2004 BMW E46 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
5
Owner Complaints
1
Recall
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2004 BMW E46
The 2004 BMW E46 has received a total of 5 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There has been 1 recall campaign affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. The most commonly reported problems involve the Exterior Lighting (2 complaints), Air Bags (1 complaint), and Electrical System (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2004 BMW E46
NHTSA has recorded 1 recall for the 2004 BMW E46, potentially affecting up to 42,540 vehicles.
Recall 09E025000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
| 42,540 vehicles affected
Defect: DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.
Consequence: DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2004 BMW E46
5 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2004 BMW E46. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN HITTING POT HOLE AT AROUND 30MPH. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MANY E46'S THAT THE AIRBAG IS TOO SENSITIVE.
BONJOUR, LES RFLECTEURS ZKW DE MES FEUX XNON SONT BRULS. MES FEUX N'CLAIRENT PLUS. *TR
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
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.
Safety Rating for the 2004 BMW E46
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2004 BMW E46 in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2004 BMW E46
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2004 BMW E46
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BMW E46
- 1999 BMW E46 — 2 complaints
- 2000 BMW E46 — 19 complaints
- 2001 BMW E46 — 0 complaints
- 2002 BMW E46 — 2 complaints
- 2003 BMW E46 — 1 complaint
- 2004 BMW E46 (current)
- 2005 BMW E46 — 0 complaints