The BMW M6 has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 2007–2019. On average a defect was admitted 3.33 years after the car was built, the slowest took 6 years. The most recalled system is Air Bags (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 24 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the BMW M6
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Air Bags 2 Read
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2017 BMW 640i, 640i xDrive, 650i, 650i xDrive, M6, 535i, 535i xDrive, 430i, 430i xDrive, 440i, 440i xDrive, M4, X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i, i3, i8, Rolls-Royce Dawn, Mini Clubman Cooper, Clubman Cooper S, Cooper All4, Cooper S All4, Mini 4-Door Cooper, Cooper S, Mini 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and 2016 BMW 528i, 528i xDrive, 535i, 535i xDrive, 550i, 550i xDrive, M5 and 535d vehicles. The affected vehicles have seat- mounted side air bag inflator initiators that may fail to ignite during a crash
Risk. If the air bag inflator initiator fails to ignite, the seat-mounted air bag will not deploy, increasing the risk of injury
Fix. 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
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2012-2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, and M6 Convertible vehicles and 2013 M6 Coupe vehicles. The affected vehicles have a driver's frontal air bag inflator that may have been improperly welded
Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 6, 2017. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417
Exterior Lighting 1 Read
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle
Risk. If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer…
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle
Risk. If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer…
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2014-2019 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles. The third brake light may become loose, possibly allowing the light to detach from the vehicle
Risk. If the third brake light detaches from the vehicle, it would no longer provide the required lighting to following traffic, or it may become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third brake light and properly secure it with new fasteners. If the third brake light detached from the vehicle and is damaged, it will be replaced. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer…
Power Train 1 Read
What's wrong. BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2015 BMW M5 sedans manufactured September 4, 2014, through December 4, 2014, 2015 M6 coupes manufactured September 3, 2014, through December 3, 2014, 2015 M6 convertibles manufactured September 8, 2014, through December 4, 2014, and 2015 M6 Gran Coupe vehicles manufactured September3, 2014, through December 4, 2014. The affected vehicles have a driveshaft that may have been inadequately welded during manufacturing
Risk. Due to the improper weld, the driveshaft may fracture and fail, causing loss of drive to the rear wheels and a loss of propulsion. Additionally, if the car is turned off and exited without the parking brake applied, the car may roll. Either condition increases the risk of a crash
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driveshaft, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during September 2016. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417
Engine And Engine Cooling 1 Read
What's wrong. BMW is recalling certain model year 2013 M5, M6 Coupe, and M6 Convertible vehicles, manufactured from July 19, 2012, through September 11, 2012. Due to a manufacturing process error, the tolerance between the engine oil pump's drive shaft and the pump's rotor was not within specification. As a result, the pump's driveshaft could separate from the rotor
Risk. Separation of the pump's driveshaft from the rotor could lead to a sudden loss of oil pressure causing the possibility of complete engine failure, resulting in an engine stall-like condition, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash
Fix. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pump, free of charge. The safety recall began on November 30, 2012. Owners may contact BMW at 1-800-525-7417
Electrical System 1 Read
What's wrong. Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, model year 2004-2010 6-series, model year 2006-2010 m5, and model year 2007-2010 m6 vehicles. The insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have been incorrectly attached to the trunk floor panel, which can lead to a loosening of the bolt connection. As it loosens, an increase in electrical resistance at this cable connection is possible and could cause the cable connection to overheat
Risk. Overheating could lead to a fire, even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made
Fix. Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the battery bolt cable connection as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417
What's wrong. Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, model year 2004-2010 6-series, model year 2006-2010 m5, and model year 2007-2010 m6 vehicles. The insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have been incorrectly attached to the trunk floor panel, which can lead to a loosening of the bolt connection. As it loosens, an increase in electrical resistance at this cable connection is possible and could cause the cable connection to overheat
Risk. Overheating could lead to a fire, even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made
Fix. Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the battery bolt cable connection as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417
What's wrong. Bmw is recalling certain model year 2004-2010 5-series, model year 2004-2010 6-series, model year 2006-2010 m5, and model year 2007-2010 m6 vehicles. The insulated bulkhead connector for the positive battery cable may have been incorrectly attached to the trunk floor panel, which can lead to a loosening of the bolt connection. As it loosens, an increase in electrical resistance at this cable connection is possible and could cause the cable connection to overheat
Risk. Overheating could lead to a fire, even while the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the remedy has been made
Fix. Bmw will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the battery bolt cable connection as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 30, 2012. Owners may contact bmw customer relations and services at 1-800-525-7417
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 3.33 years |
| Slowest campaign | 6 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 25% |
| Campaigns on record | 6 |
Which M6 years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2018 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2017 | Air Bags | |
| 2016 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2015 | Power Train | |
| 2014 | Exterior Lighting | |
| 2013 | Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| 2010 | Electrical System | |
| 2009 | Electrical System | |
| 2008 | Electrical System | |
| 2007 | Electrical System |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the BMW M6 have?
6 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 2007–2019. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my M6 still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 3.33 years, and the slowest campaign came 6 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.