The BMW M8 spans 2020–2025 with 6 recorded NHTSA recalls and a 3.5/5 ForCar reliability score. The years to approach with caution are 2020, 2025, 2024 (most owner complaints); the cleanest are 2021, 2022, 2023. It delivers up to 20 mpg combined and NHTSA-rated safety.
How we score: NHTSA crash-test safety (40%), recall frequency across all years (25%) and the share of owner complaints involving a crash, fire or injury (35%). Based on NHTSA & EPA data — not user reviews.
Overview
The BMW M8 is one of the most popular vehicles in its class, produced from 2020 to 2025 across multiple generations.
How to read a BMW M8 VIN — every digit explained
Every BMW M8 carries a unique 17-character VIN stamped at the factory. Each position is a code — together they spell out where, when and how your car was built. Here's exactly what every digit means.
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a BMW and the country it was built in (real BMW codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled this M8.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- Germany3MF · 3MW · 5UM · WAP · WB1 · WB3
- USA4US · 5UX · 5YM
Digits 4–17 — the engine code (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard, identical on every car. For the full year-code table (2001–2026), country codes and where the VIN is stamped on your M8, see the complete guide to reading a VIN.
How many recalls does the BMW M8 have?
The BMW M8 has 6 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2020–2025. Pick a year below to see its recalls — then verify open recalls against your specific VIN.
2023 BMW M8 recalls 1
Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls
What's wrong. BMW of North Americal, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2023 8 Series Coupe (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Convertible (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8), 8 Series Gran Coupe (840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, Alpine B8 xDrive), 2 Series Coupe (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i xDrive, M2), and 2022-2023 Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i vehicles. When the digital key is removed from the vehicle, the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software may still allow the power windows and sunroof to be closed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-operated Window Systems."
Risk. Unintentionally closing the windows or sunroof without the key present can increase the risk of injury to occupants inside the vehicle.
Fix. Dealers will update the software for the Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. In addition, the digital key function via cellular service and Wi-Fi capability will be deactivated until the vehicle is updated with new software. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 11, 2023. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
2021 BMW M8 recalls 2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
Risk. A loss of ABS and a reduction in braking assistance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk. If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
2020 BMW M8 recalls 3
Power Train:automatic Transmission
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 M5 and 2020 M8 Gran Coupe, M8 Coupe, and M8 Convertible vehicles. The transmission wiring harness can become damaged, resulting in an electrical short circuit.
Risk. An electrical short circuit can cause the transmission to shift to neutral resulting in a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace any damaged transmission harnesses. All harnesses will be rerouted and secured. These repairs will be performed, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 3, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2021 8 Series Coupe, Grand Coupe and convertible 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8 and 740 Li, 740 Li xDrive, 750 Li xDrive, M760 Li xDrive, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xdrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, and 2019-2021 X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M50i, X5M, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, and 2021 M3, M3 Competition, M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, X5 xDrive45e, 745 Le xDrive. The rotor and shaft within the integrated brake system may not have been welded properly and could separate during a hard braking event, possibly resulting in a loss of the Antilock Brake System (ABS) and braking assistance.
Risk. A loss of ABS and a reduction in braking assistance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the integrated brake system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk. If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Best and worst years for the BMW M8
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint volume across 6 tracked years, the worst years are 2020, 2025, 2024 and the best (fewest complaints) are 2021, 2022, 2023.
ForCar aggregate — our own analysis of complaint volume, not published by NHTSA.
| Year | Owner complaints | Top issue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 M8 | Vehicle Speed Control | Avoid | |
| 2021 M8 | — | Best | |
| 2022 M8 | — | Best | |
| 2023 M8 | — | Best | |
| 2024 M8 | — | Avoid | |
| 2025 M8 | — | Avoid |
What are the most common BMW M8 problems?
The most-reported BMW M8 problems are Engine (1 reports), Visibility (1 reports) and Power Train (1 reports) — out of 5 owner complaints NHTSA holds for the model. Here's how they break down:
Most-reported components — tap a category to read what owners actually experienced:
Source: NHTSA owner complaints, all model years. Bar = share of total complaints. Full reports searchable on NHTSA.gov.
BMW M8 specifications & dimensions
The 2020–2025 BMW M8 measures 191″ long on a 111″ wheelbase, with a curb weight near 4,570 lb. Full dimensions below — engine, horsepower and trim decode from your VIN. For the original factory build — MSRP, trim and standard equipment — rebuild the BMW M8 window sticker.
| Years | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Curb weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2025 | 191″ | 75″ | 53″ | 111″ | 4,570 lb |
Source: NHTSA vPIC / Transport Canada vehicle specifications. Metric values converted to imperial; generation ranges approximate.
BMW M8 cargo space, seating & interior room
How much the M8 holds — passengers and cargo. EPA measures its interior at 100 cu ft of passenger volume and 16 cu ft of cargo. Seating capacity and legroom vary by trim.
Exact seating capacity, third-row availability, legroom and headroom decode from your VIN or vary by trim — the original factory equipment & options list shows what each trim included.
Passenger & cargo volume from EPA fueleconomy.gov (largest configuration). Seats, legroom and headroom from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
BMW M8 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What MPG does the BMW M8 get?
