BMW E46 Issues and Common Problems

The E46 BMW is a beautiful and solid car. But, there is a catch… There is a lot wrong with the E46. Ill speak about each issue with the BMW E46 which was produced between 1997 for the 1998 model through 2006, so you can either be better educated about your ride or your upcoming purchase. We just want to help you save money and headaches!

Let us get started!

(Oil Leak)

Oil leaks: The Valve cover gasket usually fails around 60k miles, and this is the #1 repair on these vehicles, usually leaks on the exhaust manifold and causes some smoking.  it is an easy fix, in my opinion. There is also an oil filter housing gasket that can cause an oil leak. So, check both of those locations.

(Window Regulator)

Window regulators just fail. It is not the quickest repair, but it is not overly difficult to do.

(Coolant Leaks)

Coolant leaking in these locations mainly due to everything being plastic: the most comment leak is the coolant temperature o-ring that cracks and becomes hard, easy, and cheap to fix. The water pump which is a bit harder to replace but can be done with patience. The pulley system on the water pump is made of plastic and can break as well. The thermostat can also leak.  The radiator itself can leak, and you will have to replace the radiator if this occurs. The reservoir can leak. And the hoses can corrode and leak. Basically, most of the cooling system can have issues.

(Interior Blower Motor)

Surging blower motor fans that is caused by a failing fan resistor. Also, not too hard of a job and can be done by a novice.

(Car not locking)

Door locks fail to work and that can be caused by the actuators going bad or the GM5 module going bad, which is VERY pricy to replace but you can repair it.

(Control Arm Failure)

Jolting sensation in the steering wheel and the wheel kind of jolts itself. This is caused by a control arm bushing failure. This is not the easiest thing to replace but can definitely be done.

(Power Steering Leaks)

Leaking power steering fluid from the power steering hoses and they are tough to get to but also can be done.

(Exterior Door lock keyhole)

Door lock Cylinder goes bad and just spins. You can rebuild it or buy a new one. I linked a video on how to repair it!

(Weather Stripping around doors)

Noise coming from the top of the doors. This is just due to a worn door seal. Its an old car, and with anything older that is used, things wear out.

(330I Motor)

The 330i motors burn oil and you can delete the entire CCV system and install an oil catch can setup that should fix most of the oil burning issue.

(Taillight)

Tail light bulb goes out, and its due to a bad bulb socket Typically, if done by a diyer, cost around $20

Rear left (63217165843), Rear right (63217165844)

(Fan Clutch)

Fan Clutch bearing going bad and causing the fan to slowly tear apart. Usually indicated by a loud fan noise like a truck. So, replace the fan as soon as you start hearing that loud fan noise.

(Engine/Valves)

Faulty Hydraulic Lifters which cause ticking noise around the valve cover gasket. This is due to not letting the oil get around the entire engine before driving and taking a lot of short trips. And it is a much more involved thing to fix. You can do a troubleshooting method to see if that fixes the issue first.

(Vanos/Gears n such)

Vanos seals wears out around 120k miles and you start losing lower end power. Replacing the seals will fix that issue.

(Wheel Speed Sensors)

Wheel speed sensors going bad and causing lights on the dash as well.

(Vacuum Leaks)

Vacuum leaking in the engine bay that can be from many locations. But if you see smoking with your leak it might be the CCV system hoses leaking that can cause a misfire code. The Disa valve can also cause a leak and cause odd noises giving codes 0171 or 0174, secondary air system leaking as well, also giving a check engine light.

(Front Grills)

Kidney Grills latch tabs start breaking and you can lose one of the grills while driving, so if they raddle, id replace them to avoid any insurance claims.

(Rear subframe and shock mounts)

Weak Rear subframe and rear shock mounts, so, grab yourself a rear shock mount reinforcement and grab a rear subframe reinforcement kit before your rear end cracks and falls out and this can be done at home as seen by ShopLifeTV. Also, the bushing can go bad causing clunking during drive and reverse.

(Leaks from rubber seals)

Rubber seals throughout the car go bad and get crusty. This can cause potential leaks around the windows; however, they don’t always leak. They typically just look like crap.

(Headliner)

The headliner just goes saggy and to replace it properly is a job in a half. But you can use the clearheaded twist pin method to fix it cheap.

(Airbag Light)

Occupancy sensor under the seats can go bad and cause an airbag light on the dash. You can replace it or simply bypass it. Here is how to bypass it:

(Faulty Oil Sensor)

Oil Level Sensor going bad causing an oil light when you do not have low oil. easy replacement during an oil change.

(Driveshaft Flex Disc)

The Driveshaft Flex Disc gets worn down and causes the car to vibrate. If you fail to repair this promptly, then the entire rear diff can fail entirely and that is a pretty penny.

So, the E46 has its fair share of issues…

What is my ending Verdict: I think the E46 is a fantastic chassis, but of course, you should be ready to have your work cut out for you. You may not go very broke, because the parts have gotten much cheaper, but if you can work on your own cars and you are willing to tackle a few harder issues, then the E46 is an awesome car to have. However, if you have zero knowledge of cars and expect a mechanic to do your repairs, DO NOT BUY THIS CAR.

If you are tired of reading, watch this instead: