Complaints over time
Complaints about the 2002 BMW E46 peaked in 2008, with 1 filed
Owner complaints about this model year, by the year they were filed with NHTSA.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. The lighter column runs through October.
Model year
2002 BMW E46
Body and fuel not decoded. Owner complaints on file from Dec 31, 2008 to Mar 11, 2015.
Recall campaigns covering this model year244k vehicles or units across those campaigns
Owner complaints22.0 times the median 2002 vehicle
Severity index0.0Crash, fire, injury or death per 100
First 24 months0Complaints in its first two years
Components
50% of complaints about the 2002 BMW E46 name electrical system
Owner complaints by component. Hover or focus a bar for the crash, fire, injury or death count.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file. A complaint can name more than one component; it is counted under the first.
Recalls
2 recall campaigns cover the 2002 BMW E46
Check a specific vehicle by VIN on NHTSA's site: a campaign may cover only part of a model year's production.
| Campaign | Filed | Subject | Component | Vehicles | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09E-025 | May 11, 2009 | These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated… | Lighting | 42,540 | Refund or buyback |
| 06E-040 | May 15, 2006 | Certain e speed racing combination lamps sold as replacement equipment for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above | Lighting | 1,648 | Refund or buyback |
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.
Owner complaints
What owners reported about the 2002 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.
2 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.
- Filed Mar 11, 2015Failure Mar 11, 201545,000 milesFranklin Square, NYElectrical system
LOOK AT THIS - ANOTHER BMW RECALL IS IN ORDER MY BATTERY KEEPS GETTING FLOODED WITH WATER AND THEN THE CAR WON'T START UNDER SNOW THE ICE MELTS AND SOMEHOW GETTING INTO THE COMPARTMENT WITH THE BATTERY IN THE BOOT NOTHING ELSE IN THE BOOT IS WET - NOT EVEN ON THE PLASTIC PLATE THAT COVERS THE BATTERY BUT IT GETS INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT AND THERE IS NO DRAIN FOR THE WATER TO GO SO MY CAR FAILS TO START MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS ONE WEBSITE IS THIS ALSO CHECK ON BIMMERFEST - TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION AND COMPLAINING TO BMW WHICH WON'T DO THE RECALL YOU NEED TO FORCE THEM TO DO THE RECALL HTTP://WWW.E90POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=949111 THEY SHOULD BE FIXING THE LEAK WHEN THEY DO THE LAMP RECALLS WHICH IS ALSO PROBABLY CAUSING FAILURE TO START ISSUES NEXT ISSUE IS THE WINDOW REGULATORS - GOOGLE THAT ISSUE YOU WILL SEE THE INTERNET IS FLOODED WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING THEY CAN'T GET THEIR WINDOWS TO ROLL UP ON THIS CAR I HAVE VERY LITTLE MILEAGE FOR A 2002 - UNDER 50K AND YET I AM ALREADY REPLACING MY THIRD WINDOW REGULATOR - THAT IS THE REGULATOR ON BOTH FRONT WINDOWS WENT AND ONE OF THE BACK WINDOWS NOW WENT - $200-400 REPAIR JOB BIG PROBLEMS WITH BMW AND I CALLED THEM AND COMPLAINED AND THEY WON'T REIMBURSE UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WHICH THEY SAID THEY'VE NO INTENTION OF DOING TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THESE ISSUES FOR IT NOT TO BE A BMW RECALL - THEY WON'T PASS YOUR CAR FOR INSPECTION WITH THE WINDOW DOWN OBVIOUSLY ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10693755 - Filed Dec 31, 2008Failure Dec 30, 200825,000 milesHouston, TXRearview mirrors/devices
THE REARVIEW MIRROR LEAKED AND IT IS BLURRY NOW IN MY 2002 BMW M3. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF BMW'S. DEALER WON'T REPLACE AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MIRROR IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ITEM AND OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR
NHTSA complaint 10253371
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints file.
Investigations
3 NHTSA investigations on file
- EA09019 Engineering analysis, Lighting
Rear Lamp Illumination
Opened Dec 18, 2009, closed Sep 28, 2011 · led to a recall - PE09036 Preliminary evaluation, Lighting
REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION
Opened Aug 7, 2009, closed Dec 22, 2009 · led to a recall - DP09002 Defect petition, Lighting
REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION
Opened Apr 8, 2009, closed Aug 6, 2009
Source: NHTSA ODI investigations file.
Service bulletins
14 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 - SIB-63-02-01 Aug 1, 2010 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM - SIB-16-02-09 Dec 1, 2009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES… - SI-B12-22-08 Oct 1, 2009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
BMW: VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS RECALL 08E-A03; M3 S54-DME REPROGRAMMING FOR CATALYST CONVERSION DIAGNOSIS. THE DME PROGRAMMING, AS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED, MAY CAUSE THE OBD DIAGNOSTIC TO ERRONEOUSLY EVALUATE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. *PE - 640502 Mar 1, 2003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
IHKA BLOWS TOO HOT AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 32 DEGREES F. *TT - 240203 Jun 1, 2003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
HARSH 3-2, 2-1 DOWNSHIFT WHEN COMING TO A STOP. PRODUCED 10/02 UP TO 04/03. *TT - 240303 Oct 1, 2006 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
HARSH 3-2 AND 2-1 DOWNSHIFTS (WITH CLUNK NOISE) WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *TT UPDATED. *KB - 121302 Jan 1, 2003 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
REPROGRAMMING DME. *TT - 230402 Nov 1, 2002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
SMG TRANSMISSION; CLUTCH DOES NOT ENGAGE. *TT - 841302 Oct 1, 2002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
BATTERY DISCHARGED AFTER CTP8000 INSTALLATION. *TT - 230702 Jul 23, 2002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
SUBJECT REGARDING INTERMITTENT ACCELERATOR PEDAL FEEL PROBLEM - REVISED WITH SIMPLIFIED ORDERING PROCEDURE FOR CERTAIN MODELS INCLUDING E65/E66 SINCE SERIES INTRODUCTION UP TO 06/02. *TT - 350102 Jul 1, 2002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
SUBJECT REGARDING INTERMITTENT ACCELERATOR PEDAL FEEL PROBLEM FOR CERTAIN MODELS ESPECIALLY THE E65/E66 MODELS. *TT - SIB350102 Jul 1, 2002 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
CUSTOMER MAY COMPLAIN OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FEELINGNOTCHY OR NOT MOVING SMOOTHLY WHEN DEPRESSED IN SMALL INCREMENTS ON CERTAIN MODELS INCLUDING E52, E53 AND E65/E66 VEHICLES FROM SERIES INTRODUCTION UP TO 06/02. *T
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications files.