There's a known issue with 2015+ BMW f80 M3 s55 engine. The issue is the crank hub spinning out and damaging the car. It leaves the vehicle in a dangerous state when driving on the road and to others near by. This issue happens to stock vehicles and modded ones. If the crank hub spins while the car is moving, it can leave the car in a dangerous state with no power. Links about it: https://www.youtube.com/results... Specific video that explains the crank hub issue with this model of a car: https://youtu.be/sjr3zhegs_u?t=160
Rod bearings. There is clicking noise that I am hearing more and more often. Since summer of last year, I had heard subtle clicking noises occasionally which I wasn't able to locate at the time and had scheduled an appointment with the service department at park ave BMW service on October 2016 to get my car checked for few reasons. One of the reasons included this clicking noise which I had mentioned to the service agent and that he would get this checked out along with the other service maintenance. At the end of the service, he stated that everything is fine and there isn't any issues. Recently, I have started to hear the same clicking noise but louder which allowed me to locate the sound coming somewhere near the front of the vehicle near the engine bay. I have a BMW service appointment this Saturday to get it checked again to see if there is any issues. …
Vehicle has 3,100 miles on it. I stopped to get fuel and on the way back home the engine started to misfire heavily, then stall out in heavy traffic almost causing me to get rear ended. Luckily the car started but felt like it had only 10% of the power, BMW told me to drive it to the nearest service center to have it looked at. They called me the next day to tell my my engine has failed. Im not sure how in 3,100 well cared for miles the engine would fail, almost causing me to get rear-ended in traffic. I am disappointed that BMW could release a car that costs $77,000 dollars that has total engine failure in such little time and miles. BMW customer care has been the worst experience as well. They never return phone calls, and basically tells me every time there is no need to worry about the engine failing again in 3,100 miles.
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. …
Hey my name is [redacted] , I just recently purchase a used BMW M3 from a BMW dealership on 06/11/17. After a few months of using the car my motor gave a rod knock which is a common known problem according to the database. I really need help with this situation. This happened to be on the way from florida which was 500 miles from my house.
Rod bearings failed due to a manufacturer defect. Many BMW M3's suffer this issue because if the tightness of the engine which leads to oil starvation and metal shavings begin to destroy the engine. The vehicle was in motion, after sitting for a few hours, I start the car to discover a ticking noise in the engine. Upon checking the oil, I have found metal shavings in the oil.
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. A malfunction or failure of a coolant system component, such as a thermostat, water pump, or fan belt, can result in significantly increased coolant temperature and system pressure.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new design radiator cap to control pressure and provide greater coolant overflow in the event of overheating.
Frequently asked questions
Which BMW M3 years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (21), 2011 (16), 2002 (13), 2003 (5) and 2009 (5) model years. Engine complaints make up 26% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for BMW M3 engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 98V-178 (cooling system, Aug 4, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do BMW M3 engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles; 39% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (13 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (8).
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.