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2006 BMW M3Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 14 owner complaints about the 2006 BMW M3, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-428 the manufacturer reports only 29% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 29%Owner complaints140 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage75kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 5, 2021. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2006 BMW M3 has problems

14 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags90
Power train20
Tires20
Engine and engine cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2006 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.

77%repaired · 2021 Q2

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 20V-017 · Jan 15, 2020 · 59,965 vehicles · 46,423 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

42%repaired · 2021 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 20V-018 · Jan 15, 2020 · 292,948 vehicles · 123,637 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

29%repaired · 2016 Q1

Air bags

Do not drive

Recall 14V-428 · Jun 11, 2018 · 574,007 vehicles · 163,619 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

50%repaired · 2019 Q3

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 17V-676 · Oct 25, 2017 · 702,965 vehicles · 351,986 repaired

Risk. Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall
32%repaired · 2017 Q4

Driver side: inflator module

Do not drive

Recall 15V-318 · May 28, 2015 · 419,235 vehicles · 133,934 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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

2006 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
NHTSA crash tests

2006 BMW M3 safety ratings

2006 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2006 BMW M3, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA15001 · still open
    Led to recall 22V-945
  2. Air Bag Inflator RupturePE14016 · closed Mar 2, 2015
    Led to recall 14E-073
In owners' words

What M3 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

YESTERDAY (01/06/17) - WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION, 2 SIDE AIRBAGS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED, THROWING LOOSE PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO THE CABIN AND INTO MY FACE. CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF ENGINE FOR SMOKE TO DISAPPEAR. I AM GOING TO…
Complaint 11060996 · Jan 7, 2018 · 131,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED…
Complaint 11035873 · Oct 23, 2017
TAKATA RECALL: YOUR SITE IMPROPERLY SHOWS NO RECALLS WHEN VIN USED, AND CONFUSES 2006 M3 (E46) WITH THE 2006 3 SERIES SUCCESSOR (E90?), EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL NOTICE RCRIT-14V428-8638 SHOWS "MODEL YEAR 2000-2006 BMW 3 SERIES (E46) - INCL-M"
Complaint 11000038 · Jun 19, 2017 · 40,488 miles

Own a 2006 M3?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.