AI Damage2016 BMW M3: common problems
Owners of the 2016 BMW M3 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and suspension. The maker issued 43 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 43
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 60% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 20% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 20% of all complaints
- Engine: 3 complaints (60% of all).
- Suspension: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Structure: 1 complaints (20% 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 5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 19 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Communication | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 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.
I was coasting down a hill towards a green stoplight, and a drivetrain malfunction error popped up on my screen. I immediately pushed in the clutch, and within 1 second my engine turned off. My car was left with no power, the engine would not restart.
The crankhub on these cars are ticking time bombs and is likely to fail just outside of warranty forcing huge repair bills. In some cases, a "lucky" few just need to be retimed and only require 18 hours of labor. However, others have not been so lucky and have required an all-new engine.
There's a known issue with 2015+ bmw f80 m3 s55 engine. The issue is the crank hub spinning out and damaging the car. It leaves the vehicle in a dangerous state when driving on the road and to others near by. This issue happens to stock vehicles and modded ones.
Keep hearing a knocking sound on driver side when going over bumps. Feeling vibration under car under accelerating and breaking. Carbon fiber roof laminate peeling off.
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 1,688 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 20% least complained about).
On average one model year of the M3 has 3 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- 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 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…
- 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…
- Exterior rear lights do not work
- Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may…
Vehicle cannot be opened or closed using comfort access, engine start is not possible, and the vehicle may not start when placing the key against the steering column.
- TEC26 Turbo Charger Return
- Tec25 Wishbone Return
NHTSA lists 43 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- We Bought A Destroyed 2016 BMW M3! Worst Rebuild So Far, Had To Call Vtuned.amount per author: 1,200 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 BMW M3?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, suspension, powertrain. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (60%), infotainment or screen glitches (20%), vibration (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 BMW M3?
NHTSA lists 43 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 2016 BMW M3 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 2016 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.