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2003 BMW E46Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2003 BMW E46, most often about the exterior lighting. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage90kExterior lighting, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 25, 2010. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 BMW E46 has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Exterior lighting10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2003 BMW E46 recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other E46 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the E46 median. How we score

'90'93'94'95'96'97'99'00'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 BMW E46, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Rear Lamp IlluminationEA09019 · closed Sep 28, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-438
  2. REAR LAMP ILLUMINATIONPE09036 · closed Dec 22, 2009
    Led to recall 11V-438
In owners' words

What E46 owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

PLEASE LET THIS NOTICE SERVE AS A FORMAL PETITION FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF A SAFETY-RELATED DESIGN DEFECT. THE REAR TAIL LIGHT BULBS AREN'T WORKING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE GROUND WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR, CONNECTING TO THE BULB CARRIER SEEMS TO BE DAMAGED DUE TO A BAD GROUND. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING…
Complaint 10357440 · Sep 25, 2010 · 90,127 miles

Own a 2003 E46?

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