1997 BMW E46 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E46 years
- Not enough data 3rd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 BMW E46. That ranks 3rd out of 9 E46 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 25%), typically at around 73 miles. Complaints mention 1 injury. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year.
- 4owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 BMW E46 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 | 25% | 73 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 25% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 25% | 124,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 BMW E46 recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 1997 BMW E46.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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
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…
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…
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…
Other BMW E46 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 E46 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 E46 | 4 | 0 |
| 2003 E46 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 E46 | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 E46 | 18 | 0 |
| 1999 E46 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 E46 | 1 | 0 |
| 1995 E46 | 6 | 0 |
See all BMW E46 problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
Similar BMW models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BMW E46?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, seats problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 1997 BMW E46?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 1997 BMW E46 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E46 model years, the 1997 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.