BMW E46 years to avoid
No model year of the BMW E46 stands out with more than twice its typical number of complaints.
Best BMW E46 years
Not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
BMW E46 complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common BMW E46 problems
All model years combined.
- Body9
- Lights7
- Engine7
- Electrical7
- Transmission6
- Visibility3
- Seats3
- Airbags3
- Tires2
- Fuel system2
- Suspension1
BMW E46 problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | - | 4 | Lights | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2003 | - | 1 | Lights | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002 | - | 2 | Electrical | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2000 | - | 18 | Body | 76,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | - | 1 | Lights | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1997 | - | 4 | Airbags | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1996 | - | 1 | Fuel system | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1995 | - | 6 | Engine | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1994 | - | 3 | Electrical | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1993 | - | 3 | Seats | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1990 | - | 2 | Airbags | 0 | 0 |
Recalls 0
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the BMW E46
What years of the BMW E46 should you avoid?
No single model year of the BMW E46 has more than twice its typical number of owner complaints.
What is the best year for a used BMW E46?
There are not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
What is the most common problem with the BMW E46?
Body, with 9 complaints across all years, followed by lights (7) and engine (7).
How many recalls does the BMW E46 have?
No recalls on record.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used BMW E46?
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