2004 BMW E46 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 2004 BMW E46, 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
- Exterior lighting240.0%
- Airbags120.0%
- Electrical120.0%
- Visibility120.0%
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
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
BONJOUR, LES RFLECTEURS ZKW DE MES FEUX XNON SONT BRULS. MES FEUX N'CLAIRENT PLUS. *TR
FACTORY BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS GRADUALLY DIMMED. BY 77K MILES THE LIGHT OUTPUT WAS TOO DIM TO SAFELY DRIVE AT NIGHT. COMPARED TO A NEW MODEL AT DEALER WITH XENON LIGHTS AND FOUND VERY NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE. MECHANIC ANALYSIS FOUND METALLIZED PLASTIC REFLECTORS ON XENON BULBS HAD BURNED AND LOST THEIR REFLECTIVITY. REPLACEMENT REFLECTORS ARE NOT SOLD AS SERVICE PARTS BY BMW, SO REMEDY INVOLVES COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN HITTING POT HOLE AT AROUND 30MPH. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MANY E46'S THAT THE AIRBAG IS TOO SENSITIVE.
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 RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW STSTING THERE WAS NOW A RECALL FOR THE BAD GROUND WIRE ON THE REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT CAUSED THE METLING OF THE CONNECTOR. I HAD ALREADY SPENT $400 FOR THE FIX, NOW THEY RECALL THE PART. BMW NORTH AMERICA TOOK TOO LONG TO DO THIS, AND I AM GOING INTO THE DELAERSHIP TO SEE ABOUT GETTING A REFUND FOR THE SERVICE I PAID FOR THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER.
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
BONJOUR, LES RFLECTEURS ZKW DE MES FEUX XNON SONT BRULS. MES FEUX N'CLAIRENT PLUS. *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 .