RoadVitals

1994 BMW E46

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
3
Latest Oct 17, 2007
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 15, 2006
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 3 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1994 BMW E46, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and transmission categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 2 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes133.3%
  • Electrical133.3%
  • Transmission133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
06E040000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

May 15, 2006
1,648 units potentially affected
The defect: CERTAIN E SPEED RACING COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The remedy: E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.
E SPEED RACINGView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Brakes
Filed Oct 17, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 BMW E46. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR HIS VEHICLE. HE MOVED, WHICH MAY BE THE REASON WHY HE HAS NOT RECEIVED IT IN THE MAIL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH HE HAS NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. HE STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE BRAKE LIGHT REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10205996
Incident
May 1, 2007
Transmission
Filed Sep 1, 2007

I WAS RECENTLY DRIVING A 1994 BMW 740I WITH APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES ON IT, IT HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL, AND UNEXPECTEDLY THE TRANSMISSION WILL "REST" IN A NEUTRAL STATE WHEN IT IS PUT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS MEANS IT WILL GO BACKWARDS WHEN IT IS ON AN INCLINE, MAKING IT VERY UNSAFE. THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST PREVIOUSLY WITH THE VEHICLE, AND AFTER MANY MANY HOURS OF RESEARCHING ONLINE, THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS MANY DIFFERENT MODELS OF VEHICLE THAT BMW MAKES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10201654
Incident
Aug 14, 2007
Mileage
110,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 26, 2007

I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE MY BMW BECAUSE OF A FAULTY DOUBLE-LOCKING ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. IT WAS QUITE TRAUMATIC. BMW USA REFUSES TO BE OF ANY HELP....OR TO REPLACE THE DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM SOFTWARE BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE'S AGE, DESPITE THE CANADIAN AND USA RECALL OF SIMILAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS. THE CAR WAS IMMOBILIZED AND THE WINDOWS UNABLE TO OPEN. (THE OWNER'S MANUAL NOTES THIS SYSTEM IS NOT TO BE ENGAGED WHILE PASSENGERS ARE IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS "POSITIVELY" NO WAY OUT, IT SAYS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM IS TO USE THE MASTER KEY ON THE OUTSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK). AFTER ONE HOUR, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS FOR SOMEONE TO BREAK THE GLASS WINDOW FROM THE OUTSIDE FOR ME TO EXIT. THIS SYSTEM HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED, HOWEVER, MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE BMW 525IS DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM WAS RECALLED IN 1994 (FOR THE SAME DOUBLE LOCKING SYSTEM-SEE BELOW) THERE IS A CANADIAN RECALL, I LEARNED IN MY RESEARCH ALSO (SEE BELOW) UNITED STATES RECALL FOR THE 525 SERIES (NOT THE 530 WHICH IS OURS) NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 94V219000 COMPONENT: 1994 BMW 5-SERIES LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH 1994 BMW 525ITA LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH THE DOUBLE-LOCK FEATURE CAN ENGAGE WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EXIT EITHER FROM THE DOORS OR FROM THE WINDOWS OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVE-AWAY PROTECTION WOULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM STARTING. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERAL CONTROL MODULE WITH ONE CONTAINING THE REVISED SOFTWARE TO PERMIT WINDOW OPENING WITH THE DOUBLE-LOCK ENGAGED AND KEY IN THE IGNITION. CANADIAN RECALL FOR THE 530 SERIES WHICH IS OURS MAKE: BMW MODEL: 530ITA THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM DOUBLE LOCK FEATURE COULD UNINTENTIONALLY BE ENGAGED WITH OCCUPANTS AND THE DOOR/IGNITION KEY INSIDE THE CAR. THIS COULD OCCUR IF ANY SYSTEM COMPONENTS MALFUNCTIONED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10180857
Incident
Jan 24, 2007

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B000706

EQUIPMENT

When using the Key Reader to retrieve information from the customer’s key, the data is not updated or current.

B630516

EQUIPMENT; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES

Moisture is visible on the inside of one or both headlights

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW E46 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2005012—
2004412—
2003112—
2002223—
2001040—
2000184041.5
1999140—
1998020—
1997410—
1996110—
1995610—
1994Viewing310—
1993310—
1992010—
1991010—
1990210—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.