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BMW2016–2025 Critical issues documented

BMW M2 F87: common faults & what to check

The F87 is the BMW M2 built 2016–2021. The engines documented for it are the 3.0 turbo petrol (N55) and 3.0 twin-turbo petrol (S55 Competition/CS). Of the 8 faults documented for the M2, 5 apply to this generation, each with its symptoms, what to inspect and a typical repair cost. Free, no account needed.

Check this exact BMW M2

  • Money owing
  • Written off
  • Accident claims
  • Odometer history

An Australian plate goes to the A$17.90 Vehicle Check: money owing, write-off, stolen and rego. Full History adds past kms, accident claims and market value from A$24.99. The free fault check for this model needs the generation and engine, pick them below.

8

Documented faults

Critical

Most serious

≈A$740–2,390

Typical repair

13

Service milestones

You're looking at the F87

2 engine variants are documented for this generation. Pick yours to narrow further, or keep reading for the generation as a whole.

Choose a different generation

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

A 2016 BMW M2 is the F87 generation (2016 to 2021).

Start your free check on this BMW M2

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

BMW M2 F87Engine not picked yet

Pick the engine above first: the M2 came with 2, and without it the report has to show all of their faults. Pick the engine

Free. The paid plate check is separate, and stays optional.

Likely — same engine family

BMW M2 · 2016

Narrowed by capacity and fuel. No engine code is recorded for this option, so a fault specific to one engine of that size cannot be confirmed from it.

Matched on capacity and fuel, not on an engine code.

  • 3 documented faults name an engine this selection cannot confirm. They are listed separately below.

matched on 3.0L engine

All 5 issues for this one

Documented for the exact year and engine you picked. Tap an area to open it.

2 rated critical
Body, brakes, suspension & interior1 critical1

01Takata driver airbag inflator recall PRA 2018/17191 (F87 M2, 2016-2017)

Some 2016 to 2017 F87 M2 cars (all engines) were built with a Takata driver's airbag whose propellant can absorb moisture over time.2016–2017Interior
OccasionalInterior ≈A$0–1,380 to fix

Some 2016 to 2017 F87 M2 cars (all engines) were built with a Takata driver's airbag whose propellant can absorb moisture over time. In a crash the inflator can over-pressurise and rupture, throwing metal fragments at the driver, which can cause serious injury or death. BMW Australia recalled F Series cars in a staged campaign from December 2018 (PRA 2018/17191) to replace the airbag free of charge, and a separate 2024 recall (REC-006035) covers cars later fitted with a steering wheel that has a Takata inflator. Have the VIN checked to confirm the recall work is done. Not every car is in the recall; a dealer check of the VIN is the only way to know.

Symptoms to notice

  • No visible symptom: the defect only shows when the airbag deploys
  • Airbag warning light on the dash may indicate an airbag module has been disturbed or replaced with a non-genuine part

What to check

  1. Ask the seller for the BMW dealer invoice showing the Takata driver airbag recall (PRA 2018/17191) was done, and ring a BMW dealer with the VIN to confirm there are no open airbag recalls.
  2. Check the airbag warning light comes on at start-up and goes out after a few seconds.
  3. Look at the steering wheel: if it has been swapped for a different style, ask where it came from, because swapped wheels are covered by a separate Takata recall (REC-006035).
  4. If a workshop inspection is possible: have a BMW dealer read the vehicle recall history by VIN and check the airbag module part label against the recall list.

Where to look: Driver airbag in the centre of the steering wheel

Ask the seller

  • “Has the Takata driver airbag recall been done, and do you have the dealer invoice?”
  • “Has the steering wheel ever been replaced or swapped for a different style?”
  • “Has the airbag warning light ever come on?”
Fluid leaks1

02Valve cover and oil filter housing gasket leaks (N55 / S55)

petrol2016–2021Fluid LeaksRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller
Depends on the exact engine or version: 3 issuesDocumented for a specific engine or version we could not confirm from what you picked. Check the engine code on the car.
Engine, transmission & cooling3

01S55 crank hub slip on the M2 Competition (3.0 twin-turbo)

This is a history and honesty check more than a physical one.petrol2016–2021Engine
RareEngine ≈A$2,300–23,000 to fix

Can't confirm for this car

The M2 Competition's S55 twin-turbo six holds its crankshaft timing gear on by friction rather than a key, and under sustained high load that hub can rotate on the crank. When it does the engine loses its timing reference and the valves and pistons meet, which ends the engine. Two things matter for a buyer. First, this is overwhelmingly a MODIFIED-car failure — the reported cases cluster on tuned cars running raised boost and repeated launch control, and even among those the rate is estimated below 1%. A standard, unmapped car is at low risk. Second, there is no warning: nothing rattles or logs a code beforehand. That is why a pinned or keyed crank hub is a common preventative fit, and why evidence of tuning matters far more on this car than on an ordinary used BMW. The base M2 (2016-2018) uses the N55 single-turbo and is not affected.

