no report yet
Air bags: side/window
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE SIDE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SIDE CRASH.
1999 BMW M3Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 11 owner complaints about the 1999 BMW M3, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through February 3, 2015. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1999 BMW M3 has problems
11 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
5Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
2Service brakes, hydraulic2 crash/fire/injury
2Tires
1Engine and engine cooling
1Steering
1Structure1 crash/fire/injury
1Power train
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 5 | 2 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 2 | 2 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 |
| Power train | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1999 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
1999 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
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1999 BMW M3, and the recalls they led to.
- INADVERTANT SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTLed to recall 99V-063
In owners' words
What M3 owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. DIAGNOSIS: PASSENGER AIR BAG ELECTRONICS ARE FAULTY AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $500 PER DEALER. BMW SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS BUT THEY DO NOT SHOW THIS WITH MY VIN. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. *TR
THE MATERIAL USED ON THE BMW STEERING WHEEL MELTS AT THE TOUCH OF SUNLIGHT- DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A HOT TEMPERATURE. THE MELTING OF THE STEERING WHEEL RESTRICTS ME FROM USING THE HORN AND COULD VERY WELL HAVE AFFECTED THE AIRBAG AND/OR DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG. ALSO, IT'S STICKY, MY FINGERPRINTS AND…
1999 BMW M3 CONVERTIBLE. AIRBAG LIGHT COME UP WITH NO REASON; POTENTIALLY, AIRBIG WON'T DEPLOY IF ANY ACCIDENT HAPPEN. VIN [XXX]. UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Own a 1999 M3?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.