AI Damage2017 BMW M2: common problems
Owners of the 2017 BMW M2 filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and electrical system. The maker issued 37 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 37
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 88% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 6% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 15 complaints (88% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
- Engine: 1 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 11 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Suspension | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Communication | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Even after the failure, the check engine light took ~2 miles of driving to come on. On BMW forums, this seems to be a very common issue for many people running their car in stock condition.
It is a dark screen much of the day and I am unable to clearly and quickly see the important gauges there, as described. Bmw provides no way (back lighting, etc) to make this area visible during daylight hours. This is a safety issue.
I almost crashed multiple times trying to read the speedometer and fuel gauges. The console light wheel knob is already turned all the way up. I checked all the options already and there is nothing there to control the gauges cluster illumination.
Instrument back lighting is inadequate to view speedometer during daylight conditions due to no backlighting unless headlights are selected on.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,312 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 38% least complained about).
On average one model year of the M2 has 3 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 17, above average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few…
The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important…
- At low outside temperatures (below 40 degrees F) and slow driving speeds (i.e
when parking, maneuvering)with a large steering angle, the front end can be slightly axially misaligned. This can be felt (jerking)/ heard via an acoustic acknowledgement (clunk) as seen at the 11 second mark of the…
- With the vehicle is on a lift and the front struts are in the extended position, there may be a cracking…
With the vehicle is on a lift and the front struts are in the extended position, there may be a cracking and orclicking type noise when turning the steering wheel left/right. See attached video V31 01 24. The sound can…
- The paint finish on the door jamb (above the door striker) is scratched due to the inner door cavity…
- Functional noises (squealing/honking) when braking shortly before the vehicle comes to a stop
- After programming the head unit (HU-H2), activating the FSC (German word Freischaltcode) Enabling Codes…
- Upon opening and closing the tailgate, a creaking/groaning sound can be heard from tailgate actuator
- The 3G network in the US has been shut down
This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose, the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the…
- A turbine-like noise can be heard from the rear axle while deceleration during the first 300 miles of…
A turbine-like noise can be heard from the rear axle while deceleration during the first 300 miles of operation when braking from low speed.
- The 3G network in the US has been shut down
This means that only the 4G network will be available. In the 4G network, voice calls will be transferred via Voice over LTE (VoLTE) function. For this purpose the SIM card must perform an IMS registration in the…
- The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain…
The Headunit High (HU-H), also called NBT, began replacing the Car Information Computer (CIC) on certain MY2013 vehicles with option 609 (as of 7/2012 production). This uses map North America NEXT. The Headunit High 2…
- Cracking noises heard from the area of the front axle when rotating the steering while stationary or at…
NHTSA lists 37 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 BMW M2?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (6%), headlights and tail lights (6%), infotainment or screen glitches (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 BMW M2?
NHTSA lists 37 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2017 BMW M2 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2017 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.