Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 BMW M3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags5
- Tires2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Steering1
- Structure1
- Power train1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 BMW M3 failed the safety check 0.49% of the time — 72% less often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 108,624 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
57 cars built in 1999 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 194 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 118 of these cars first registered in 1999 took their annual MOT test. 81% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1999 the figure was 63%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.2% | 16.6% |
| Suspension | 7.6% | 13.1% |
| Brakes | 5.1% | 12.2% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.2% | 7.3% |
| Visibility | 2.5% | 6.9% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.7% | 3.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In New Zealand
2 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 50% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.8 L/100 km (about 20 mpg US), CO₂ 271 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| M3 · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 13.6 | 9.6 | 11.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT WITH A SIDE AIR BAG SYSTEM CONSISTING OF DOOR-MOUNTED THORAX AIR BAGS (REAR DOOR AIR BAGS ARE OPTIONAL), A CENTRAL ELECTRONIC SENSOR AND DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, LEFT AND RIGHT SATELLITE IMPACT SENSORS, AND ASSOCIATED WIRING. THIS SYSTEM IS UNDULY SENSITIVE TO CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS, SUCH AS CONTACTING LARGE POTHOLES OR CURBS AT SUBSTANTIAL SPEED.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What BMW told its dealers about the 1999 BMW M3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 604633 | CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH ON COLD START. *TT |
| 10244237 | Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material- |
| 10040853 | BMW: A GRINDING NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL DURING SLOW CORNERING. WHEN TURNING A SLIP/STICK EFFECT IS CREATED ON THE LINING AND STEEL DISCS INCORPORATED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL CLUTCH CAUSES A GRINDING NOISE. *RM |
| 10030850 | BMW: THERMOSTAT HOUSING INSPECTION. THE RETAINING SPRINGS OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING QUICK RELEASE COUPLINGS FOR THE COOLANT HOSES MAY NOT BE LOCKED CORRECTLY. THIS SITUATION MAY RESULT IN A COOLANT LEAK. MODELS AFFECTED ARE M3 SEDAN (E90), COUPE (92), AND CONVERTIBLE (393). NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
INADVERTANT SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation