2016 BMW M4

22 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.

1. Filed Sep 7, 2026Failure Aug 25, 2026Falls Church, VASteering, Suspension

   I am writing to report a critical structural safety defect involving the front steering knuckle (wheel carrier) on my 2016 BMW M4 GTS. Upon inspection, the original factory steering knuckle has developed severe structural cracks on both the top and bottom sections of the component. Safety Risk & Hazard:The steering knuckle is a primary load-bearing suspension component responsible for securing the front wheel assembly, brakes, and steering linkage. Because this vehicle has developed cracks on both the top and bottom of the knuckle, it is at imminent risk of total catastrophic failure. A complete fracture of this component will result in immediate wheel detachment, total loss of steering control, and a severe high-speed crash. This presents an extreme and immediate safety hazard to myself, my passengers, and other drivers on the road. Manufacturer Awareness:BMW is fully aware of this inherent structural flaw. The original component (Part #31-21-2-289-301 / #31-21-2-289-302) has been quietly superseded by a completely redesigned, reinforced "v2" revised part to mitigate this exact cracking issue. Despite knowing that the original components are prone to dangerous fatigue and cracking under stress, BMW has not issued a safety recall to replace these defective first-generation knuckles on a vehicle explicitly marketed and sold for track-oriented performance. Action Requested:I request that the NHTSA immediately initiate a safety defect investigation into the first-generation BMW M4 GTS steering knuckles before a catastrophic failure results in a fatal accident. Furthermore, I request that BMW cover the immediate replacement of these defective components with the revised, structurally sound v2 parts at zero cost to the owner.

   NHTSA complaint 11762645
2. Filed Dec 8, 2025Failure Nov 19, 202597,000 milesOrlando, FLPower train

   The contact owns a 2016 BMW M4. The contact stated that under previous ownership, the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign: 15V782000 (Power Train) at a local dealer. The contact stated that two years later, the contact was unsure if the vehicle was included or repaired under NHTSA Campaign: 18V713000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle shuddered abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an independent dealer, where it was diagnosed with an imbalanced drive shaft. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired due to the costs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

   NHTSA complaint 11703660
3. Filed Jun 19, 2024Failure Jun 19, 2024Moreno Valley, CAFuel/propulsion system

   Filled car with gas and drove home , came out 10 minutes later to a puddle of fuel under car , from the fuel tank on the rear driver side

   NHTSA complaint 11595365
4. Filed May 24, 2023Failure May 8, 2023Arlington, TXSuspension

   Both front steering bearing carriers (knuckles) cracked... this is a well documented defect on the M4 GTS model that BMW has not addressed.

   NHTSA complaint 11523605
5. Filed Jun 13, 2022Failure Jun 13, 2022Stafford, VASuspension

   The car only has 500 miles. It is a show car not taken out of the garage. Went to change oil and inspection sticker. Found to have a bad front knuckle. It is cracked. Many forums on this. This car is limited and has very low miles by owners. This should not be occurring

   NHTSA complaint 11469056
6. Filed Apr 1, 2021Failure Feb 27, 20216,500 milesRoselle Park, NJSteering, Suspension

   THE BILLET ALUMINUM STEERING KNUCKLES/STEERING CARRIERS ARE CRACKED AT ONE OF TWO BOLT POINTS CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. THIS IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND BMW SUBSEQUENTLY CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. THIS BILLET ALUMINUM PART IS SPECIFIC TO THE 2016 BMW M4 GTS, A LIMITED EDITION BMW M4. APPROXIMATELY 800 M4 GTS'S WERE EVER BUILT AND THESE PARTS ARE FAILING AT ALL MILEAGE VALUES. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON BIMMERPOST.COM FROM SEVERAL OWNERS. BMW WILL NOT COVER THE COST TO REPLACE IF THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY, REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE; MINE HAS 6,500 MILES. IF THE SECOND BOLT FAILS, THE COMPONENT WILL NO LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE STRUT AND CAUSE CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, PERSONAL INJURY AND POTENTIALLY DEATH. I NOTIFIED BMW AND THEY DENIED THE CLAIM AFTER 4 WEEKS OF REVIEW WITHOUT ANY REASON.

   NHTSA complaint 11405983
7. Filed Jul 12, 2020Failure Jul 4, 202048,000 milesLA Vernia, TXEngine, Power train, Unknown or other

   DIAGNOSED WITH COOLING SYSTEM ISSUE, 2ND COOLING SYSTEM DRY/LOW OR LEAKING, TRANSMISSION ISSUE, CODE 537, POWER TRAIN ISSUE, CAR IS QUICK SHIFTING AND SKIPPING FROM 5TH TO 7TH GEAR WITH A BUZZING SOUND, AND WITHOUT A DROP IN POWER. THE CAR ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR 5 MONTHS AGO FROM A MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP IN TYLER, TEXAS. IT SHOWS ON THIS SIGHT THAT THERE'S 3 RECALLS.

   NHTSA complaint 11338878
8. Filed Feb 16, 2020Failure Feb 10, 202033,000 milesPort Saint Lucie, FLEngine

   THE CRANK HUB ON THIS VEHICLE CAN SPUN AND BRAKE INSIDE THE ENGINE WITHOUT ANY WARNING, IF THAT HAPPENS ON A HWY FOR EXAMPLE THE VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY LOOSE POWER AND I CAN BE INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT WHICH MAYBE FATAL.

   NHTSA complaint 11309554
9. Filed Jan 31, 2020Failure Jun 16, 2019EGG Harbor TWP, NJEngine

   CRANK HUB SPINS, ITS SOMETHING THAT BMW MANUFACTURE SHOULD RECALL AND FIX BECAUSE IT CAN DAMAGE YOUR WHOLE ENGINE.

   NHTSA complaint 11306374
10. Filed Jan 3, 2020Failure Dec 13, 20191,837 milesPalo Alto, CASuspension

    BMW IS AWARE OF A CRACK DEVELOPING IN A FRONT SUSPENSION CARRIER (ONE EACH LOCATED ON BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE - TWO TOTAL). BMW HAD TO REPLACE MY PASSENGER SIDE CARRIER UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DETECTED A HAIRLINE CRACK AND ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PART FROM GERMANY. I DID NOT ASK FOR THE PART TO BE INSPECTED; IT SEEMS THAT BMW HAS INSTRUCTED ITS SERVICE CENTERS TO INSPECT VEHICLES FOR THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE. I ASKED THE SERVICE CENTER TO PROACTIVELY REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE CARRIER, TOO. THEY REFUSED TO DO SO. THE ISSUE WITH CRACKS DEVELOPING IN THE FRONT TWO CARRIERS IS WELL DOCUMENTED (SEE, FOR EXAMPLE: HTTPS://F80.BIMMERPOST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1550724). I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF THE SERVICE RECORD SHOWING REPLACEMENT OF MY PASSENGER SIDE CARRIER. I HAVE ALSO ATTACHED TWO IMAGES SHOWING CRACKS ON THE PART FROM THE LINK PROVIDED ABOVE. I BELIEVE THAT BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE CARRIERS ON ALL CARS GIVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF FAILURE AND THE KNOWN FAILURE FREQUENCY.

    NHTSA complaint 11296897
11. Filed Dec 19, 2019Failure Dec 11, 2019Wilmington, NCEngine, Power train

    CRANK HUB SPINS

    NHTSA complaint 11290046
12. Filed Dec 18, 2019Failure Dec 18, 2019SAN Bernardino, CAEngine

    MULTIPLE OWNERS WITH THE SAME PLATFORM ARE REPORTING HAVING ISSUES WITH THE HUB SPINNING AND BREAKING WE ALL FEEL LIKE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED

    NHTSA complaint 11289873
13. Filed May 22, 2019Failure Jul 16, 201822,000 milesLone Tree, COElectrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemFire2 injured

    SPONTANEOUS CAR FIRE - JULY 16, 2018; 10:30PM - 2016 BMW M4 CONVERTIBLE THE CAR HAD ABOUT 22K MILES AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE AND WAS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURER'S CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY. IT HAD LAST BEEN SERVICED SIX MONTHS AGO AT 18,806 MILES FOR A REGULARLY SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. THERE HAD NOT BEEN ANY ISSUES IN THE 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. WE WERE DRIVING FROM DENVER TOWARDS SALINA, KS ON I-70 ON OUR WAY TO OK TRAVELING 75-80MPH. THE CAR WAS DRIVING NORMALLY WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, THE AC WAS ON HALF AND THE WINDOWS AND TOP WERE UP. IT WAS DARK AND THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. WITH NO WARNING, DARK NOXIOUS SMOKE STARTING POURING INTO THE CABIN, POSSIBLY THROUGH THE AC VENTS. THE SMOKE BURNED OUR EYES AND CAUSED US TO START COUGHING AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AND BREATHE. BECAUSE IT WAS DARK OUT, WE COULDN'T IMMEDIATELY TELL WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. WE ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN, BUT THAT INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING INTO THE CABIN, SO WE ROLLED THEM BACK UP. WE PULLED OVER AND EVACUATED THE VEHICLE. OTHER THAN THE SMOKE, ALL OF THE CAR FUNCTIONS WERE STILL WORKING. THE CAR WAS DRIVING FINE, BRAKES WERE WORKING, HEADLIGHTS WERE WORKING, AC WAS WORKING, WINDOW CONTROLS WERE WORKING. NO WARNINGS OR WARNING LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. A FEW MINUTES AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE FIRST FLAMES BEGAN COMING UP THROUGH THE TOP OF THE HOOD BY THE WINDSHIELD. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE AREA WAS IN FLAMES. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED. AFTER THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT AND THE CAR COOLED, A FLATBED TOW TRUCK TOOK IT TO SALINA.

