2002 BMW E36 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2002 BMW E36, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure222.2%
- Driver assistance111.1%
- Electrical111.1%
- Seat belts111.1%
- Suspension111.1%
- Tires & wheels111.1%
- Transmission111.1%
- Visibility111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING UP AND THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REMOVED TO REINSTALL THE MOLDING. PRETTY BIZARRE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *TR
I WAS HEARING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR TOOK IT INTO BMW, AND THEY SAID THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS CRACKING. THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO! ALSO THE REAR CONTROL ARM BUSHING ARE BAD WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR OR IN REVERSE! *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BMW E36. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AND WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE RPM'S INCREASED TO 750. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 89,950 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I AM LEASING A 2002 BMW 745LI . I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS GONE TO THE BMW SERVICE CENTER A TOTAL OF 33 TIMES FOR SERVICE MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. A FEW TIMES CAR HAS BROKEN DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. THIS VEHICLE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA VIA PHONE, EMAILS, AND LETTERS, THEY SEEM NOT TO CARE? THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER SHIP TOLD ME THAT THIS BMW MODEL YEAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT HEADACHES AND PROBLEMS FOR THEM. I FEAR FOR THE WELL BEING OF MY FAMILY WHEN THEY ENTER THIS VEHICLE. THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS MODEL HAS HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR FROM ITS ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. I AM PAYING FOR A PIECE OF METAL! THIS VEHICLE IS ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER. I DEMAND THAT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA STAND BY ITS PRODUCT AND PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE BACK FROM ME. THE MANUFACTURER (BMW OF NORTH OF AMERICA) BUILT A PRODUCT THAT HAS DEFECTS. THEIR OWN TECHNICIANS CANNOT FIX THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO 4 DIFFERENT BMW SERVICE CENTERS. I HAVE COMPLETE RECORDS. AGAIN I DEMAND BMW OF NORTH AMERICA TO RELIEVE ME FROM THIS VEHICLE! *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS INSERTED INTO DOESN'T HOLD THE BUCKLE ANY LONGER. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS NO LONGER USABLE. THE PART IS TO BE REPLACED BY THE LOCAL BMW DEALER (NOT UNDER WARRANTY), WHO WILL HAVE THE OLD PART. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS HEARING NOISES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR TOOK IT INTO BMW, AND THEY SAID THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS CRACKING. THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO! ALSO THE REAR CONTROL ARM BUSHING ARE BAD WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR OR IN REVERSE! *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
BMW 325XI 2002 BOUGHT USED IN MINT CONDITION WITH 60000 MILES DRIVETRAIN VIBRATION RELATED TO TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT BEARING. BMW INTERNATIONAL SAID THAT WAS TOO BAD, BUT NOT CONCERND AT THE FAILURE. EXPECTED AS THAT YEAR HAD PROBLEMS WITH TRANSFER CASE BEARINGS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
AFTER 100,000+ MILES OF NORMAL OPERATION THE 2002, BMW X5 4.4 BEGAN EXHIBITING UNUSUAL TRANSMISSION OPERATION. AT RANDOM TIMES, DURING START UP, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO REV VERY HIGH, THEN ENGAGE IN 1ST, CAUSING AN ABRUPT LURCH FORWARD. ALSO, IT WILL EXPERIENCE THIS DISENGAGEMENT SOMETIMES WHEN DOWN SHIFTING INTO PASSING GEAR, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV, AND A LOSS OF FORWARD MOTION, AND THEN AN ABRUPT ENGAGEMENT, RESULTING IN A MAJOR LURCH FORWARD. THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AS YOU CANNOT BE CERTAIN THE TRANSMISSION WILL ENGAGE OR DISENGAGE WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC OR PERFORMING PASSING MANEUVERS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM THERE IS CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET AS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ,AND HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED NOW FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS. IT IS RELATED TO ZF SUPPLIED TRANSMISSIONS ON BMW AND JAGUAR VEHICLES, AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE CONTROLLING SOFTWARE THE BMW DEALER SUGGESTED I REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $7,600 , AND HAS NOT INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO EXPLORE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS OR ADMIT ANY COMMON PROBLEM EXISTED. REPORTS ON THE INTERNET INDICATED THAT SOMETIMES A SOFTWARE UPDATE WILL CURE THIS PROBLEM, AND SOMETIMES NOT, AS IT OCCURRED IN BOTH OLD AND NEW VEHICLES. AS AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD, I AM STILL CONDUCTING MY OWN ANALYSIS, BUT AM COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS A BMW AND ZF PROBLEM THAT NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA AS A CRITICAL SAFETY HAZARD IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING UP AND THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD HAS TO BE REMOVED TO REINSTALL THE MOLDING. PRETTY BIZARRE FOR SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .