1990 BMW E46

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Sidewall1
000
Electrical System1
010

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting06E040000
Filed May 15, 20061,648 vehiclesE Speed Racing

Defect. 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.

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

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires › Sidewall
Filed Nov 13, 2007149,700 milesGA

TURNING INTO A FAST-FOOD PARKING LOT (ABOUT A 130 DEGREE RIGHT TURN), THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STRUCK A SHORT (2" - 3") CURB AT ABOUT 3 - 5 MPH. THE SIDEWALL, MIDWAY BETWEEN THE TREAD AND THE WHEEL RIM BLEW OUT. A JAGGED "L" SHAPED BREACH SECTION ABOUT 3" IN TOTAL LENGTH WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT. THE EDGES OF THE TEAR WERE FORCED OUTWARD FROM THE INSIDE. THE IMPACT WAS SO MINOR THAT EVEN AFTER IMMEDIATELY DEFLATING THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL RIM. *TR

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Apr 17, 2007213,000 milesKY

DAUGHTER DRIVING TO WORK IN MY 1990 BMW 735I CALLED ME ON CELL PHONE SAID SMELLED HOT WATER AND SOMETHING BURNING. TOLD HER TO PULL OVER AND PARK CAR I WAS ON THE WAY EARLY MORNING COLD. GOT TO CAR INSIDE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE WINDOWS HAD WATER ON THE INSIDE OF THEM AND THE DRIVERS AIRBAG HAD TRIGGERED. FIRE DEPARTMENT ON THE SITE SAID IT APPEARS THAT THE HEATER CORE/SYSTEM HAD EXPLODED SHORTING OUT DRIVERS SIDE PANEL AND ELECTRONICS STARTING THE FIRE. DAUGHTER WAS LUCKY TO ESCAPE SINCE THE DOOR LOCKS LOCKED AND NO WAY TO OPEN THEM SINCE POWER DEAD. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO DASH AND WIRING ,SMOKE DAMAGE ETC. CONTACTED BMW BY E MAIL TOLD TO CALL LOCAL DEALER WHO SAID BRING CAR IN AND WE WILL LOOK AT IT. I HAVE NO MONEY TO SEND THE CAR TO DEALER FOR THEIR FAULTY PRODUCT WHICH COULD HAVE KILLED MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER,THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS ADDRESSED. *JB

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20050100Routine
20044100Routine
20031100Routine
20022200Routine
20010400Routine
200018400Routine
19991400Routine
19980200Routine
19974100Routine
19961100Routine
19956100Routine
19943100Routine
19933110Routine
19920100Routine
19910100Routine
1990 — this page2110Routine

Compare every E46 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 15, 2006. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.