no report yet
Air bags: side/window
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SIDE CRASH.
1998 BMW M3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 14 owner complaints about the 1998 BMW M3, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 10, 2008. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 BMW M3 has problems
14 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
3Power train
2Electrical system
2Air bags1 crash/fire/injury
2Suspension
2Visibility
1Service brakes, hydraulic
1Structure
1Vehicle speed control
1Tires
22 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 1 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 |
| 2 other systems | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1998 BMW M3 recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with BMW.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other M3 year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the M3 median. How we score
'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'21'22'23'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
In owners' words
What M3 owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
REPEATED FAILURE OF THE SHIFT GATE. TRANNY STICKS IN 5TH GEAR POSITION, CAUSING DANGEROUS SHIFT DELAYS WHILE IN TRAFFIC. SEE: HTTP://WWW.BRAZEAURACING.COM/TECH/TRANSMISSIONS.HTM FOR A PARTIAL LISTING OF THOSE AFFECTED. *JB
THE GEAR SHIFT IN MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 1998 BMW M3 (4 DOOR), STICKS UNDER FIFTH GEAR AND OFTEN I AM ALSO UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR. THE ISSUE WITH THIS IS WELL KNOWN BY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THE DANGER HERE IS THAT WHEN I WANT TO SHIFT INTO FIFTH GEAR I CANNOT, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT IS…
VEHICLE HAS BEEN THROUGH AT LEAST FOUR SEPARATE DEALERS WITH BRAKE LIGHT FAILURES. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO REMAIN UNRESLOVED. DEALERS CANNOT LOCATE FAULT AND CONTINUES TO REPLACE BULBS OR BEND CONNECTORS ON SOCKETS. ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, OIL PAN GASKETS ALL FAILING WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES ON VEHICLE.…
Own a 1998 M3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.