2011 BMW M3 Problems And Complaints

2011 BMW M3 User Complaints and Problems

Engine and Mechanical Problems

• Engine - The vehicle would go OFF suddenly and cease to work for a long time. After inspection, it was found that the cause of the issue was the worn-out crankshaft and rod bearing. The rod was even found broken or burnt in some cases.
• Brakes - Abrupt shutting down of the engine and other systems would lead the brakes to fail and the service brakes wouldn’t work at all. However, the electric brake still responds somehow.
• Powertrain - As per the majority of statements made by the contacts, the vehicle’s drivetrain system is supposed to behave weirdly, stalling out of nowhere after the car has had some jerks. Not just this, but the gears would automatically shift to ‘neutral’, leaving you with no control.

Safety Problems

• Driver assistance features - Due to the transmission failures/delay, the vehicle would lurch forward suddenly, and would even skip the vehicle speed control tech system at that moment.
• Airbags - The contacts have found stating that the TAKATA airbag recall is not properly managed by the automobile giant. A lot of them weren’t serviced under their recall and when a different dealership was approached by them, they said that the original dealership have marked that replacement as done which is quite disgusting.

Exterior Problems

• Body - The convertible top has been found to be not working at times. Mentioned reason was some important missing parts, which the dealer guy said to arrive late.

Interior Problems

• Dashboard - While driving, the air conditioner stopped and the odor of burning plastic entered the cabin. The smoke covered the windshield in the middle of the road and caused a sudden visibility issue. The internals seems to have catch fire but luckily no one got injured.

Electrical Problems

• Warning lights - The warning lights with this vehicle are weird. They won’t show up when something is wrong with the car and the passenger & driver are unable to figure out the issue. 
• Battery issues - The FRM would get damaged while swapping the batteries which may lead to the lights, windows, etc. no longer working.

2011 BMW M3 Recalls

S. No	Date	NHTSA ID	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks	Remedy
1	January 15th, 2020	20V017000	Driver airbag inflators may explode	The vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high-temperature cycling.	BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver airbag. On X5 and X6 vehicles, only the inflator will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on March 11, 2020
2	June 19th, 2019	19V472000	Loss of Electrical Power/Stalling	The connection of the positive battery cable at the fuse box terminal may degrade, resulting in an intermittent loss of electrical power.	BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace and secure the positive battery cable connector, free of charge. The recall began August 14, 2019.

Should you buy the 2011 BMW M3?

BMW automobiles are known for their sheer performance, quality cabins, and comfortable ride. But reliability is also an important factor when it comes to considering any vehicle. The problems stated above are quite serious and may damage BMW’s image as a trustworthy manufacturer. Their response towards the TAKATA airbag recall happens to be quite poor in terms of consumer experience. Furthermore, the 2011 BMW M3 suffers from the problem of burning up the components in the radiator is quite persistent, even in newer models. Thus, it is strongly advised to look for rivals in this case.