Total Complaints
2 filings
BMW E46 · model year
2002 BMW E46
2 NHTSA complaints, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002BMWE46 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 2002 E46 is visibility:rearview mirrors/devices with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (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. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 34 investigation files overlapping the 2002 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 |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recalls (2)
06E04000015/05/2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
CERTAIN E SPEED RACING COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIA
09E02500011/05/2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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
Recent Complaints
20150311ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
LOOK AT THIS - ANOTHER BMW RECALL IS IN ORDER MY BATTERY KEEPS GETTING FLOODED WITH WATER AND THEN THE CAR WON'T START UNDER SNOW THE ICE MELTS AND SOMEHOW GETTING INTO THE COMPARTMENT WITH THE BATTERY IN THE BOOT NOTHING ELSE IN THE BOOT IS WET - NOT EVEN ON THE PLASTIC PLATE THAT COVERS THE BATTERY BUT IT GETS INTO THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT AND THERE IS NO DRAIN FOR THE WATER TO GO SO MY CAR FAILS TO START MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS ONE WEBSITE IS THIS ALSO CHECK ON BIMMERFEST - TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION AND COMPLAINING TO BMW WHICH WON'T DO THE RECALL YOU NEED TO FORCE THEM TO DO THE RECALL HTTP://WWW.E90POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=949111 THEY SHOULD BE FIXING THE LEAK WHEN THEY DO THE LAMP RECALLS WHICH IS ALSO PROBABLY CAUSING FAILURE TO START ISSUES NEXT ISSUE IS THE WINDOW REGULATORS - GOOGLE THAT ISSUE YOU WILL SEE THE INTERNET IS FLOODED WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING THEY CAN'T GET THEIR WINDOWS TO ROLL UP ON THIS CAR I HAVE VERY LIT
Mileage: 45,000
20081231VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
THE REARVIEW MIRROR LEAKED AND IT IS BLURRY NOW IN MY 2002 BMW M3. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT HAS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF BMW'S. DEALER WON'T REPLACE AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. MIRROR IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ITEM AND OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. *TR
Mileage: 25,000
Compare 2002BMWE46 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 BMW E46 have?▼
The 2002 BMW E46 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2002 BMW E46?▼
Yes, the 2002 BMW E46 has 2 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 BMW E46?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 BMW E46 is VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2002 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.