Model year record

2015 BMW M3

3 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 4 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 24V288000

Air bags: side/window

Component
Air bags: side/window
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
5,761
Reported to NHTSA
2024-04-24
Owners notified
2024-11-04

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.

Safety risk

An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall campaignNHTSA 16V653000

Structure: frame and members

Component
Structure: frame and members
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
196
Reported to NHTSA
2016-09-09
Owners notified
2016-11-03

Defect description

BMW North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2016 BMW M2 Coupe vehicles, 2015-2017 M3 Sedan vehicles and 2015-2016 M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible vehicles. During servicing of the rear differential for a prior service action, the rear sub-frame bolts may have been reused instead of being replaced. Reuse of the existing bolts may cause the bolts to loosen.

Safety risk

Loose rear sub-frame bolts may adversely affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear sub-frame bolts with new bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 3, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Recall campaignNHTSA 15V782000

Power train: driveline: driveshaft

Component
Power train: driveline: driveshaft
Manufacturer
BMW of North America, LLC
Vehicles affected
42
Reported to NHTSA
2015-11-23
Owners notified
2016-01-14

Defect description

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 M3 Sedan vehicles manufactured May 30, 2015, to September 2, 2015, 2016 M4 Coupe vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to September 11, 2015, and 2015-2016 M4 Convertible vehicles manufactured May 29, 2015, to August 4, 2015. The affected vehicles have a driveshaft with a slip-joint that may not have been filled with grease. As a result, the slip-joint may fail over time.

Safety risk

If the slip-joint fails, there would be a loss of power to the rear axle and therefore the vehicle would stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driveshaft, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 14, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Fuel/propulsion system2
Engine195,000 mi
Unknown or other1

The 2016 model has about half as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.