2002 BMW M3 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2002 BMW M3, and owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.
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5 safety recalls for the 2002 BMW M3
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators…
Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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Air bags Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall…
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Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners…
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Air bags Do not drive
BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon…
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available,…
40 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 BMW M3 have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 75,529 miles. Complaints peaked in 2002 with 9 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“BMW M 3 parked in the driveway and had been turned off for several hours I was wax the car when I noticed a puff of smoke coming out of the air condition vent so I sat in the driver seat to investigat”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 26, 2022 · Electrical system
“In november, 2020, i received a notification from BMW that the previous fix to my AIRBAG was only a temporary fix, and i needed to bring my car in for a permanent fix. In january, 2021, the AIRBAG lig”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 19, 2021 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2002 BMW M (M3, M3 Convertible, M5). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 15–17 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 12–15 / 19–21 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Minicompact Cars, Subcompact Cars |
| Engine | 6/8 cyl, 3.2/4.9 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6); Manual 6-spd |
Compare BMW M3 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every BMW M3 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 BMW M3 | 1 | 2 |
| 1989 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1994 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 BMW M3 | 4 | 12 |
| 1996 BMW M3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1997 BMW M3 | 2 | 19 |
| 1998 BMW M3 | 1 | 14 |
| 1999 BMW M3 | 1 | 11 |
| 2000 BMW M3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2001 BMW M3 | 4 | 14 |
| 2002 BMW M3 | 5 | 40 |
| 2003 BMW M3 | 5 | 54 |
| 2004 BMW M3 | 3 | 31 |
| 2005 BMW M3 | 3 | 12 |
| 2006 BMW M3 | 5 | 14 |
| 2007 BMW M3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 BMW M3 | 5 | 82 |
| 2009 BMW M3 | 5 | 45 |
| 2010 BMW M3 | 4 | 15 |
| 2011 BMW M3 | 4 | 31 |
| 2012 BMW M3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2013 BMW M3 | 2 | 13 |
| 2014 BMW M3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 BMW M3 | 3 | 4 |
| 2016 BMW M3 | 3 | 5 |
| 2017 BMW M3 | 2 | 3 |
| 2018 BMW M3 | 0 | 9 |
| 2021 BMW M3 | 3 | 3 |
| 2022 BMW M3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 BMW M3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 BMW M3 | 0 | 2 |
Checking a specific 2002 BMW M3
How do I know if my 2002 BMW M3 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2002 BMW M3; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised BMW dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 13V172000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other BMW models
- X53,154 complaints
- 328I2,578 complaints
- X32,004 complaints
- 325I1,386 complaints
- Z41,281 complaints
- 3 Series843 complaints
- 528I835 complaints
- 330I815 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.