BMW M4

Where it stands out against its peers

• Power train: more complaints than 93% of 2016 cars — 38% of its 21 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 15%.
• Suspension: more complaints than 97% of 2016 cars — 24% of its 21 complaints, where an ordinary 2016 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

61% of 2021 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 4. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 15V782000

  If the slip-joint fails, there would be a loss of power to the rear axle and therefore the vehicle would stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driveshaft, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 14, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 16V653000

  Loose rear sub-frame bolts may adversely affect vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear sub-frame bolts with new bolts, free of charge. The recall began on November 3, 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 16V914000

  If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 17V115000

  If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 17V507000

  If the vehicle has an incompatible vehicle-sensitive locking mechanism, the seat belt may not restrain the seat occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary replace, the front seat belt assemblies, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 18V713000

  A loss of vehicle propulsion can increase the risk of a crash.

  BMW will notify vehicle owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began April 9, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 19V352000

  An improperly folded and assembled air bag may not deploy as intended, increasing risk of injury.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the knee air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began July 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

• 20V666000

  A damaged connection between the fuel line and the fuel rail could lead to a fuel leak and, in the presence of an ignition source, increase the risk of a fire.

  BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel injectors and if a damping component is missing, the injectors and the fuel rail will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

3 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

BMW filed 3 bulletins about the 2026 M4.

• Electrical system: 1
• Engine: 1
• Service brakes: 1

• Delivery Stop - Bearing Shell · March 2026
• There may be an internal leakage in the brake fluid expansion tank (aka brake fluid reservoir). In the rarecase of a leak, the filling level sensor might malfunction over a relatively long period of… · January 2026
• In some situations, an emergency call may be triggered in the vehicle without either the customer pressing the SOS Call button, or an airbag deployment event. In some cases, the customer may not even… · October 2025

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.