Car Problem DataNHTSA records

2003 BMW E46

Routine

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

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Exterior Lighting1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting › Headlights09E025000
Filed May 11, 200942,540 vehiclesDope, Inc.

Defect. 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.

Risk. DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

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.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Exterior Lighting
Filed Sep 25, 201090,127 milesKY

PLEASE LET THIS NOTICE SERVE AS A FORMAL PETITION FOR AN INVESTIGATION OF A SAFETY-RELATED DESIGN DEFECT. THE REAR TAIL LIGHT BULBS AREN'T WORKING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE GROUND WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR, CONNECTING TO THE BULB CARRIER SEEMS TO BE DAMAGED DUE TO A BAD GROUND. I HAVE BEEN REPLACING BULBS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. *TR

1 of 1 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2000
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20050100Routine
20044100Routine
2003 — this page1100Routine
20022200Routine
20010400Routine
200018400Routine
19991400Routine
19980200Routine
19974100Routine
19961100Routine
19956100Routine
19943100Routine
19933110Routine
19920100Routine
19910100Routine
19902110Routine

Compare every E46 year →

Other BMW models

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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 11, 2009. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.