RoadVitals

2000 BMW E46 Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints 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.
8
Latest Oct 15, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
44%
of 18 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 BMW E46 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming body or structure

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structure
Filed Oct 15, 2007

THE PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 323 CI BMW IS, THE REAR MOUNTING POINTS FOR THE SUBFRAME HAVE RIPPED OUT FROM THEIR SPOTS IN THE SHEET METAL BECAUSE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMITS THE TORSIONAL LOAD FROM THE ENGINE THROUGH THE SUBFRAME, THEN INTO THE CHASSIS. THE CONSTANT LOADING AND UNLOADING WEAKENS THE INSUFFICIENT SHEET METAL, CAUSING IT TO FATIGUE AND SEPARATE FROM THE CHASSIS. THIS FAILURE OF THE CHASSIS THREATENS THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE COST TO FIX THIS DEFECT IS AROUND $9,000. *JB

NHTSA ID
10205743
Incident
Sep 24, 2007
Mileage
51,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jan 18, 2007

I DRIVE A 2000 328CI BMW WITH 84,000 MILES ON IT. 1. IT HAS BEEN A DAILY DRIVER FOR 3 YEARS. 2. THE SUBFRAME HAS TORN BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL. 3. BMW IS NOT RECOGNIZING THIS AS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND IS GIVING A HARD TIME COVERING THE FIX. *NM

NHTSA ID
10179069
Incident
Dec 21, 2006
Mileage
84,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 24, 2006

REAR SUBFRAME CRACKING FROM MOUNTING POINT ON DRIVERS SIDE. VERY UNSAFE, CREAKING CLUNKING NOISES FROM REAR OF VEHICLE DUE TO THIS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10176886
Incident
Dec 24, 2000
Mileage
95,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 2, 2006

THIS CAR IS MY DAILY DRIVING CAR AND THAT IS ITS SOLE PURPOSE. THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT HAS BEGUN TO RIP OUT OF THE CAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, BUT BMW HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND I AM AWAITING THEIR REPLY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10174979
Incident
Nov 20, 2006
Mileage
76,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 11, 2006

SUBFRAME DAMAGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AT 68,000 MILES, CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE DURING OPERATION. NO CORRECTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED, STILL WORKING WITH BMWNA TO STOP WITH THE "RUN AROUND" STORY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10170593
Incident
May 1, 2006
Mileage
68,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Oct 8, 2006

AT ABOUT 106K MILES I NOTICED A CREAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT HAS MULTIPLE STRESS FRACTURES AND SEPARATIONS AT THE POINT WHERE THE MOUNT IS WELDED TO THE UNIBODY. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL REQUIRED MAINT. AT NORMAL INTERVALS. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY 90% OF THE TIME AND THE REST IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS. IT IS A FAMILY CAR AND HAS HAD NO MODIFICATIONS PERIOD. THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THE SUSPENSION SHOULD NEVER SEPERATE FROM THE BODY BECAUSE OF TORSIONAL FORCES FROM THE TRANS/DIFF. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I IMPLORE THE NHTSA TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE DIES !! *NM

NHTSA ID
10170218
Incident
Oct 1, 2006
Mileage
106,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 27, 2006

AT APPROXIMATE 73,000 MILES I NOTICED A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM MY CAR, I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE FOUND CRACKS IN THE SUBFRAME AROUND THE LEFT REAR BUSHING. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS CAR AND MODEL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SO FAR ARE SAYING IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10163758
Incident
Jul 27, 2006
Mileage
73,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 27, 2004

MY BMW 328CI YEAR 2000 HAS A FACTORY DEFECT AND THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. SEPERATION OF REAR UNDER CHASIS, MY CAR IS IN THE DEALER NOW AT BMW SAN FRANCISCO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BMW NORTH AMERICA DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY ARE CHARGING ME $22000 FOR REPAIR. THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS IN AUGUST AND ITS ONLY 37K MILES ON IT. I TALKED TO THE BODY SHOP OF BMW SAN FRANCISCO AND THEY SHOWED ME 3 CARS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM . A $45K CAR EASY TO SEPERATED THE UNDERCHASIS AND SO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I HOPE YOU TAKE A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK ON THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10078873
Incident
Jun 10, 2004
Mileage
37,000 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .