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1999 BMW M3

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 11 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Tires complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2007
Tires

TL * - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW M3. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON JANUARY 21, 2007, WITH 2 BALD REAR TIRES. THE DEALER HAS NOT AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRES. BRIDGESTONE, POTENZA , DOT # EMH8CKA. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE SIZE WAS 18. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, HE RECEIVED A CITATION…

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TL * - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW M3. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON JANUARY 21, 2007, WITH 2 BALD REAR TIRES. THE DEALER HAS NOT AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRES. BRIDGESTONE, POTENZA , DOT # EMH8CKA. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE SIZE WAS 18. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, HE RECEIVED A CITATION FOR HAVING BALD TIRES, AND WAS TOLD IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO SELL A VEHICLE WITH BALD TIRES FOR SAFETY REASONS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10181344

Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 2002
Tires

WHILE DRIVING 70MPH THE VEHICLE'S LEFT REAR TIRE STARTED TO DEFLATE DUE TO PUNCTURE AND THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE SIDEWALL. NLM. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED ALSO DUE TO THE TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDE WALL. TIRE SIZE 245/40ZR17, CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A …

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WHILE DRIVING 70MPH THE VEHICLE'S LEFT REAR TIRE STARTED TO DEFLATE DUE TO PUNCTURE AND THE TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE SIDEWALL. NLM. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED ALSO DUE TO THE TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDE WALL. TIRE SIZE 245/40ZR17, CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TIRE WAS REMOVED, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A PUNCTURE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #8004009

Official recalls

1

99V063001 · Air Bags:side/window

Nov 15, 1999

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE CENTRAL COMPUTER CONTROL MODULE THAT REGULATES THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL OF THE VEHICLE'S OCCUPANT PROTECTION SYSTEMS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

RQ99018 · Inadvertant Side Airbag Deployment

Opened Sep 3, 1999 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

ON MARCH 26, 1999, BMW OF NORTH AMERICAN, INC. RECALLED 32,500 1999 323I AND 328I MANUFACTURED UP TO APRIL 1999, FOR INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS SUCH AS CONTACTING LARGE POT HOLES OR CURBS AT SUBSTANTIAL SPEED.AS A REMEDY, BMW WILL RECODE THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE.THE RECALL WAS A RESULT OF AN ODI SAFETY DEFECT INVESTIGATION. ODI RECEIVED 1 CONSUMER COMPLAINT OF A 1999 MODEL YEAR M3 ALLEGING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT SIDE IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE CAUSING ONE INJURY.THE COMPLAINANT'S M3 USES THE SAMECHASSIS AS THE 3-SERIES AND WAS BUILT IN MARCH 1999. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RQ IS TO DETERMINE THE ADEQUACY OF THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL.CLOSING NOTE: BMW HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN UNDER SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 99V-063.001.