2003 BMW E36: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 13 owner complaints on record; most reports concern power train.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2006
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I recently purchased a 2003 bmw 325i in december 2007. Today (january 21, 2008), my wife drove the car to work and parked said vehicle in her required parking space. Than about two hours later a local police officer came in and informed her that the bmw started by itself and crashed into the police department. The vehicle was in first gear and some how started with no one in the car. This vehicle came with a remote start feature which is located on the key. The keys were on the desk and my wife was not in the same building there the keys were. My wife was actually in the police department working on their computer. There was damage to the front hood. A police report was filed. *tr”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2008
“2003 bmw 525i with 56k miles. Driver seat heater was turned on while the engine was warming up and few seconds later, one spot on the seat started smoking and burning a whole. The engine and heater was turned off immediately which prevented the fire from spreading. Notified bmw north america and dealer agreed with full seat replacement. *tr”Owner report · Seats · Oct 2007
“Tl*the contact owns a 2003 bmw s10 (na). The contact purchased aftermarket chrome rims online. While driving 75 mph, the rims separated from the tires and shattered into several pieces. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it currently remains. The VIN and engine size were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 63,000.”Owner report · Wheels · Aug 2007
Show 2 more owner reports
“The bmw x5 has a defect. The tailgate stoppers routinely failed on both the electro-mechanical soft close and the normal mechanical. These stoppers failed, causing erroneous tailgate open warnings to appear on the instrument panel. Also, because the stoppers failed there was a constant rattle. Bmw knew about this problem...at least the local agentwas quite aware of this routine failure.*ak also, bmw websites list many other owners complaining about this problem. Http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85610&highlight=tailgate”Owner report · Structure · Mar 2007
“On hot, humid days, the steering gets "sticky". By that I mean that turning the steering wheel becomes difficult because it "sticks" in one spot. It can happen at any time. Small corrections of the steering become difficult. Many times, because it sticks, you have to push harder on the wheel to make it turn, which, when it finally "unsticks", ends up causing too sharp of a turn. I did a search of the web using "z4 sticky steering" and found that others have experienced this same problem. *jb”Owner report · Steering · Jan 2007
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Remedy: AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
Check your exact E36 by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2003 BMW E36 reliable?
NHTSA has 13 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2003 BMW E36. The most complained-about area is power train.
Does the 2003 BMW E36 have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning exterior lighting. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.