1998 BMW M3 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M3 years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 28 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 BMW M3. That ranks 9th out of 28 M3 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (3 complaints, 21%), typically at around 40,100 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 14owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 3 | 21% | 40,100 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 14% | 88,295 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 14% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 7% | 82,943 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 BMW M3 recalls (1)
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.
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.
ON OCTOBER 13TH AT APPROXIMATELY 1800HRS THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF MY 1998 BMW M3 "RAPIDLY DEFLATED" RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER CRASH. APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF THE INNER SIDEWALL WAS LEFT SHREDDED. WEATHER WAS SUNNY AND WARM, WITH NO DEBRIS OR CONTAMINATION ON THE ROAD SURFACE(SR-62). THE TIRE WAS INSTALLED…
1) normal vehicle operation 2) left rear strut-tower failure resulting in penetration of strut and spring and failure of rear suspension. Could have resulted in loss of control and accident. 3) repairs pending. Known issue w/ bmw e-36's. *nm
The shock wells rusted and cracked making shocks protrude out of it's mounts.
Repeated failure of the shift gate. Tranny sticks in 5th gear position, causing dangerous shift delays while in traffic. See: http://www.brazeauracing.com/tech/transmissions.htm for a partial listing of those affected. *jb
Problem1: rear defogger not working. Checked the system, fuses okay, voltage correctly supplied to rear window heating contacts. Heating elements in the window itself are failing. Afety issue: no visibility through the rear window when fogged.*ak problem2: automatic environmental controls are…
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 | 14 | 1 |
| 1997 M3 | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 BMW M3?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 BMW M3?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.