    NHTSA complaint 11209334
14. Filed Mar 14, 2019Failure Oct 11, 2018EL Cajon, CAPower train

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW M4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V713000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF EL CAJON (720 EL CAJON BLVD, EL CAJON, CA 92020, (619) 442-8888) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

    NHTSA complaint 11186782
15. Filed Jan 29, 2019Failure Oct 11, 2018LOS Angeles, CAPower train

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW M4. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V713000 (POWER TRAIN). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. NICK ALEXANDER BMW (6333 S ALAMEDA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90001, (323) 583-1901) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *DT*JB

    NHTSA complaint 11172748
16. Filed Oct 8, 2018Failure Dec 6, 201733,000 milesNorth Hollywood, CAEngine

    THE CAR CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE SOMETIMES WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON BMW MESSAGE BOARDS AS WELL. THIS COULD BE FATAL.

    NHTSA complaint 11139052
17. Filed Apr 13, 2018Failure Aug 27, 2017820 milesLOS Angeles, CAEngine, Fuel system, Gasoline, Power train

    I AM CURRENTLY IN LITIGATION WITH BMW USA OVER MY VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATING WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS. BMW OF COURSE SAID THERE ARE NO "FAULT CODES" IN THE SYSTEM SO THEREFORE THEY CANNOT VERIFY. BMW INITIATED A THEORY THAT THE TURBOCHARGERS ARE STILL SPOOLING AND NEED TO UNWIND. THAT IS WHY THE VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATES AFTER I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET ON THREE OCCASIONS IN LESS THAN 900 MILES. I TOLD THE ATTORNEY THIS IS WHY THERE IS A THROTTLE BODY AND A BLOW OFF VALVE SO THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. WHEN THE THROTTLE BODY IS CLOSED, NO AIR GETS IN THE ENGINE SO THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE BLOW OFF VALVE TAKES ALL THE PRESSURE OUT OF THE TURN SYSTEM.I OWN THE GTS VERSION, A VERY RARE 300 PIECES FOR THE USA AND ANOTHER OWNER IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME SITUATION. IF THIS IS TRUE WHAT BMW SAYS, THEY NEED TO RECALL ALL OF THEIR TURBO VEHICLES BECAUSE THIS WILL CAUSE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO GET HURT. A CAR DOES NOT AND SHOULD NOT STILL ACCELERATE AFTER YOU LET YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 11085011
18. Filed Dec 27, 2017Failure Mar 9, 2017200 milesLOS Angeles, CAFuel/propulsion system

    ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE CAR STILL ACCELERATES FOR 2-3 SECONDS AFTER FULL ACCELERATION AT HIGH RPM. ANOTHER BMW M4 GTS OWNER HAS ALSO CONFIRMED WITH ME VIA MESSAGE. I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE ITS THE WATER INJECTION SYSTEM IN THE CAR. THIS CAR IS VERY LIMITED TO 250 UNITS SO THERE AREN'T MANY OWNERS AROUND. HALF OF THESE CARS ARE IN GARAGES AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS AND A FEW ARE STILL FOR SALE SO ITS TOUGH TO FIND MORE THAN ONE PERSON OTHER THAN MYSELF.

    NHTSA complaint 11056765
19. Filed Aug 22, 2017Failure Apr 21, 201737,096 milesNorthville, MIPower train

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BMW M4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS COMPLETE ACCELERATION WAS LOST. THE CONTACT STATED WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ERHARD BMW OF FARMINGTON HILLS LOCATED ON 38700 GRAND RIVER AVE, FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48335, PHONE NUMBER: (888) 494-0358, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE SHAFT HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT TWO MONTHS LATER A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AS THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 40 MPH. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE WAS A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE DEALER SO HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE GOING UNDER 5 MPH. AT THE DEALER IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DRIVE SHAFT HAD FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V782000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,096. UPDATED 10/03/17*LJ *TR

    NHTSA complaint 11018802
20. Filed Jun 24, 2017Failure Jun 21, 201744,000 milesNorthville, MISuspension

    MY AXLE BROKE ON BOTH THE RIGHT REAR AND LEFT REAR. THIS IS A BRAND NEW BMW UPDATED 07/27/17*LJ *TR

    NHTSA complaint 11001157