NHTSA vehicle safety data

1996 BMW E46 Recalls & Complaints

The 1996 BMW E46 has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 1996 BMW E46. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

1996 BMW E46 owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 1996 BMW E46, describing incidents dated May 21, 2004.

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10191346 · Filed May 21, 2007
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW E46. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GAS IS LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN ON A DAILY BASIS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,000 AND…

Read the full complaint

FMVSS 108/AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR

NHTSA #06E040000 · Exterior Lighting · NHTSA notice

Reported May 15, 2006 · E SPEED RACING

Potentially affected: 1,648 vehicles

Owners notified May 10, 2006

Defect description

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 ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Safety consequence

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Manufacturer remedy

E SPEED RACING WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 10, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT E SPEED RACING 909-923-3636.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO E SPEED RACING AFTERMARKET COMBINATION LAMPS AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON THE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES.FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LAMP MODEL NUMBERS, CLICK ON DOCUMENT SEARCH AND VIEW DOCUMENT TITLED "LAMP MODEL NUMBERS."CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 1996 BMW E46. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 1996 BMW E46.

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #10191346

Incident: May 21, 2004 · Filed: May 21, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BMW E46. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GAS IS LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS NORMAL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEN ON A DAILY BASIS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 41,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

Other BMW E46 model years

Check your 1996 BMW E46 VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your BMW E46 at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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