BMW M3 · model year

2006 BMW M3

14 NHTSA complaints, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2006BMWM3 carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2006 M3 is air bags with 9 filings, followed by tires (2) and power train:manual transmission (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2006 M3. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

14 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
AIR BAGS9
TIRES2
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
POWER TRAIN1

Recalls (5)

15V31800028/05/2015

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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,

17V67600025/10/2017

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and ai

20V01700015/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi,

20V01800015/01/2020

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

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 PS

14V42800011/06/2018

AIR BAGS

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; 2001-200

Recent Complaints

20210505TIRES

FIRESTONE FIREHAWK INDY 500 TIRE FAILED ON SIDEWALL

Mileage: 65,000

20180412POWER TRAIN

THE SMG TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY COMES OUT OF GEAR IN ANY SITUATION AND IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND/OR ON A HIGHWAY AND LOOSE ALL POWER. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALL ACCIDENTS AT HIGH SPEEDS. I HAVE READ MANY ARTICLES STATING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MANY OWNERS FOR THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION WITH A POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE HEAT SENSOR ON THE HYDRAULIC PUMP. BMW REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND FORCING OWNERS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET $3000 TO $4000 FOR A PUMP REPLACEMENT WITHOUT A GUARANTEE OF FIXING THE ISSUE. I AM STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE CAR AND CANNOT SELL IT THIS WAY.

Mileage: 104,000

20180107AIR BAGS

YESTERDAY (01/06/17) - WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION, 2 SIDE AIRBAGS SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED, THROWING LOOSE PLASTIC MATERIAL INTO THE CABIN AND INTO MY FACE. CABIN FILLED WITH SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF ENGINE FOR SMOKE TO DISAPPEAR. I AM GOING TO TAKE MY CAR TO BMW DEALER TOMORROW MORNING FOR EVALUATION

Mileage: 131,000

20171227TIRES

THIS LETTER IS IN REFERENCE TO TWO MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ 255/35ZR19 96Y TIRES WHICH BOTH FAILED WITHIN 1,130 MILES OF EACH OTHER FROM IDENTICAL FAILURES. THESE TWO FAILURES WERE ON THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES. THESE TWO TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ON THE SAME DAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016, BY A DEALER. THE CAR HAD 104,775 MILES ON IT AT THE END OF THIS SERVICE. ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, WHILE DRIVING TO OHIO FOR THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR TIRE (ONE OF THE ABOVE PILOT SPORT TIRES) AT HIGHWAY SPEED AT 121,801 MILES. THE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL COMPLETELY. ON DECEMBER 8, 2017, AT 122,934 MILES THE OTHER MICHELIN PILOT SPORT TIRE FROM THE ABOVE SET ALSO FAILED. WHILE IN THE PARKING LOT I HEARD THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE VENTING AIR AND IT QUICKLY WENT FLAT. THE INTERIOR SIDEWALL HARD A LARGE CRACK CIRCLING ALMOST HALF THE TIRE. THESE TWO FAILURES OCCURRED ONLY 1,130 MILES APART IN THE SAME PART

Mileage: 121,801

20171023AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (ADVANCED VALENCIA BMW, 23435 VALENCIA BOULEVARD, VALENCIA, CA 91355) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20170619AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL: YOUR SITE IMPROPERLY SHOWS NO RECALLS WHEN VIN USED, AND CONFUSES 2006 M3 (E46) WITH THE 2006 3 SERIES SUCCESSOR (E90?), EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL NOTICE RCRIT-14V428-8638 SHOWS "MODEL YEAR 2000-2006 BMW 3 SERIES (E46) - INCL-M"

Mileage: 40,488

20161030AIR BAGS

DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-30MPH ON LOCAL STREET IN A STRAIGHT DIRECTION. DRIVER-SIDE, SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. NO PRIOR INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WERE ON. NEVER HAD ANY AIRBAG LIGHTS ON IN THE HISTORY OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. REPLACED PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AS PART OF RECALL IN 2014. AWAITING DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE DRIVER-SIDE AIRBAG ALSO AS PART OF RECALL IN 2015. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

20160901AIR BAGS

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20160510AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA IN JULY 2015 ABOUT A DRIVE-SIDE AIRBAG RECALL FOR MY 2006 BMW M3. (THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER RECALL.) WE ARE NOW 9 MONTHS SINCE I RECEIVED THAT NOTICE AND I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM BMW. WHEN I CALL MY LOCAL DEALER THEY CAN ONLY SAY THAT BMW IS TELLING THEM PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE "SOMETIME THIS YEAR". WHEN I ASK WHAT I CAN DO IN THE MEANTIME (NOT DRIVE THE CAR? WHAT?) I AM TOLD TO NOT WORRY TOO MUCH BECAUSE THERE HAS NOT YET BEEN AN INCIDENT IN A BMW. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF AIRBAGS HAVE TO BE REPLACED BUT 9+ MONTHS SEEMS LIKE A LUDICROUSLY LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO HAVE TO DRIVE AROUND IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE.

20151118AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE CONTACTS VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

20150803AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

20150209AIR BAGS

THIS CAR HAS AIRBAG RECALL AND DESPITE 2-3 PHONE CALLS TO BMW DEALERSHIP IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. ALL I AM TOLD IS THAT I AM "ON A LIST". THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY CAN FIX IT. I RECEIVED INITIAL LETTER ABOUT RECALL IN SEPT 2014, TOLD TO CALL IN NOVEMBER. CALLED IN NOV AND DEC WITH SAME RESPONSE. *TR

20110802ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAR IS WELL MAINTAINED EVERYTHING RUN SMOOTH EXCEPT ONE DAY IT STARTS SOUNDING LIKE A TRACTOR. VANOS BOLTS COME LOOSE. BMW NEEDS TO RECALL THE VANOS OF THE E46 M3 ASAP HAPPENED TO 50 PERCENT OF PEOPLE I KNOW WHO HAVE THIS CAR AND I KNOW ABOUT 100. *KB

20100122POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW M3 WITH AN SMG TRANSMISSION. HE STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN EITHER FIRST OR SECOND GEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. UPON ACCELERATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND WOULD MOVE FORWARD AT A VERY SLOW PACE. HE STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE HIS FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THEN RE-ACCELERATE BEFORE IT WOULD PICK UP POWER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE FAILURE. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE CLUTCH DISC AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER. THE OUTPUT CYLINDER CLUTCH, THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT AND THE ACTUATOR WERE ALSO REPLACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,000. UPDATED 2/17/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD BUCK WHEN ACCELERATING. THE CLUTCH AND SALVE CYLINDER WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/22/10

Mileage: 28,000

Compare 2006BMWM3 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2006 BMW M3 have?
The 2006 BMW M3 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2006 BMW M3?
Yes, the 2006 BMW M3 has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 BMW M3?
The most-complained component for the 2006 BMW M3 is AIR BAGS with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION.
Is the 2006 BMW M3 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.