NHTSA lists 73 complaints for the 2003 BMW 3 Series, 3 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 3 complaints mention an injury, with 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-08.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as BMW 3 SERIES.
At a glance
Complaints
73
With crash
3
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
3
Injuries
3
Deaths
0
Recalls
0
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
Unavailable
Investigations
3
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
59
Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.
Where the complaints are
Top systems
System
Complaints
Share of this vehicle's complaints
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
23
31.5%
AIR BAGS
21
28.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12
16.4%
STRUCTURE
5
6.8%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
4
5.5%
POWER TRAIN
4
5.5%
SUSPENSION
4
5.5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3
4.1%
TIRES
3
4.1%
ENGINE
2
2.7%
Top subsystems
System
Subsystem
Complaints
STRUCTURE
BODY
5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HEADLIGHTS
3
POWER TRAIN
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2
AIR BAGS
FRONTAL
1
CHILD SEAT
LATCH CONNECTOR/CLIP
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WIRING
1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL
AUTOMATIC (ASC)
1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BRAKE LIGHTS
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TAIL LIGHTS
1
One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.
Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.
In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electri
ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING.THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS
IN MARCH 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. MARK PETERS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF REAR LAMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES.AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER WAS SENT TO BMW IN APRIL 2009, AND ODI RECEIVED BMW'S RESPONSE IN JUNE 2009.THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINS LIGHTING FOR THE BRAKE LAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNALS.A TECHNICA
Systems: EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
Linked campaign numbers: None listed.
Manufacturer communications
59 manufacturer communications.
Communications by system
System
Count
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
19
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
12
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
7
POWER TRAIN
5
SEAT BELTS
5
EQUIPMENT
4
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
4
AIR BAGS
3
10249437
Date: 2024-01-16. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY.
The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.
10145306
Date: 2018-06-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
10143564
Date: 2018-05-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
NAVIGATION SYSTEM: REPORTING MISSING OR INCORRECT ROAD MAP DATA: The route guidance is inaccurate and therefore irritating to the customer; or it is not possible to locate certain addresses, for instance:
10142910
Date: 2018-01-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SEATS.
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY (OC3) MAT FOR SRS: LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 15 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILES
10037079
Date: 2014-10-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
BMW: SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE CRANKS WITH NO START. *RM UPDATED 5/19/15. *PE
10057531
Date: 2014-10-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STEERING.
BMW: IN CHECK CONTROL MESSAGE OR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, A FAILURE WITH POWER ASSISTED STEERING IS ILLUMINATED, DUE TO SOFTWARE RELATED ISSUES. *PE
10056098
Date: 2014-06-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: AIR BAGS.
BMW: SOME AIRBAGS, DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER, ARE IMPROPERLY DEPLOYING DUE TO A POSSIBLE INFLATOR NOT PRODUCED TO SPECIFICATIONS. MODEL 2001-2006 E46 (3 SERIES). *PE UPDATED 9/4/14. *PE
10051359
Date: 2012-12-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.
BMW: VEHICLE DOES NOT START: LOOSE GROUND Z6000 *4B. COVERED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE BMW NEW VEHICLE/SAV LIMITED WARRANTY. *JS
10051459
Date: 2012-12-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.
BMW: DSC WARNING LIGHT IS ON. THE WARNING LAMPS FOR DSC, ABS AND BRAKE WARNING ILLUMINATED. THERE MAY ALSO BE A WARNING IN THE CONTROL DISPLAY FOR CHASSIS CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE. *JS
10051519
Date: 2012-12-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
BMW: THE HIGH-VOLTAGE (HV) BATTERY CELLS COULD BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS PREVENTED FROM ENTERING SLEEP MODE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. UPDATED 03/11/2013 *JS
Notes on this record
Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.