2002 BMW M3: recalls and complaints

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All updates to the register

• 20V01800015 Jan 2020Air Bags / Frontal / Passenger Side / Inflator ModuleAdvisory
• 14V42800011 Jun 2018Air BagsAdvisory
• 17V04700020 Jan 2017Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleAdvisory
• 15V31800028 May 2015Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleAdvisory
• 13V1720002 May 2013Air BagsAdvisory

1. 20V018000Received 15 Jan 2020. 292,948 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal / Passenger Side / Inflator ModuleDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2005 323iT, 325iT, 325xiT, 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 330i and 330xi and 2000-2006 323Ci, 325Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, M3 Coupe, 323Cic, 325Cic, 330Cic, and M3 Convertible vehicles equipped with non-desiccated frontal Takata PSAN inflators and PSPI passenger frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's front air bag, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 13 Feb 2020.

2. 14V428000Received 11 Jun 2018. 574,007 units.

   Air BagsDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and convertibles; 2001-2005 330xi sedans; and 2001-2006 M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the air bag inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator resulting in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. An interim notice was mailed to owners in September 2014. A second notice was mailed when an adequate supply of parts became available, on December 1, 2014. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC.

3. 17V047000Received 20 Jan 2017. 230,117 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2000-2002 BMW 320i, 323i, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 323Ci, 325Ci, 330Ci, M3, 323iT, 325iT and 325xiT vehicles, 2001-2002 525i, 530i, 540i, M5, 525iT and 540iT vehicles, and 2001-2003 X5 3.0i, X5 4.4i, and X5 4.6is vehicles. These vehicles may have had a driver-side air bag module installed as replacement equipment such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bag, or as a remedy part for a prior recall. These replacement modules contain an air bag inflator that may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver side air bag module, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 15 Mar 2017.

4. 15V318000Received 28 May 2015. 419,235 units.

   Air Bags / Frontal / Driver Side / Inflator ModuleDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles. Please note that the 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the vehicle has been remedied. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The recall began Aug 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Note: This recall supersedes recall 14V-348 in its entirety. Additionally, vehicles that have had their driver side frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Note: On December 17, 2015 BMW removed the model year 2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity vehicle from this recall. Those vehicles were mistakenly identified as including the air bags that are subject to this recall.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 19 Aug 2016.

5. 13V172000Received 2 May 2013. 43,204 units.

   Air BagsDo-not-drive advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   BMW is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi sedans; 325Ci and 330Ci coupes and convertibles; 325iT and 325xiT Sports Wagons; and M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until they have been repaired. BMW intends to issue initial notifications to owners informing them of the safety defect in June 2013. Once replacement parts are available, estimated for July, BMW will notify owners again to contact their dealers and schedule a replacement of the passenger air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

   Report filed by BMW of North America, LLC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 9 Aug 2013.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 13.

Complaints that report a crash

2

Complaints that report a fire

0

Injuries in the complaints

1

Deaths in the complaints

0

Date of the newest complaint

23 Aug 2018

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

1. 19881
2. 19891
3. 19901
4. 19911
5. 19921
6. 19931
7. 19941
8. 19954
9. 19961
10. 19972
11. 19981
12. 19991
13. 20002
14. 20014
15. 20025
16. 20035
17. 20043
18. 20053
19. 20065
20. 20073
21. 20085
22. 20095
23. 20104
24. 20114
25. 20123
26. 20132
27. 20141
28. 20153
29. 20163
30. 20172
31. 20180
32. 20213
33. 20231

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• BMW M3: all model years
• BMW: 250 model lines

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• NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
• NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
• NHTSA page of the 2002 BMW M3The recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2002 BMW M3?

1,559,511 units in 5 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the BMW M3 have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns for the BMW M3, model years 1988 to 2023. 5 of them name the 2002 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 2002 BMW M3 name most often?

Engine and Engine Cooling: 12 of 44 component mentions.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2002 BMW M3 open?

No. Each of the 2 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.