| Rank | Heat | Nation | Athletes | Time | Notes |
| 1 | 2 | Australia | Chris Troode, Sean Wroe, Mark Ormrod, Clinton Hill | 3:03.04 | Q |
| 2 | 2 | | Andrew Steele, Martyn Rooney, Matthew Douglas, Robert Tobin | 3:03.91 | Q |
| 3 | 1 | | Dennis Darling, Dominic Demeritte, Timothy Munnings, Avard Moncur | 3:03.96 | Q |
| 4 | 1 | | Damion Barry, Julieon Raeburn, Sherridan Kirk, Ato Modibo | 3:04.14 | Q |
| 5 | 2 | | Bola Lawal, Musa Audu, Saul Welgopwa, James Godday | 3:04.18 | Q |
| 6 | 1 | | Jan van der Merwe, Ofentse Mogawane, Ruben Makola, Paul Gorries | 3:04.24 | Q |
| 7 | 2 | | Lancford Davis, Lansford Spence, Ian Weakley, Davian Clarke | 3:05.14 | q |
| 8 | 2 | | Rohan Kumara, Rohitha Pushpakumara, Shiwantha Weerasuriya, Prasanna Amarasekara | 3:06.96 | q |
| 9 | 2 | | Waisea Finau, Navitalai Naivalu, Iliesa Namosimalua, Niko Verekauta | 3:07.73 | |
| 10 | 1 | | Julius Kirwa, Vincent Kiilu, Selesio Njiru Mugo, Wambua Musembi | 3:08.07 | |
| 11 | 1 | | Jean Degrace, Fernando Augustin, Eric Milazar, Ommanandsing Kowlessur | 3:08.19 | |
| 2 | | Oganeditse Moseki, Gakologelwang Masheto, Obakeng Ngigwa, Johnson Kubisa | | |
| 1 | | Hassan Fullah, Albert Kobba, Samuel Randall, Sandy Walker | | |
| 1 | | Matt Elias, Dai Greene, Christian Malcolm, Iwan Thomas | | |
