NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 BMW E46 Recalls & Complaints

The 2002 BMW E46 has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized BMW dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 BMW E46. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2002 BMW E46 owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 BMW E46, describing incidents dated December 30, 2008 to March 11, 2015.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 1 complaint
Visibility/Wiper 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10693755 · Filed March 11, 2015
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…
ODI #10253371 · Filed December 31, 2008
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

Read all 2 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2002 BMW E46 in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA09-019: Rear Lamp Illumination
Closed September 28, 2011
- Recall 11V-438
Preliminary Evaluation PE09-036: REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION
Closed December 22, 2009
- Recall 11V-438
Defect Petition DP09-002: REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION
Closed August 6, 2009

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

FMVSS 108/REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS/AMBER REFLECTOR

NHTSA #09E025000 · Exterior Lighting — Headlights · NHTSA notice

Reported May 11, 2009 · DOPE, INC.

Potentially affected: 42,540 vehicles

Owners notified July 28, 2009

Defect description

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, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE LAMPS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIRED AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS.

Safety consequence

DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.

Notes

THIS RECALL ONLY PERTAINS TO AFTERMARKET REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND HAS NO RELATION TO ANY ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT INSTALLED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.IN ORDER TO DETERMINE IF YOUR AFTERMARKET LAMP ASSEMBLY IS AFFECTED BY THIS NONCOMPLIANCE, PLEASE REVIEW THE LIST OF MODEL NUMBERS PROVIDED TO US BY DOPE, INC.THE LIST CAN BE FOUND UNDER "DOCUMENT SEARCH" LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

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 2002 BMW E46. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 BMW E46.

Electrical System

ODI #10693755

Incident: March 11, 2015 · Filed: March 11, 2015

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 LITTLE MILEAGE FOR A 2002 - UNDER 50K AND YET I AM ALREADY REPLACING MY THIRD WINDOW REGULATOR - THAT IS THE REGULATOR ON BOTH FRONT WINDOWS WENT AND ONE OF THE BACK WINDOWS NOW WENT - $200-400 REPAIR JOB BIG PROBLEMS WITH BMW AND I CALLED THEM AND COMPLAINED AND THEY WON'T REIMBURSE UNLESS THERE'S A RECALL WHICH THEY SAID THEY'VE NO INTENTION OF DOING TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THESE ISSUES FOR IT NOT TO BE A BMW RECALL - THEY WON'T PASS YOUR CAR FOR INSPECTION WITH THE WINDOW DOWN OBVIOUSLY ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Visibility

ODI #10253371

Incident: December 30, 2008 · Filed: December 31, 2008

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

Other BMW E46 model years

Check your 2002 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.

Check a BMW VIN