Airbags: problems reported by owners
45 owners in the United States reported problems with the airbags of this car to NHTSA (model years 2001–2006), typically at around 80,000 miles. Reported consequences: 4 crashes, 4 injuries.
BMW M3 (E46)
2000–2006 · 6 documented defects · 2 markets
🔔 Create a free account to get email alerts about BMW M3 (E46)
This file gathers the known defects of the BMW M3 (E46), written and sourced by the community. Anyone can read; a free account lets you contribute. A defect earns the seal once enough reputable contributors have validated it.
Owners often report problems with airbags on this car (45 complaints), but no one has explained the cause yet. Do you know it?Write it up
Owners often report problems with transmission and drivetrain on this car (36 complaints), but no one has explained the cause yet. Do you know it?Write it up
Most serious reported defects
See all (6) →Transmission and drivetrain: problems reported by owners
36 owners in the United States reported problems with the transmission and drivetrain of this car to NHTSA (model years 2001–2006), typically at around 66,000 miles. Most often named: manual transmission (28%), automatic transmission (19%). Reported consequences: 2 crashes.
Engine and cooling: problems reported by owners
22 owners in the United States reported problems with the engine and cooling of this car to NHTSA (model years 2001–2006), typically at around 64,000 miles. Most often named: engine (45%), engine:gasoline (32%).
Latest official recalls
See all (23) →Motor vehicles - bodywork (occupant protective equipment)
The gas generator in the driver's airbag may burst.
Motor vehicles - bodywork (occupant protective equipment)
The driver's airbag gas generator may malfunction if it has been exposed to high absolute humidity and high temperature fluctuations over the years
The driver's airbag inflator may malfunction due to long-term degradation
The inflator of the driver's airbag may malfunction due to long-term degradation. In this case, if the airbag is deployed in an accident, the internal pressure in the inflator may be too high. The inflator could burst. Metal fragments may cause injury.
EU Safety Gate · RappelConso · FranceFeb 27, 2026sr/00596/26Model years 2006Auto-translated · original: FrenchView details →
Latest service bulletins
See all (2) →Bulletin
Brake Disc Return
Bulletin
Service action to install parking aid wire when the passenger's exterior mirror will not tilt down when reverse gear is selected. *tt
Sources: NHTSA (United States, public domain), Transport Canada (Open Government Licence – Canada), DVSA (United Kingdom, Open Government Licence v3.0), RappelConso and EU Safety Gate (France, Licence Ouverte 2.0).