2004 BMW M3 Body and structure Problems
- Complaints
- 3about this part
- Share
- 10%of 31 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 111,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the body and structure of the 2004 BMW M3, 10% of the 31 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 111,500 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“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“Had my car inspected by a mechanic and he noticed a tear in the subframe near the rear drivers side. Tunes out this is a known problem for e46 bmws. Bmw will only cover 50% of the repairs and has admitted that this is a defect in their design. It's now a safety issue as the car is out of alignment and the floor has dropped, rubbing on the rear axle.”
NHTSA complaint #10475875, filed 2012-09, 95,000 miles“Passenger side rear sub-frame crack observed . Vehicle has never been in any accident or collision. It's a commonly know problem about BMW 3 series made between 1999 to 2006 that happens naturally without cause due to manufacture issue, so I decided to look under my car to look for any cracks as described. I identified at least one crack. After calling BMW USA for assitance, I was instructed to bring the car to have it inspected and confirmed by the BMW dealership in Ontario, CA. Dispite me telling them the location of the crack, they concluded there is no crack and nothing needed to be done. …”
NHTSA complaint #11457998, filed 2022-03Body and structure: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1 | 20% |
| 2011 | 2 | 6% |
| 2009 | 1 | 2% |
| 2008 | 2 | 2% |
| 2004 | 3 | 10% |
| 2003 | 5 | 9% |
| 2002 | 4 | 10% |
| 2001 | 4 | 29% |
| 1999 | 1 | 9% |
| 1998 | 1 | 7% |
Other parts of the 2004 BMW M3
9 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
7 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
6 complaintsEngine
2 complaintsExterior lighting
2 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsElectrical system
1 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsSuspension
1 complaintsTires
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 BMW M3
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.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology