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BMW M3Model year report

2002 BMW M3 Problems

Complaints
40filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
77,500miles, 25 complaints with mileage
Recalls
55 do-not-drive
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
17 mpgcombined, 3.2L 6-cyl RWD · 15 city / 21 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 BMW M3 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 2002 BMW M3. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 12 complaints (30% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain (8) and air bags (7). 25 of the complaints include a mileage, and 28% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 77,500 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns (5 marked do-not-drive) and 22 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 3 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (1), Tires (1), Vehicle speed control (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “I have a Bmw M3 which has an smg transmission. I was driving and all of a sudden my car loses power to change the gears and my car started to jerk while on the road nearly crashing into another car. It turns out that the smg pumps for Bmw M3 have always a high failure design flaw. The cost to fix that is also unbearable which nears the $5,000 mark. There has been forums going around that this is indeed a design flaw for Bmw. I almost nearly got into a car accident, but thankfully I was ok. …”

NHTSA complaint #10430221, filed 2011-10, 123,456 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Multiple incidents since the day after we purchased the car: ?driving in 4th gear (anywhere from 10 to 40 mins of driving) will suddenly feel as if clutch is engaged so I cannot accelerate, yellow transmission warning light comes on, then I have to coast to a complete stop and shut the engine off. It can take several attempts to restart the car to re-engage back into 1st gear. Noticed if I wait long enough, once the transmission warning light also turns off then I can restart back in first gear. All this while driving in auto mode. …”

NHTSA complaint #10470150, filed 2012-08, 77,500 miles

Air bags: “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 light went on. I am getting ready to start driving my cars on a regular basis again, so I took the car in this week for the airbag recall. They spent 2 hours, to allegedly replace a module. As I was getting ready to leave, the airbag light was still on. They said that wasn't part of the recall, and I needed to pay $200 to have it diagnosed. …”

NHTSA complaint #11397063, filed 2021-02, 149,000 miles

Electrical system: “I am filing this complaint on behalf of myself and the countless others experiencing this potentially fatal defect in Bmw's smg pump unit. I was driving on the freeway for about 5 minutes when I noticed my car immediately shifted into neutral without me making that decision. I was in the middle of changing lanes when this happened. The smg warning light came on. I put my hazards on. The car abruptly slowed as it chose to shift back to 4th gear as I was going 65mph. I tried shifting back up to gear safely get to the shoulder but with no luck as the vehicle went back into neutral. …”

NHTSA complaint #10598930, filed 2014-06, 70,045 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

28% of the 25 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 45,000 and 95,000 miles.

12%0–1012%10–254%25–5020%50–7528%75–10016%100–1508%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (25 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 77,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

9’04’08’12’16’20’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2002 BMW M3 version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
M3 RWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic152117$4,850
M3 Convertible RWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic142016$5,150

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2002 BMW M3 → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 22 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 22 bulletins →

Other model years of the BMW M3

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2018910,7500—20—Not enough data
2016520,0003—20—Not enough data
20131324,0002—16—Not enough data
2012624,6003—16—Not enough data
20113143,3004—160 · FewerFalling
20101556,0004—16—Rising
2009454,0005—1650 · TypicalFalling
20088215,0005—1660 · TypicalRising
20061475,0005—17—Not enough data
20051285,0003—17—Not enough data
20043177,9943—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20035470,7505—17Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20024077,5005—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20011454,0004—17—Not enough data
19991161,8001—20—Not enough data
19981471,5001—21—Not enough data
199719—2—21—Stable
19951244,4224—20—Not enough data

All BMW M3 model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 BMW M3 have?

NHTSA recorded 40 consumer complaints for the 2002 BMW M3 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 BMW M3 is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 12 complaints (30% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 8.

Has the 2002 BMW M3 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 5 of them with a do-not-drive advisory. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 BMW M3 get?

The EPA rates the 2002 BMW M3 (M3, 3.2L 6-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 21 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,850 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 BMW M3 reported?

Among the 25 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 77,500 miles and the middle half falls between 45,000 and 95,000 miles; 28% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.