Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW E46 · model year
1999 BMW E46
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 E46 is exterior lighting with 1 filings, followed by exterior lighting:tail lights (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 1999 E46. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.