The Lemon Index
BMW's 4.0 L naturally aspirated V8 in the M3, model years 2008–2013. YouTube likes the 2008 best.
Less liked than most on YouTube: YouTube owner tone 43/100, #123 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 5 known issues listed below.
Reliability by year
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2008 (44) and least about the 2010 (42); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
Owner score = the whole car's Lemon Index where this was its only engine that year; a gray dot means the model shared engines, so the number isn't this engine's alone. How we count
How each number is matched to the engine: (a) complaints filed under a version name that used only this engine that year (e.g. "335I"); (b) the model had only this engine that year, so its Lemon Index (complaints per car sold vs the average car) applies to every car with this engine; "all engines combined" = the model had several engines under one name, so its number is not this engine's alone. Owner complaints cover the whole car (brakes, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine. None of these is a failure rate. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts that name the engine or a version that used it. A video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of its generation, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars with it | Owner complaints | Complaints naming "S65" | YouTube says | Top complaint areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | BMW M3 M3 | 82 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 5 | 44 (172 videos, 6 naming 2008) | transmission & drivetrain, engine, electrical |
| 2009 | BMW M3 M3 | 45 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 1 | 43 (170 videos, 4 naming 2009) | transmission & drivetrain, air bags, electrical |
| 2010 | BMW M3 M3 | 15 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 0 | 42 (172 videos, 6 naming 2010) | air bags, engine, transmission & drivetrain |
| 2011 | BMW M3 M3 | 41 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 3 | 43 (173 videos, 7 naming 2011) | engine, air bags, electrical |
| 2012 | BMW M3 M3 | 6 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 0 | 44 (171 videos, 5 naming 2012) | air bags, engine |
| 2013 | BMW M3 M3 | 13 complaints (b: only engine in BMW M3; no sales data, so no per-car score) | 0 | 43 (169 videos, 3 naming 2013) | air bags, engine, transmission & drivetrain |
Known issues on record
- Rod bearings (Owner-reported). Tight bearing clearances plus hard revving on cold oil wear the bearings early. A spun bearing can end the engine. Fix: Preventive bearings around 60,000–80,000 miles (BMWBLOG). Warm the oil first. 30 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (E9x M3).
- Throttle actuators (Owner-reported). The two actuators that drive the throttle bodies wear out inside and trigger limp mode (codes 2B15, 2B16, 2B21). Fix: Rebuilt or new actuators, often both at once. 4 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (E9x M3).
- Idle control actuator (BMW warranty extension). BMW extended coverage on the idle control actuator to 10 years / 120,000 miles for 2013 coupes and convertibles. Not a recall.
- M DCT gearbox (Owner complaints). The M DCT is the gearbox E9x owners name most in complaints, mostly on 2008–2009 cars. A 2008 recall (08V595000) covered about 2,500 DCT cars. 50 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (E9x M3).
- BMW extended the warranty on the S65 idle control actuator to 10 years / 120,000 miles for 2013 M3 coupes and convertibles (service bulletin SI B01 03 16, filed with NHTSA); BMW said it is not a recall. (Wikipedia)
Sources: BMWBLOG: BMW S65 engine reliability, tuning, maintenance (2025), ECS Tuning: common problems for the BMW E92 M3, BMW NA SI B01 03 16: S65 idle control actuator warranty extension (filed with NHTSA), NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; Wikipedia, BMW S65. The same list as on the M3 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Model and version | Years | Power |
|---|---|---|
| BMW M3 M3 | 2008–13 | 414 hp · 295 lb-ft |
Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Engine and power: Wikipedia, BMW S65 (BMW ratings; US figures can differ by a few hp).
Quick answers
What cars have the BMW S65 engine?
In the US: the M3, model years 2008–2013. See the version table for each one.
Is the S65 reliable?
Not one of the safer bets on our data. YouTube owner tone 43/100, #123 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 5 known issues listed below. The most owner complaints (about any part of the car) filed under version names that used this engine were for the 2008 (82). Counts follow sales, so this is not a failure rate. Government complaints are filed by model and year, not engine, and they cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate. We only credit a number to this engine where the version name or the model year leaves no doubt. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the S65 make?
BMW rated it at 414 hp in US versions, depending on the car and year.