Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW E46 · model year
1999 BMW E46
2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1999BMWE46 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1999 E46 is exterior lighting with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:tail lights (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1999 E46. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20111228EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW E46. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TAIL LIGHT WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY FOR MODEL YEARS 2001-2003. UPDATED 02/08/12
Mileage: 140,000
20111228EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BMW E46. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED BOTH REAR TAIL LIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE TAIL LIGHT WIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS ONLY FOR MODEL YEARS 2001-2003. UPDATED 02/08/12
Mileage: 140,000
Compare 1999BMWE46 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1999 BMW E46 have?▼
The 1999 BMW E46 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BMW E46?▼
The most-complained component for the 1999 BMW E46 is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS.
Is the 1999 BMW E46 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1999 BMW E46; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.