Symptoms to notice

  • No warning at all before failure — this is the defining feature
  • Engine warning light with camshaft/crankshaft correlation codes if it slips partially
  • Rough running or a no-start after a hard launch
  • Aftermarket exhaust, intake, intercooler or a piggyback box as circumstantial evidence of tuning

What to check

  1. This is a history and honesty check more than a physical one.
  2. Ask directly whether the car has ever been mapped, flashed or run a piggyback module, and whether launch control has been used — and watch how the answer is given.
  3. Look under the bonnet for an aftermarket intake, charge pipe or intercooler, and at the exhaust tips for a non-standard system; any of those raise the question of what else was changed.
  4. Ask whether the crank hub has been pinned or keyed and request the invoice, because that is a plus rather than a worry.
  5. Check for a stack of servicing at a performance workshop rather than a BMW specialist.
  6. On the test drive, listen on a cold start for anything unusual and note any engine warning light.
  7. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the ECU checked for a tune and for logged correlation codes, which survive even after a light has been cleared.

Where to look: Front of the engine — crankshaft hub behind the timing cover

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Ask the seller

  • “Has this car ever been tuned, flashed or run a piggyback module?”
  • “Has the crank hub been pinned or keyed, and do you have the invoice?”
  • “Has launch control been used, and how often?”

02N55 3.0T electric water pump sudden failure and overheating (F87 M2)

Ask for invoices showing the electric water pump and thermostat have been replaced.petrol2016–2018Cooling
OccasionalCooling ≈A$1,290–2,390 to fix

Can't confirm for this car

The N55 3.0 litre turbo petrol six in the 2016 to 2018 F87 M2 has a known issue with the electric coolant pump failing, often without warning. When it stops the engine overheats, the cooling fan runs flat out and the car goes into limp mode. Many owners replace the pump and thermostat together as preventive maintenance. There is no recall or extended warranty for this.

Symptoms to notice

  • Engine temperature warning
  • Cooling fan running at full speed
  • Reduced power or limp mode
  • Coolant boiling out of the expansion tank

What to check

Ask for invoices showing the electric water pump and thermostat have been replaced; on the test drive watch for any temperature warning and listen after switch off for the fan running hard; check the coolant level when cold. If a workshop inspection is possible: scan for 2E81 to 2E85 water pump fault codes.

Where to look: Front of the engine, electric coolant pump

Parts involved: Water pump.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the water pump or thermostat been replaced, and at what kilometres?”
  • “Has the car ever overheated or gone into limp mode?”

03N55 plastic charge pipe cracking — sudden boost loss (F87 M2)

The original M2's N55 turbo six uses a factory plastic charge pipe between the intercooler and throttle body.petrol2016–2018Engine
CommonEngine ≈A$320–830 to fix

Can't confirm for this car

The original M2's N55 turbo six uses a factory plastic charge pipe between the intercooler and throttle body. The plastic goes brittle with heat cycles and can crack or blow apart without warning — often under full throttle — causing a loud hiss, an instant loss of power and a limp-mode dash warning. It is one of the best-known N55 weak points and is common enough that most enthusiasts pre-emptively fit an aluminium replacement pipe. The part is cheap; the failure just tends to strand you at the worst moment, and repeated boost leaks can mask other problems.

Symptoms to notice

  • Sudden loss of power with a loud hiss or whoosh
  • Engine warning light and limp mode under hard acceleration
  • Audible air leak under boost
  • Rough idle immediately after the failure

What to check

Ask straight away whether the factory plastic charge pipe has been replaced with an aluminium one — on a car this age that is a plus, and there should be a receipt. On the test drive, run the car briefly to full throttle in a safe spot and listen for any hissing under boost or hesitation as boost builds; power delivery should be seamless. With the bonnet open, look down the front of the engine for the charge pipe run near the throttle body and check for white stress marks or repairs in the plastic if visible. If a workshop inspection is possible: remove the engine cover trim to inspect the charge pipe and its clips at the throttle-body end, and perform a smoke or pressure test of the charge system to find hairline leaks.

