Model year

1995 BMW E46

Sedan, gasoline, built in Germany. Owner complaints on file from Aug 24, 2006 to Dec 11, 2007.

Recall campaigns covering this model year11,648 vehicles or units across those campaigns
Owner complaints6Below the median 1995 sedan
Severity index0.01995 sedans average 16.4
First 24 months0Complaints in its first two years
Complaints over time

Complaints about the 1995 BMW E46 peaked in 2007, with 4 filed

Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.

01234200642008201020122014201620182020202220242026
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. The lighter column runs through October.
Components

33% of complaints about the 1995 BMW E46 name engine and cooling

Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.

Engine and cooling
2
Electrical system
1
Fuel system
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. A complaint can name more than one component; it is counted under the first.
Recalls

One recall campaign covers the 1995 BMW E46

Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.

Recall campaigns for the 1995 BMW E46
CampaignFiledSubjectComponentVehiclesRemedy
06E-040May 15, 2006Certain e speed racing combination lamps sold as replacement equipment for use on certain passenger vehicles listed aboveLighting1,648Refund or buyback
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.
Owner complaints

What owners reported about the 1995 BMW E46

The full text of every complaint filed with NHTSA about this model year, newest first. Complaints are filed by owners and are not verified by NHTSA; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.

6 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.

  1. Filed Dec 11, 2007Failure Sep 9, 2007200,000 milesNO. Plainfield, NJFuel system, Tank assembly

    MY FUEL TANK SUCKED ITSELF INWARD DUE TO A DEFECTIVE VENT HOSE. BMW KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND ISSUED A SERVICE FLASH IN 1998. (16 04 97) THE VENT HOSE IS CONNECTED TO THE CHARCOAL EMISSIONS CANISTER. PRESENTLY, MY TANKS CAPACITY IS REDUCED BY A FACTOR OF OVER . FURTHERMORE, MY TANK LEAKS GASOLINE FROM A CREASE IN THE DENT, WHICH RESULTED FROM THE INWARD COLLAPSE. I HAVE PERSONALLY READ THE STORIES OF AT LEAST 30 OTHER BMW MODEL E38 OWNERS, WHO HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS. IN SOME CASES, THEIR FUEL TANKS RUPTURED WITHOUT WARNING, SPILLING GASOLINE ALL AROUND THEIR VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED BY BMW ANY LONGER. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10211507
  2. Filed Aug 13, 2007Failure Aug 13, 2007160,753 milesAsheboro, NCTires

    ON 8/13/07, I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR ON NC HWY 52 NORTHBOUND (A 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY) WHEN I HAD A SUDDEN MASSIVE BLOW OUT OF A MICHELIN TIRE ON THE LEFT REAR OF MY VEHICLE, A 1995 BMW 325 IS. THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE TIRE WAS NOT LOW ON AIR PRESSURE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY PUNCTURE AS VERIFIED BY THE TIRE DEALERSHIP OWNER. THE TIRE IS A MICHELIN ENERGY PLUS MXV4, SIZE 205/60R15. IT HAS THE FOLLOWING LETTERING ON IT: DOT APTM W17X 2306. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE 2306 INDICATES THE WEEK OF MANUFACTURE. THE TIRE HAD 12,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS A COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE OUTSIDE SIDE WALL FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. WITH SOME STRUGGLE, I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO VEHICLE BESIDE OF ME AS I HAD TO UTILIZE BOTH OF THE LANES IN MY DIRECTION TO REGAIN CONTROL. ON THE SAME DAY, I SHOWED THE TIRE TO THE OWNER OF C&C TIRE IN ASHEBORO, NC (336-629-6634) WHERE THE FOUR NEW MICHILEN TIRES WERE PURCHASED AND INSTALLED ON 4/14/07. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO MY VEHICLE AND NO PERSONAL INJURY WAS INCURRED. I AM AWAITING A CALL FROM THE MICHELIN REPRESENTATIVE TO DISCUSS REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE. I WISH TO REPORT THIS INCIDENT ONLY SO THAT IT CAN BE INVESTIGATED WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM THAT IS WIDE SPREAD. *JB

    NHTSA complaint 10199466
  3. Filed May 3, 2007Failure May 3, 2007West Hollywood, CARadiator assembly

    IN 1995 I PURCHASED A BMW 318TI. I HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT THERE HAD BEEN THREE RECALLS ON THIS BMW MODEL. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OF THE RECALL NOTICES. NOT ONE NOTICE FROM BMW. THE FIRST RECALL HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM. THE HEATER HAS NOT WORKED FOR 8 YEARS AND THE A/C HAS PROBLEMS ALSO. SINCE LEARNING OF THESE RECALLS I REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. *TR

    NHTSA complaint 10189610
  4. Filed Mar 1, 2007Failure Feb 12, 2005105,000 milesFlorence, SCGlass, Side/rear

    THE DELAMINATION OF THE SECURITY GLASS ON MY BMW 750IL. THIS HAS BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE WITH OTHER OWNERS AS WELL. MY SIDE AND REAR WINDOWS HAVE BECOME SO CLOUDY THAT THEY LOOK LIKE MAGNIFYING GLASS. I LITERALLY HAVE TO LET MY WINDOWS DOWN WHEN APPROACHING TRAFFIC TO ENSURE MY PATH IS CLEAR. *NM

    NHTSA complaint 10183959
  5. Filed Sep 13, 2006Failure Aug 19, 2006205,233 milesSAN Luis Obispo, CAFuses and circuit breakers

    FAULT IN THE CONTACTS ON LIGHTING. A CONTINUING FAULT ON THE BRAKE CIRCUIT CAUSES THE WARNING LIGHTS TO COME ON AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS DURING THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE. AFTER CHANGING 4 SET OF REAR TAIL LIGHT BULBS DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR I HAD MY MECHANIC CLEAN THE CONTACTS. WITHIN 3 MONTHS ON CLEANING, THE FAULT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. AFTER A DAY OR SO THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND HAS NOT RETURNED. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS MY BULBS WERE CHANGED 3 TIMES LAST YEAR ON FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS. *JB

    NHTSA complaint 10168130
  6. Filed Aug 24, 2006Failure Apr 20, 2006SAN Francisco, CAGasoline

    PROBLEMS RUNNING THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD HAD OIL LEAK DUE TO FAILURE OF HEAD GASKET REQUIRING $ 3000 REPAIR. *JB

    NHTSA complaint 10166453
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Investigations

NHTSA has not opened an investigation on this model year

Source: NHTSA ODI investigations file.
Service bulletins

2 manufacturer communications cover this model year

Technical service bulletins and other notices the manufacturer sent to dealers. A bulletin is not a recall.

  • B000706 Nov 13, 2023 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
    When using the Key Reader to retrieve information from the customerâ™s key, the data is not updated or current.
  • B630516 Jun 1, 2021 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
    Moisture is visible on the inside of one or both headlights
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications files.