2006 Bmw M3 - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2006 BMW M3 received a "Not Rated" overall safety rating according to the available data. It is equipped with standard electronic stability control, which is a positive feature for enhancing vehicle control in various driving conditions. However, it does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems, which are advanced safety technologies aimed at preventing accidents.

In terms of complaints and recalls, there have been 216 complaints reported for this vehicle and it has been subject to 9 recalls. This indicates that there have been some issues reported by drivers and the manufacturer has initiated several recall actions to address potential safety concerns. Overall, while the presence of stability control is a plus, the absence of collision warning and lane departure warning systems, coupled with the reported complaints and recalls, suggest that the safety performance of the 2006 BMW M3 may not be optimal compared to vehicles with higher safety ratings and advanced safety features.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

216

Recall Count

9

Investigation Count

3

Safety Rating

Not Rated

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Safety Features

2006 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2006 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2006 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2006 BMW M3 2-DR w/SAB Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2022 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2022 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2006 Score 2022 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated Not Rated

Complaints for the 2006 Bmw M3

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"yesterday (01/06/17) - while driving in motion, 2 side airbags spontaneously exploded, throwing loose plastic material into the cabin and into my face. cabin filled with smoke and burning smell. i pulled the car to the side of the road and turned off engine for smoke to disappear. i am going to take my car to bmw dealer tomorrow morning for evaluation"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-06-01

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2006 bmw m3. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v428000 and 15v318000 (air bags). the parts to do the repair were unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact called the local dealer (advanced valencia bmw, 23435 valencia boulevard, valencia, ca 91355) and was informed that the parts were not available. the manufacturer was notified of the issue and did not assist. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2015-02-07

Complaint:
"bmw continues to drag its feet on fixing recall. i have not been able to drive my vehicle for over 6 months now. called dealer in charlotte nc (hendrick bmw on e. independence boulevard) multiple times and each time they either do not have the part or need to order it."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-08-09

Complaint:
"the id light came on for passenger air. it said that passenger air bag was off. we took to bmw of roanoke to repair and state inspect the vehicle. they had to replace the passenger air bag mat at a cost of $ 1,433.87 on invoice no. bmcs56560. my concern is that if we were involved in accident the passenger air bag would have not worked and my wife could have been hurt or killed. i have the old part and could send it to you. the bmw only has 105,747 miles and was delivered per bmw of roanoke 12/24/2009. it is not no recall but maybe it should have been"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2019-07-07

Complaint:
"takata recall: your site improperly shows no recalls when vin used, and confuses 2006 m3 (e46) with the 2006 3 series successor (e90?), even though the recall notice rcrit-14v428-8638 shows "model year 2000-2006 bmw 3 series (e46) - incl-m""
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-07-06

Complaint:
""takata recall" - the airbag warning light came on as of 02/13/17. the car was in motion when this occurred on a city street."
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-01-02

Complaint:
"received notice 11/14/2016 regarding recall # 15v-318 driver's side airbag. contacted the local dealer 11/18 who said parts were unavailable until year end. bmw's 800 number confirmed there was a shortage of parts in the region. this is at least a 6 week delay based on part availability. unacceptable"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-06-11

Complaint:
"takata recall- my airbag light is on- i have been waiting for almost 1 year for my airbag to be replaced. i keep getting told that there is no remedy available. the dealer name: ralph schomp bmw 1190 plum valley ln highlands ranch, co 80129 1-888-205-2938"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2016-01-09

Complaint:
"driving approximately 20-30mph on local street in a straight direction. driver-side, side airbag deployed without warning. no prior instrument lights were on. never had any airbag lights on in the history of owning the vehicle. replaced passenger side airbag as part of recall in 2014. awaiting dealership to replace driver-side airbag also as part of recall in 2015. *tr"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2018-06-10

Complaint:
"i got a letter in the mail about 9 months ago regarding replace the airbags and never heard anything since. the letter mentioned that when ever they get the parts they would contact me. not sure what the exact date is i got the letter for the recall"
Components Involved: AIR BAGS
Date of incident: 2017-03-01

Recalls for the 2006 Bmw M3

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"bmw of north america, llc (bmw) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i convertibles, 128i, 135i, and m coupes, 2007-2010 x3 30si and x3 xdrive30i, 2013-2015 x1 sdrive28i, x1 xdrive28i and x1 xdrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xdrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xdrive and m3 coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xdrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xdrive and m3, 2009-2011 335d, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xdrive, 2010-2011 x6 activehybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, m3 coupes, x5 30si, x5 xdrive30i, x5 xdrive35i, x5 48i, x5 xdrive48i, x5 xdrive50i and x5 m, 2009-2013 x5 xdrive35d and 2008-2014 x6 xdrive35i, x6 xdrive50i and x6m vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (psan) 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..."
Consequence:
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy:

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver air bag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 11, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL > DRIVER SIDE > INFLATOR MODULE
Date of incident: 2020-01-15

Recall:
"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 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:

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.

Component(s) Involved: AIR BAGS > FRONTAL > DRIVER SIDE > INFLATOR MODULE
Date of incident: 2015-05-28

BMW Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

BMW ranks 12 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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