1997 BMW M3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M3 years
- More complaints than other years 7th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 BMW M3. That ranks 7th out of 28 M3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is tires (4 complaints, 21%). Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 19owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 BMW M3 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 4 | 21% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 21% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 BMW M3 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:side/window
Problem: 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.
Risk: This could cause the side air bag to deploy without an actual side crash. In addition, the battery safety terminal (bst) could also activate, disconnecting the starter cable from the battery. In this case, the vehicle's electrical system could continue to operate and the engine would continue to run, but after stopping, could not be restarted.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the central computer control module that regulates the performance of all of the vehicle's occupant protection systems.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: The cruise control and throttle cables are attached to the same throttle valve actuating lever at the throttle housing. It is possible that the plastic bushing on either cable could break due to environmental influences coupled with vibration. If the bushing breaks, the outer cable housing can separate from the bushing. In this case, during application of the throttle pedal without cruise control being engaged, the outer tube could catch on the edge of the broken bushing.
Risk: This could cause the throttle valve to remain partially open. It his were to occur, the car might not decelerate as expected increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a spring steel clip on the outer tube of each cable in the area of the adjusting screw and plastic bushing. The clip is designed to prevent the outer tube from dislodging from the bushing.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dt: when pulling into a stop the windshield wipers will slow down in the speed that they work. They will slow down to the delay, intermediate setting when the vehicle is stopped. The problem has been going on since purchase of the vehicle in august 2004. When the contact called the…
No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak
Vehicle involved in a right frontal collision with another vehicle at approximately 40-45 mph. Upon impact, both air bags did not deploy. Dealer/manufacturer were notified. Feel free to provide any further information concerning this matter. *ak
Rear shock mount tower tore from body of car, bolts and all. No modification done to suspension, normal driving, no advance notice. No track driving. Bmw makes a replacement kit to remedy this weak body area. Bmw message boards have many similar m3's with this problem. At high speed would prove…
While attempting to make a turn traveling 10mph consumers heard a loud noise from the rear. Upon inspection of vehicle consumer found tire was bent. Dealer was contacted, and found that wheel mount tore away from frame. Dealer will not repair free of charge due to the fact that was not covered…
Other BMW M3 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 M3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 M3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2022 M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 M3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 M3 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 M3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016 M3 | 5 | 3 |
| 2015 M3 | 4 | 3 |
| 2014 M3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 M3 | 13 | 2 |
| 2012 M3 | 6 | 3 |
| 2011 M3 | 31 | 4 |
| 2010 M3 | 15 | 4 |
| 2009 M3 | 45 | 5 |
| 2008 M3 | 82 | 5 |
| 2007 M3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 M3 | 14 | 5 |
| 2005 M3 | 12 | 3 |
| 2004 M3 | 31 | 3 |
| 2003 M3 | 54 | 5 |
| 2002 M3 | 40 | 5 |
| 2001 M3 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000 M3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 M3 | 11 | 1 |
| 1998 M3 | 14 | 1 |
| 1997 | 19 | 2 |
| 1996 M3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 M3 | 12 | 4 |
See all BMW M3 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW M3?
Owners most often report tires, visibility, air bags problems. The top one, tires, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 BMW M3?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 BMW M3 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other M3 model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.