2008 Bmw M3: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 102 complaints
102
Total Complaints
32,250mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
5
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

5,000 25th Percentile
32,250 Median Mileage
65,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
28
ENGINE
20
AIR BAGS
9
POWER TRAIN
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
4
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
2
SEATS
2

Severity Assessment

5
Crashes
2
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"BMW M3 EXPERIENCING SOS FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SOS FAILURE WARNING AND RADIO DID NOT WORK. SHE STATES THAT IT WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE WHEN SHE PRESSED THE SOS BUTTON. DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD BE OK. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY HIS NON BMW CELL PHONE WHICH WAS NOT C..."
"BMW M3 EXPERIENCING SOS FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SOS FAILURE WARNING AND RADIO DID NOT WORK. SHE STATES THAT IT WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE WHEN SHE PRESSED THE SOS BUTTON. DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD BE OK. *KB THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY HIS NON BMW CELL PHONE WHICH WAS NOT C..."
"CAR = BMW 328 CONVERTIBLE WITH COMFORT ACCESS OPTION YEAR = 2008 AND 2007 (HARD TOP CONVERTIBLE REQUIRED OPTION = COMFORT ACCESS FOR REMOTE ROOF OPEN/CLOSE 1) WHILE EVERYONE WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE CAR WITH THE ROOF OPEN THE SALESMAN DEMONSTRATED THE REMOTE ACCESS OPTION CLOSING THE ROOF. 2) ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28