Skip to content
BMW M3Model year report

2004 BMW M3 Problems

Complaints
31filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
77,994miles, 22 complaints with mileage
Recalls
33 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 / 22 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 BMW M3 (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2004 BMW M3. The part named most often is air bags, with 9 complaints (29% of the total), followed by visibility (7) and transmission and drivetrain (6). 22 of the complaints include a mileage, and 23% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 77,994 miles. Of all complaints, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns (3 marked do-not-drive) and 25 technical service bulletins for this model year. Air bags complaints overlap with 3 recall campaigns covering the inflator module and 8 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: Suspension (1), Tires (1), Vehicle speed control (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “No accident. Just waiting since september 2014 to have my passenger side airbag replaced. I can't drive the car with a passenger because the airbag is affected by a recall and the Bmw dealers don't have the parts to replace it.”

NHTSA complaint #10703842, filed 2015-04

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “Got into my car in the afternoon and noticed the rear view mirror was distorted. After inspecting, realized that the liquid had separated behind mirror. Had to run an errand. Started driving and then heard a loud pop noise. Looked at mirror and the liquid was very visible moving behind glass. Got to my destination and noticed fluid all over seat and center console. Immediately wiped up and it had already damaged center console in several places. Got it off seat before it damaged the leather. Had to wrap towel around mirror to catch the rest of the fluid leaking out of the bottom. …”

NHTSA complaint #10513011, filed 2013-05, 83,488 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “This is the second time this happened to my car the smg (sequential manual gear) light comes on and then my service engine light comes on as well every time in that order , also my car shifts itself into neutral all on its own and I can,t control the acceleration on the highway or anywhere else so the car begins top slow down, many people have addressed this issue to Bmw n.a. And nothing and it only happens during hot weather, and Bmw ran a diagnostic on my car and they gave me multiple things that can cause it so they expect me to pay for all of them even if they are not all the culprits. …”

NHTSA complaint #10522847, filed 2013-07, 54,462 miles

Body and structure: “I inspected the trunk floorpan and noticed buckling, cracking of the trunk floor and welded seams coming apart. The rear subframe mounts were cracked on both sides. The rear subframe is ripping itself out of the car and I'm very lucky I found this while the car was at rest and not driving at speed. Bmw knows this is faulty engineering but somehow their lawyers fangled a way to only cover the repairs for the e46 cars for 1 year (2010), everyone else is screwed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10521755, filed 2013-06, 128,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

23% of the 22 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 54,462 and 95,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2523%25–5027%50–7527%75–10023%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (22 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 77,994 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.

200952011201352015520192026
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 2004 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 manual152217$4,850
M3 RWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed automatic152117$4,850
M3 Convertible RWD3.2L 6-cyl6-speed manual142117$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 2004 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. 25 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 25 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 2004 BMW M3 have?

NHTSA recorded 31 consumer complaints for the 2004 BMW M3 as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 BMW M3 is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 9 complaints (29% of the total), followed by visibility with 7.

Has the 2004 BMW M3 been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 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 2004 BMW M3 get?

The EPA rates the 2004 BMW M3 (M3, 3.2L 6-cyl) at 17 mpg combined, 15 city and 22 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 2004 BMW M3 reported?

Among the 22 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 77,994 miles and the middle half falls between 54,462 and 95,000 miles; 23% 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.