The BMW M8 returns up to 20 combined MPG (EPA), which works out to roughly $3,850/yr in fuel. Pick an engine to see MPG, annual running cost and CO₂ by year:
The 2026 BMW M8 (4.4L 8-cyl) gets 19 mpg combined and costs about $4,050/yr to fuel, emitting 456 g/mi CO₂ (GHG 4/10) — about $9,250 more than the average new vehicle over 5 years.
| Year | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel/yr | CO₂ g/mi | Smog | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 M8 | 17 | 24 | $4,050 | 456 | — | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2025 M8 | 17 | 24 | $4,050 | 458 | 2/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2024 M8 | 17 | 24 | $4,050 | 457 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2023 M8 | 17 | 24 | $4,050 | 457 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2022 M8 | 17 | 25 | $3,850 | 442 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2021 M8 | 17 | 25 | $3,850 | 439 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2020 M8 | 17 | 25 | $3,850 | 450 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl | |
| 2019 M8 | 17 | 26 | $3,850 | 434 | 3/10 | 4.4L 8-cyl |
Source: EPA fuel-economy database (ForCar-hosted, 1986–2027) — best combined rating per engine & year, with EPA annual fuel cost and tailpipe CO₂. Trim & drivetrain vary slightly; decode your VIN for the exact figure.
See how the M8 stacks up against the most fuel-efficient sedans, or calculate this M8's real yearly fuel cost.
What engines does the BMW M8 have? Power & range
The BMW M8 is offered with 1 powertrain — 4.4L 8-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V8 | 4.4L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S8) | AWD | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
How much does a BMW M8 cost to own?
A BMW M8 tends to depreciate faster than average. A typical example keeps roughly 37% of its value after five years — losing about 63% to depreciation. Fuel, maintenance and insurance add to the total cost to own.
| Age | Value retained | Est. resale value | Lost to depreciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 75% | $22,500 | −$7,500 |
| Year 2 | 63% | $18,900 | −$11,100 |
| Year 3 | 53% | $15,900 | −$14,100 |
| Year 4 | 44% | $13,200 | −$16,800 |
| Year 5 | 37% | $11,100 | −$18,900 |
What goes into the five-year cost to own:
- Depreciation — the biggest cost: this M8 loses about 63% of its value over five years. See the full depreciation curve by age.
- Fuel — ≈ $19,250 over five years at roughly 15,000 miles a year.
- Maintenance & repairs — routine service, tires and wear items as the M8 ages.
- Insurance — varies by driver, state and trim; get a quote for your exact figure.
Resale & depreciation are ForCar estimates from typical segment value-retention curves — not a live market quote. Fuel from EPA fueleconomy.gov at ~15k mi/yr.
How much is a BMW M8 to insure?
A BMW M8 costs about $4,380 a year to insure for a typical driver on full coverage — roughly 205% above the average car. That's from its real HLDI insurance-loss index (305, where 100 = average car); your own rate moves with state, age, record and coverage.
Estimate = US-average premium × the M8's HLDI loss index. See BMW insurance cost by model, cost by state, or compare any car.
Is the BMW M8 safe?
NHTSA crash-test ratings aren't published for the M8 yet — see the top-rated safest cars instead.
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How many miles does a BMW M8 last?
A well-maintained BMW M8 typically lasts 200,000–250,000 miles. With regular oil, transmission and timing service, most examples comfortably pass the 200,000-mile mark. Its ForCar Reliability Score is 3.5/5.
Check your BMW M8’s VIN — history, recalls & specs
Title records, open recalls, build details and paint code — straight from the VIN. Free.
Check this M8’s VIN free →All BMW M8 model years
A year-by-year snapshot of the BMW M8 — recalls, best EPA fuel economy and NHTSA safety. Tap a year for full details.
| Year | Recalls | Best MPG | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 M8 | 0 | — | |
| 2024 M8 | 0 | — | |
| 2023 M8 | 1 recall | — | |
| 2022 M8 | 0 | — | |
| 2021 M8 | 2 recalls | — | |
| 2020 M8 | 3 recalls | — |
Recalls = NHTSA campaigns that year · MPG = best EPA combined · Safety = NHTSA overall stars (tested years).
Frequently asked questions
What are the worst years for the M8?
By owner-complaint volume, 2020, 2025, 2024 drew the most reports. 2021, 2022, 2023 have the cleanest records.
How many recalls does the M8 have?
6 recorded NHTSA recalls across 2020–2025. Always check open recalls by your VIN. See all BMW recalls and reliability across every model.
What MPG does the M8 get?
Up to 20 combined MPG (EPA), depending on engine — from the base 4-cylinder to the hybrid.
How many miles does a M8 last?
A well-maintained M8 typically reaches 200,000–300,000 miles with regular maintenance.
Is the M8 reliable?
Our ForCar Reliability Score for the M8 is 3.5/5, based on NHTSA safety, recall history and complaint severity.
What's the BMW M8 warranty?
New BMW models carry a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic (bumper-to-bumper) warranty and a 4 years / 50,000 miles powertrain warranty. Coverage can vary by model year and market — confirm with a BMW dealer.
Where is the BMW M8 made?
The assembly plant is encoded in the VIN — the 11th character. Decode your M8's VIN above to see exactly where it was built; BMW may build it at more than one plant depending on the year.
How much does a M8 weigh?
The M8's curb weight is around 4,570 lb. Its GVWR — the maximum loaded weight — decodes from the VIN.
How much ground clearance does the M8 have?
Ground clearance varies by trim and drivetrain — AWD/4WD versions often sit higher. Decode your VIN or check the specific trim for the exact figure.