Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW M3, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine3
- Suspension1
- Unknown or other1
- Power train1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2016 M3 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2016 BMW M3 failed the safety check 0.38% of the time — 81% less often than the average 2016 passenger car (1.97%). Median odometer at inspection: 53,908 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2016
2,220 new BMW M3 cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2016; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (956), Germany (809), France (91).
- Average mass
- 1,625 kg
- Average power
- 321 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 100%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Engines
The most common engines in 2016 BMW M3 cars on Dutch roads are the 3.0 petrol (317 kW, 425 hp) and 3.0 petrol (331 kW, 444 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 petrol | 317 kW 425 hp | 29 |
| 3.0 petrol | 331 kW 444 hp | 22 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
52 first registered in 2016 are on Dutch roads; 75% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €126,087.
Most common APK defects
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld12
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde8
- Band beschadigd7
- Band onvoldoende profiel6
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm5
- Zijrichtingaanwijzer(s) werkt niet (goed)4
- Achterlicht glas gerepareerd of bewerkt4
- Wiel of band loopt aan3
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
689 cars built in 2016 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 74 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, 764 of these cars first registered in 2016 took their annual MOT test. 89% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2016 the figure was 79%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 3.8% | 6.2% |
| Suspension | 3.4% | 4.9% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 1.6% | 6.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Visibility | 0.8% | 3.5% |
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 Finland
9 of these cars first registered in 2016 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 128,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
22 2016 cars are on the New Zealand register; 95% 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
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 BMW M3 4 DR RWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.6–12.1 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 271–284 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| M3 · Compact · Premium gasoline | 13.7 | 9.0 | 11.6 |
| M3 · Compact · Premium gasoline | 14.1 | 9.7 | 12.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2016-2017 BMW M3 Sedans, 2016-2017 BMW M4 and M4 GTS Coupes and 2017 BMW M4 Convertible vehicles. The connection between the driveshaft and the flange may fail resulting in a loss of propulsion.
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.
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.
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 2016 BMW M3: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 10249027 | The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle discharged battery complaints. |
| 10249018 | At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e. when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the video. See attached video V36 01 21. |
| 10249016 | With the vehicle is on a lift and the front struts are in the extended position, there may be a cracking and orclicking type noise when turning the steering wheel left/right. See attached video V31 01 24. The sound can reoccur when the vehicle is lowered, and the wheels are once again under load. The noise might also be heard for a short time while driving. |
| 10244237 | Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop. CAUSE Material- |
| 10238090 | After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes repeatedly fails. |
| 10238081 | Upon opening and closing the tailgate, a creaking/groaning sound can be heard from tailgate actuator. |
| 10235205 | The 3G network in the US has been shut down. This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the mobile communication network. Due to a production error, the telematics control units were delivered without an IMS configuration. The Connected Drive voice services (Concierge Call, BMW Assistance, and emergency call voice) can no longer be used regionally in the US in vehicle with telematics control units ATM-1 and TCB-4G. Voice cont |
| 10235202 | Exterior rear lights do not work. |
| 10233158 | A turbine-like noise can be heard from the rear axle while deceleration during the first 300 miles of operation when braking from low speed. |
| 10225126 | Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column. |
| 10216793 | TEC26 Turbo Charger Return |
| 10216792 | Tec25 Wishbone Return |
| 10216791 | Tech24 Snap-in Adapter Return |
| 10216758 | MINI engine oil part number transition and model year 2016 engine oils |
| 10216757 | MINI "Enhanced" dealer self authorized (DSA)K goodwill program |
| 10214990 | The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 4 (HU-H4, also called MGU21) superseded the MGU starting with certain MY2021 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional. This uses map North America JOY. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line business version of the navigati |
| 10214259 | Cracking noises heard from the area of the front axle when rotating the steering while stationary or at low speed. |
| 10212779 | Component and Issue Specific Limited Emission Warranty Extension. This component-specific limited emission warranty extension applies to defects in materials or workmanship. |
| 10211809 | The steering intervention for Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is too strong (severe), which can create an uncomfortable feeling for the driver. Background: Steering intervention helps keep the vehicle in the lane if the system detects that a lane marking has been crossed. The steering intervention can be noticed on the steering wheel and can be manually overridden at any time. |
| 10205068 | Customer may complain of reduced air flow when the air conditioning system is operated for an extended time, usually longer than 30 minutes. |
| 10204660 | The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2 (HU-H2), also called NBT-EVO, superseded the NBT HU and was introduced in 3/2014. This uses map North America EVO. The Headunit High 3 (HU-H3, also called MGU) superseded the NBT-EVO starting with certain MY2019 vehicles with option code 6U3 Live Cockpit Professional or 6U2 Live Cockpit Plus. This uses map North America LIVE. The ENTRY Media/Navigation (HU-B) is the low line busi |
| 10203340 | Groaning, scraping, or squeaking noise coming from the steering wheel area in the interior of the vehicle,when turning the steering wheel. |
| 10203338 | The trunk lid/hatch does not open fully when unlatched with remote or hands-free operation. |
| 10203336 | Inform the customer during a consultation that the M Compound (standard equipment) and M Carbon Ceramic (optional) brakes are high-performance brake systems which are designed for sporty, dynamic driving styles. As a side effect of the highest possible brake performance, customers are likely to hear noises due to the extremely resilient materials. In the same conversation, inform the customer that his/her braking performance can help ensure that the noises do not occur or disappear quickly. |
| 10203335 | A turbine-like noise can be heard from the rear axle while deceleration during the first 300 miles of operationwhen braking from low speed. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)