Bmw M3 problems and owner complaints

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 EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH TO 3RD BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT NATURALLY WANTS TO GO INTO FIFTH. THIS CAN BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN GOING INTO A TURN OR NEEDING TO DOWNSHIFT TO CONTROL ENGINE SPEED RATHER THAN USING BRAKES WHEN CONDIT…

Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054719 at NHTSA ↗

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. INLET LEAKAGE ON FUEL VALVE FAILING FOR SECOND TIME. MAJOR ALTERNATOR PROBLEM FOR SECOND TIME. DESPITE REPEATED REPORTS OF ROUGH SHIFTING, WITH PROBLEMS ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING GEARS, NO ANSWER OTHER THAN EVERYTHING IS FINE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN C…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 752387 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE APPLIED THE BRAKES THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON. THE DRIVER HAS PLACED REFUSES ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER BRAKE LIGHT WHICH NEEDED REPLACEMENT BUT THE CAMPAIGN BULLENTIN WAS NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10092113 at NHTSA ↗

I OWED THIS 1995 BMW M3 SINCE NEW AND ABS AND AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON VERY FREQUENTLY. ABS: NEED TO REPLACE ABS PUMP AND ABS MODULE. AIRBAG: NEED TO REPLACE SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 175,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156503 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. MR. ATHARY PLEASE PROVIDE THE POTENTIAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8023903 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A BLOW OUT. MECHANIC REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087533 at NHTSA ↗

BMW M 3 parked in the driveway and had been turned off for several hours I was wax the car when I noticed a puff of smoke coming out of the air condition vent so I sat in the driver seat to investigate out of habit I close the door I planed to open the windows and the convertible top to take a look the car went into antitheft mode and locked me inside the smoke became thick quickly I tried to break the window with my elbow with no luck I was getting ready to try to kick the window if I could reach it with my foot I’m on most 70 years old so i…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11486395 at NHTSA ↗

XENON HEADLIGHTS MY XENON HEADLIGHTS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN THEY DO WORK THEY JUST BARELY LIGHT THE ROADWAY. THIS COULD CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. I WENT TO THE BMW DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS MALFUNCTION COULD ONLY BE REPAIRED AT MY COST AND THAT THE XENON LIGHTS HAD SIMPLY WORN OUT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW. REAR TURN SIGNAL LGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS I ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TURN SIGNAL AND BRAKE LIGHT. OVER TIME, RESISTANCE IN THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS MAY CAUSE ONE OR MORE REAR LAMP F…

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10515262 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 1996 BMW M3. FOUR TIMES SINCE IT WAS NEW THE FUEL GAUGE HAS FAILED, AND EACH TIME FUEL SENDERS WERE REPLACED TO GET IT WORKING AGAIN. AS YOU'LL SEE, THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG BMWS, BUT ONLY IN CALIFORNIA, AND BMW CAN'T OR WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. MY DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER (LARRY GORDON) TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE MANAGERS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMPLAINED TO BMW ABOUT IT REPEATEDLY, BUT THAT BMW WILL NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. HE SAID THERE IS AGREEMENT THAT THE PROBLEM ONLY AFFECTS CARS IN CA…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 717802 at NHTSA ↗

THE FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN TANK IS FULL. AFTER INVESTIGATING LOUD NOISES FROM THE TRUNK AREA, I DISCOVERED THAT THE GAS TANK HAS IMPLODED, AND THE COMPONENTS WITHIN HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES, AND EVERYTIME THEY THINK THEY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM, SOON AGAIN THE SAME THING HAPPENS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058376 at NHTSA ↗

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 SLEEVE FROM MY SHIRT ARE IMPRINTED ON THE STEERING WHEEL...MY LONG HAIR HAS BEEN STUCK ON IT. I'M AFRAID TO TOUCH THE WHEEL- IT NEARLY DRIPS. WHAT IS THIS MATERIAL? WHAT'S GOING ON? NOTHING WAS PUT ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO CAUSE THIS. THIS CAR IS NOT U…

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10650645 at NHTSA ↗

MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICEL. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AT 16000, THE TRANSMISSION (SMG) WAS RE[;ACED AT 20000, NOW THE ENGINE REV HIGH AT IDEL AND SEND STRON VIBRATION TO THE CABIN AND STEERING COLUMN. BMW OF HOUSTON NORTH, A LOCAL DEALER IN HOUSTON, TX, WERE LESS THAN HELPFUL IN TRYING TO SOLVE THE CURRENT PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THEY WANT TO KEEP THE PROBLEMS WITH M3 QUIET. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031136 at NHTSA ↗