Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW M3 over 11 years — 0 per year. That is more complaints per year than most M3 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Driveshaft and Frame.
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The complaints owners file most often name Engine (3 of 5), then Powertrain (1) and Structure (1).
The 2015 M3 has 4 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 3 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.
The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2016 BMW M3. How we count. Data as of .
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"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…"
"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…"
"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.…"
"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."
"I'VE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN TO THE SERVICE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I'VE PURCHASED THE CAR BACK IN NOV. 2016. I NOTICED A CLUNKING AND JOLTING SENSATION FROM MY REAR AXLE WHICH I KNEW WAS NOT NORMAL. THE DEALER AFTER…"
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 BMW M3 4 DR RWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.
| Trim | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M3 | 3L, 6-cyl | Automatic (AM-S7) | Rear-wheel drive | 17 | 24 | 19 MPG | $4200 |
| M3 | 3L, 6-cyl | Manual 6-speed | Rear-wheel drive | 17 | 26 | 20 MPG | $4000 |
Recall 15V782000 covers certain 2015-2016 M3 Sedan vehicles (with M4 Coupe and Convertible; 42 units total) whose driveshaft slip-joint may lack grease and fail over time, causing loss of power to the rear axle; dealers inspect and replace the driveshaft as needed. Recall 16V653000 covers certain 2015-2017 M3 Sedan vehicles (with M2 Coupe and M4 Coupe/ Convertible; 196 units total) where rear sub-frame bolts reused during a prior differential service action may loosen and affect handling; dealers install new bolts. Both campaigns’ unit counts include the other M models named in NHTSA’s summaries.
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 BMW M3 over 11 years — 0 per year. That is more complaints per year than most M3 years here — over the median of the other years, which is 0. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Driveshaft and Frame.
The complaints owners file most often name Engine (3 of 5), then Powertrain (1) and Structure (1).
The 2015 M3 has 4 complaints, 0 per year, and the 2017 has 3 complaints, 0 per year. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.
The 2016 BMW M3 has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.
Owners have filed 5 complaints about the 2016 BMW M3 with NHTSA.
EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 BMW M3 is 19.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.
Viscosity depends on generation: late E90 models use 10W-60 (about 9.3 qt on the S65 V8), F80 uses 0W-30 (about 6.9 qt on the S55), and G80 specs cite 0W-30 with generation-specific capacity—confirm in the manual.
Staggered fitments are common—for example 245/40ZR18 front and 265/40ZR18 rear on late E90, 255/40ZR18 and 275/40ZR18 on F80, with optional 19-inch sizes; always match the placard for your M3 year.
Campaigns on file include 20V-017 (Takata driver air bag on many 2008-2013 BMW cars including late E90 M3), 15V-782 and 16V-653 (F80 driveshaft and rear sub-frame bolts with small shared M3/M4 unit counts).
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