1997 Bmw E46: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
4 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
62,037 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Side/Window is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 4 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 |
| Seats | 1 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 1 |
Air Bags:Side/Window: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 1; Seats: 1; Structure:Frame And Members: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
2006: 1; 2007: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Side/Window leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10168956 · 2006-09-22 (September 22, 2006)
ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70-75 MPH WHEN MY SIDE AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. I HAVE A 1997 BMW 528I WITH APPROXIMATELY 230K MILES. I DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING. I DID NOT HIT ANY POTHOLES. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. I COULD NOT HEAR WELL FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND MY LEFT ARM HAS A LARGE BRUISE ON IT. I TOOK IT BY THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG OR WHY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THA…
Owner-reported narrative. 73 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168956 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10177629 · 2007-01-03 (January 3, 2007)
I OWN A 2000 BMW 323I AND ABOUT A MONTH AGO I HAD STARTED TO NOTICE A FAINT SQUEAKING SOUND FROM THE REAR WHEN MY CAR WAS MOVING, THE SQUEAKING PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL THE SOUND WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT COULD BE HEARD EVEN WITH ALL THE WINDOWS UP. I TOOK IT IN TO A MECHANIC WHO IDENTIFIED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS INDEED THAT SUB FRAME SEPARATING FROM THE BODY. AS I FURTHER INVESTIGATED THIS ISSUE, I FOUND DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE STERLING BMW NEWPORT BEACH COLLISION CENTER WHERE THEY …
Owner-reported narrative. 124,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177629 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10183178 · 2007-02-21 (February 21, 2007)
ON 1/31/07 I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE THE NC INSPECTION DONE. I WAS GIVEN AT THAT TIME A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS TOLD TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND GIVE THEM MY VIN NUMBER TO VERIFY. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN CAMPAIGNS ON MY VIN NUMBER ON 2/2/0. ON 2/16/07 MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I CALLED MY REPAIR SHOP AND DROPPED THE CAR OFF ON MONDAY. I WAS INFORMED TODAY THAT IT WAS NOT THE O2 SENSOR, BUT POSSIBLY THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS GOING TO CO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10183178 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10191866 · 2007-05-28 (May 28, 2007)
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS SLIDE (DO NOT LOCK IN POSITION). THIS IS IRRITATING AND UNSAFE IN MY OPINION. I ALSO BELIEVE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL YEAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10191866 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.