Total Complaints
5 filings
BMW E46 · model year
2004 BMW E46
5 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2004BMWE46 carries 5 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 2004 E46 is exterior lighting with 2 filings, followed by electrical system (1) and visibility/wiper (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 1 active recall campaign, 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 2004 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.
5
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 | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
Recalls (1)
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
20160610AIR BAGS
AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN HITTING POT HOLE AT AROUND 30MPH. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MANY E46'S THAT THE AIRBAG IS TOO SENSITIVE.
Mileage: 131,000
20120531VISIBILITY/WIPER
BONJOUR, LES RFLECTEURS ZKW DE MES FEUX XNON SONT BRULS. MES FEUX N'CLAIRENT PLUS. *TR
Mileage: 190,000
20120531EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BONJOUR, LES RFLECTEURS ZKW DE MES FEUX XNON SONT BRULS. MES FEUX N'CLAIRENT PLUS. *TR
Mileage: 190,000
20120216EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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
Mileage: 77,000
20120117ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
Mileage: 80,000
Compare 2004BMWE46 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2004 BMW E46 have?▼
The 2004 BMW E46 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2004 BMW E46?▼
Yes, the 2004 BMW E46 has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW E46?▼
The most-complained component for the 2004 BMW E46 is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and VISIBILITY/WIPER.
Is the 2004 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.