Where to look: Charge pipe running from the intercooler up to the throttle body at the front of the engine

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the charge pipe been replaced with an aluminium one, and is there a receipt?”
  • “Has the car ever suddenly lost power or gone into limp mode under acceleration?”
  • “Are there any boost-leak or underboost fault codes in its history?”
Other BMW M2 engines and years3 documented issues that do not apply to the one you picked.
Engine, transmission & cooling3

01S55 cooling system on the Competition — water pump and thermostat

Start with the cold checks, before the engine is run.petrol2018–2021CoolingRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller

02Clutch wear on manual cars from launch control and track use

The most reliable test for a slipping clutch takes one attempt on a quiet road.petrol2023–2025Transmission
OccasionalTransmission ≈A$2,300–6,440 to fix

Does not apply

Clutch wear on the manual S58 cars has been reported at relatively low mileages, and the causes named are specific rather than general: repeated launch control starts, aggressive use, and track days without clutch protection. That is worth separating from ordinary wear, because it means the clutch's remaining life on a given car depends almost entirely on how the previous owner used it rather than on the odometer — and a low-kilometre car with a hard life can be closer to a new clutch than a higher-kilometre one that was driven normally. It also means the questions that find it are about history rather than mechanics. On a car of this value the clutch is a substantial job, so it is worth establishing before you agree a price rather than after the first hard start.

Symptoms to notice

  • Clutch slipping — engine revs rising without matching acceleration
  • Bite point unusually high, or right at the top of the pedal travel
  • Burning smell after a hard start or a hill
  • Judder as the clutch takes up
  • Difficulty selecting gears, or the clutch feeling heavy

What to check

The most reliable test for a slipping clutch takes one attempt on a quiet road. With the car warm, get into a high gear at low revs and accelerate firmly — the revs should climb in step with the speed, and a clutch that lets the engine surge ahead on its own is slipping. Do it once and note the result rather than repeating it. Feel where the pedal bites through its travel: a bite point right at the top usually means a clutch near the end of its life. Pull away several times and feel for judder. After a hill start, wind a window down and check for a burning smell. Then ask the history questions, because they matter more than anything mechanical here: has the car been tracked, how often, and has launch control been used regularly — owners of these cars generally answer honestly because it is part of the appeal. Ask whether the clutch has been replaced and at what mileage. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask for the clutch wear and any stored driveline faults to be assessed.

Where to look: Between the engine and gearbox — clutch assembly

Parts involved: Clutch.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the car been used on track, and how often?”
  • “Has launch control been used regularly?”
  • “Has the clutch ever been replaced, and at what mileage?”

03S58 intake valve carbon build-up on the G87

Be there for a cold start and sit with the engine idling, because that is when a carboned engine shows itself.petrol2023–2025EngineRead the full fault: symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller

A 2016 BMW M2: what is due, and when

Servicing

Nothing left on the schedule

Every milestone is behind this car. The ones below are the receipts worth asking for.

Placed by the car’s age, not read from the dash — 69,000–161,000 km after 10 years.

Timing

Our research does not record which this engine uses, and it depends on the engine rather than the model. Check the owner’s manual rather than assume: on a belt-driven engine, an overdue belt is the failure that takes the engine with it.

Behind it

  • 60,000 kmFull transmission fluid and differential service to keep the M-diff performing optimally.
  • 80,000 kmA sensible time to inspect the water pump and thermostat housing for weeping.
  • 100,000 kmEvaluate the suspension bushings and engine mounts for perishing.

“Behind it” means the car has driven past that distance, not that the work was done — ask to see the receipts. These are the intervals for the First Generation · 3.0L (N55) - M2 Coupe · Petrol; only the car’s own service book says what has actually been done to it.

BMW M2 faults in detail

Narrowed to the BMW M2 · 2016. Each of these has its own page: the symptoms, where to look, what to ask the seller and what the repair costs. Free, no account needed.

Valve cover and oil filter housing gasket leaks (N55 / S55)Major · Fluid Leaks

Other BMW models

BMW 3 Series92 documented faultsBMW 5 Series62 documented faultsBMW 1 Series54 documented faultsBMW X67 documented faultsBMW M46 documented faultsBMW M56 documented faults

BMW M2 buyer questions

Is the BMW M2 reliable?

Like any used car, it depends on the specific example and its service history. Across the 8 documented faults for the BMW M2, the recurring problem areas are engine, cooling, and interior. A BMW M2 with a full service history and no signs of the issues listed on this page can be a sound buy but each one needs to be checked individually before you commit.

What are the most common problems with a used BMW M2?

We've catalogued 8 known faults for the BMW M2, covering engine, cooling, and interior. All 8 are written out in full on this page, with the symptoms to notice, what to inspect, and typical repair costs for each. Free to read, no account needed.

How much do repairs cost on a BMW M2?

Most single repairs on the BMW M2 fall between ≈A$740–2,390 at independent-workshop rates (an approximate guide in Australian dollars). Some of the 8 documented faults cost less and a few cost considerably more, and no one car needs them all. Knowing which ones to look for before you view is what lets you negotiate the price down or walk away.

Should I get a pre-purchase inspection on a BMW M2?

Yes. A BMW M2 inspection focused on its known weak points is the single best way to avoid an expensive mistake. KickTyres gives you a guided, model-specific inspection with AI photo analysis from A$28.90, far less than the cost of missing one of the faults on this page. For a big purchase, a mechanic's pre-purchase inspection on the car you settle on is still worth it.