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2015 BMW M3 problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2015 BMW M3 has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 3safety recalls
- 4owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 14%fail the UK MOT
4 complaints, against an average of 6 for the other 6 BMW M3 model years.
Every BMW M3 model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2015 BMW M3?
The components named most often in the 4 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2015 BMW M3 been recalled?
3 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Air Bags: Side/Window BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2015 2 Series Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i), 3 Series Sedan (320i, 320i xDrive, 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335i xDrive, M3, 328d, 328d xDrive), 4 Series Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive, M4), and 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe (428i, 428i xDrive, 435i, 435i xDrive) vehicles. The head air bag inflator may fail at the weld joint, which can cause gas to leak from the inflator or result in an inflator rupture.
Risk: An inflator that ruptures may cause sharp metal fragments to enter or exit the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, an inflator that leaks gas may only partially inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the head air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Structure: Frame And Members 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.
Risk: Loose rear sub-frame bolts may adversely affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear sub-frame bolts with new bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 3, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft 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.
Risk: If the slip-joint fails, there would be a loss of power to the rear axle and therefore the vehicle would stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driveshaft, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 14, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Is the 2015 BMW M3 recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSATakata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs)
Risk: Affected vehicles are already included in Safety Recalls within the markets they have previously resided in. The vehicles may be fitted with a driver and/or passenger airbag/s which if deployed may do so with excessive force causing sharp metal fragments to be released this may cause serious injury which could prove fatal to people in the vicinity.
Fix: Vehicles will have the affected airbags checked and if necessary replaced.
UK DVSAA possible degradation of the propellant tablets could lead to an over-aggressive combustion in the event the airbag is activated which…A possible degradation of the propellant tablets could lead to an over-aggressive combustion in the event the airbag is activated which may cause the inflator body to rupture.
Risk: A possible degradation of airbag propellant tablets could lead to an over-aggressive combustion in the event the airbag is activated which may cause the inflator body to rupture.
Fix: On affected vehicles the drivers airbag module will be replaced.
UK DVSAPlug in contact cable may malfunction
Risk: It is possible that the connection between the B+ cable and the Power Distribution Box can become damaged by wear and heat which is caused by high current flow and high contact resistance. Normally this will result in a non-start situation after parking the vehicle. However it is possible that this could in extreme cases occur whilst the vehicle is in motion. The driver should be made aware of the issue by flickering of the instrument cluster (dash) or an engine mis-fire; but if the driver does not then the engine could cut-out without warning.
Fix: Recall all affected vehicles with petrol engines and replace the cable/connection with a more robust item.
UK DVSADriveshaft may fail
Risk: The propshaft slide joint may not have been lubricated during manufacture
Fix: On affected vehicles check propshaft and hwere necessary replace propshaft.
UK DVSASeat belt may malfunction
Risk: On affected vehicles the Driver's seatbelt retractor may be faulty. The seat belt may be hard to pull out or below zero degrees it may not be possible to pull the belt out. In these instances a driver may not be able to use the belt as intended.
Fix: On affected vehicles Check belt operation and replace belt if necessary
EU Safety GateThe driver airbag inflator may malfunction due to long-term degradation.In this case, if the airbag is deployed in an accident, the internal pressure in the inflator may be too high. The inflator could burst. Metal fragments may cause injuries.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe accumulator in the driver/passenger head airbag inflator can leak, preventing the airbag to fully deploy if activated in an accident,…The accumulator in the driver/passenger head airbag inflator can leak, preventing the airbag to fully deploy if activated in an accident, impairing the protective effect of the airbag. Moreover, the accumulator can detach, entering the interior of the vehicle or becoming detached from the vehicle. This can lead to an increased risk of injury for passengers and/or other road users.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe propellant in the driver airbag can deteriorate due to high humidity and temperature variations.In the event of an accident in which the airbag deploys, this could result in fragments from the inflator casing coming loose and injuring the vehicle’s occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 29/06/2021
EU Safety GateThe airbag may deteriorate over time, and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal…The airbag may deteriorate over time, and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: 30/03/2023
EU Safety GateThe airbag propellant may deteriorate over time, and If deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and…The airbag propellant may deteriorate over time, and If deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
EU Safety GateThe bolts of the rear-axle support may potentially not have been replaced in the course of the replacement of the rear-axle differential.The bolts might loosen over time. This could result in impaired driving performance.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2015 BMW M3 fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2015, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2015 BMW M3 owners report?
4 of the 4 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Gas tank has a significant leak. This allows for the opportunity to ignite the car putting all persons lives in danger, and effects emissions. Problem has been confirmed by independent Indy shop technician
Fuel tank top weld has failed, and is actively leaking fuel. This is likely to cause ignition of the vehicle during use and poses a threat to the lives of passengers and other drivers on the road as well as emissions failure. The failed weld was confirmed by independent Bmw technician. This part is a known failure point, and emission extended warrantee has been established for identical cars of the given make/model/year. The car has limited miles, no structural or cosmetic damage causing this failure. The car is not drivable as it poses a threat to safety.
REAR VIEW CAMERA STOPPED WORKING, SCREEN DISPLAYS "NO SIGNAL". FUSE DID NOT BLOW.
CRANK HUB SPUN TIMING SPROCKET CAUSING VALVES TO IMPACT PISTON AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. QUOTED MORE THAN $10K OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR. THIS IS CAUSED DUE TO POOR CRANK HUB DESIGN. CAR COMPANIES HAVE BEEN USING KEYED CRANKHUBS FOR GENERATIONS BUT BMW DECIDED TO NOT USED A KEYED HUB.. THIS IS VERY NEGLIGENT CONSIDERING HOW MANY OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THIS.
2015 BMW M3: questions owners ask
Is the 2015 BMW M3 reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 BMW M3; the most common categories were fuel/propulsion system (2, 50%), engine (1, 25%). There are 3 safety recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 BMW M3?
Across 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are fuel/propulsion system (50% of complaints), engine (25% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2015 BMW M3 have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 BMW M3; the most recent (campaign 24V288000, 2024-04-24) concerns Air Bags: Side/Window. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own M3
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2015 only.