Common Problems With Your E46

h4rris · April 19, 2014

My e46 320d closed off on the road, no lights came up on the dash but after about 5 min the car start??? Can anyone tell me what happen there??? That was the second time the car's done that to me :-(

What do you mean has closed off? Do you mean it went I to limp mode?

Bexxi66 · May 29, 2014

Hi guys,

So, I've had my 99 323 CI for around4 months and its been having an issue where it stalls itself instead of idling.

This only happens after the engine has been on once, is turned off, then gets turned on again with in an hour. It puts itself into limp mode as well, so there is no power.

I've had diagnostic run on it which came up with a lambda sensor and cam sensor, which I replaced. It was fine for about 2 days, before the issue came up again.

Does anyone have any idea what could be the issue? I'm out of ideas and really want the bimmer to be running how it should. Please note that the length of journey doesn't seem to matter and after couple miles it usually begins to idle itself again.

Please Help!!!!

DIZRAN · June 5, 2014

Hi all,

this may be one for Dabsy but any and all help would be gratefully received.

Iv got a 320 Ci 0n a 2000 plate. She's got 158,000 miles under her belt but drives, pulls, corners and stops fantastic. The one problem iv got is an oil leak from some where at the front top of the engine.

Trust me when I say iv searched for the offending area. Iv even gone so far as to remove the inlet manifold along with all the engine breather pipes and throttle body. I just cant see where the oils escaping from. Its def Engine oil and not Power steering fluid. Please help as im at my wits end. Theres nothing on the belts and the oil makes its way to just below the inlet manifold side of the engine. Then goes on to cover the Left hand wheel control arm and even reaches the sump ( but it should be on the inside)

Many thanks in advance Daz.

Buptaboy · June 20, 2014

Hi All,

Just picked up my 325 yesterday. Dodgy gits at the garage passed the car on MOT with washer jets that don't reach the windscreen. Jets were not blocked when I checked them so wondered if there was anyone else who has had this problem and how they resolved it?

Buptaboy · June 20, 2014

Hi all,
this may be one for Dabsy but any and all help would be gratefully received.
Iv got a 320 Ci 0n a 2000 plate. She's got 158,000 miles under her belt but drives, pulls, corners and stops fantastic. The one problem iv got is an oil leak from some where at the front top of the engine.
Trust me when I say iv searched for the offending area. Iv even gone so far as to remove the inlet manifold along with all the engine breather pipes and throttle body. I just cant see where the oils escaping from. Its def Engine oil and not Power steering fluid. Please help as im at my wits end. Theres nothing on the belts and the oil makes its way to just below the inlet manifold side of the engine. Then goes on to cover the Left hand wheel control arm and even reaches the sump ( but it should be on the inside)
Many thanks in advance Daz.

Hi Dizran,

I found this on a lot of the 325's I viewed before buying. I have been advised by a 2nd hand BMW trader that if there is oil on the heat shield above the exhaust manifold and you get a burning oil smell after the block has warmed up it is commonly the rocker gasket seal that has gone. Apparently it is quite an easy repair and I'm sure there will be a tutorial/guide in these forums that will detail how to repair yourself. As you have said above I think this is one for Dabsy as he seems to know a lot about these cars from what I have read of his responses to other issue's within this thread. Hope you get it sorted matey!!

ReflectRuss · June 25, 2014

Hi chaps 330 clubsport manual and the electric fan will just come on even when the car has been sat for a few days, last time i used it was Sunday, the fan woke me up at half 5 this morning, done this a few times since i bought it last August.

MICK 330DCI · June 27, 2014

Vert strikes again!

On way home from work...Engine light comes on. Rough idle & mpg not as good(lol) as normal. Intake hose to throttle body had a hole in it. £100 notes to diagnose find & sort! But easy fix & once again...

BM AUTOMOTIVE SOLUTIONS LTD (01902 798359) Four Ashes Wolves got me in to diagnose it at the drop of a hat & squeezed car in 24hrs later when part arrived to fix it! Run by 2 guy`s both ex Benham so know their onions.

Not cheap maybe but twice now VERY HELPFUL when i needed the car sorting out! Worth a look guy`s if your near enough.

MICK 330DCI · June 27, 2014

A p.s to my last post,

Once fixed we drove ..without a hitch to & all round Cornwall. Weather was awesome & with the roof down driving round the bill was soon forgotten & we just enjoyed the reason we bought this car! Roof down in the sunshine by the sea! Priceless carefree feeling of just enjoying the moment! I will own this car through thick n thin as we love it!!!!!!

GET A VERT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bimma318ci · August 23, 2014

Hi all, have a few problems too list

drivers door lock pin has stopped going up when un-locking but WILL drop down when I lock the car?

air con blowers work when turned off still and can run battery flat, think it's the hedgehog resistor thingy? Anyone know if it's an easy job?

car windows all open when un-locking and holding down, but will not perform the closing task when you lock and hold?

have a very juddering car some times from the back on pull away almost like a knocking/labouring effect

That's all folks, any help/advice would be most appreciated. Thanks, Jamie.

Bimma318ci · August 23, 2014

Hi all, have a few problems too list

drivers door lock pin has stopped going up when un-locking but WILL drop down when I lock the car?

air con blowers work when turned off still and can run battery flat, think it's the hedgehog resistor thingy? Anyone know if it's an easy job?

car windows all open when un-locking and holding down, but will not perform the closing task when you lock and hold?

have a very juddering car some times from the back on pull away almost like a knocking/labouring effect

That's all folks, any help/advice would be most appreciated. Thanks, Jamie.

MICK 330DCI · December 24, 2014

Blimey, Been a while! Well 330d now on 188,300 miles(last post 174 ish) & had a bit done to it recently. New radiator, DMF & clutch kit. Expansion tank(precaution only). Still cant complain really. One thing that IS peeing me orf is the !Removed! n/s head lamp washer(telescopic) leaking, Stops for ages then pisses out lol, Gotta do it soon.

The "Vert" then feels sorry for it & 20mins post MOT the O/S telescopic starts leaking!!!!

Arrrrrrrggggghhhhhhh

scottjbanks1978 · January 2, 2015

where do i start, failed handbrake, rear window demister, parking sensor, fuel sensor, ignition sensor and now rusting arches looking forward to trying a merc.

Peter Pan · February 16, 2015

E46 auto 2.5l compact 51 plate approx 8000 miles only on the clock:

Oil consumption seems slightly high but no leaks and no sign of any cyl head issues, only really happens after a few kickdowns, is this normal on this type of car?

(It`s my 1st beamer and the best car i`ve ever owned.)

P.S. Is anyone else on here in Hampshire ?

Laurarocs · February 16, 2015

2003 318i e46 has been blowing white smoke...excessive oil use... Replaced EGR valve... Still blows some after sitting at a set of lights for a while :( any ideas why... Engines only done 145000 kms

Peter Pan · February 16, 2015

2003 318i e46 has been blowing white smoke...excessive oil use... Replaced EGR valve... Still blows some after sitting at a set of lights for a while :( any ideas why... Engines only done 145000

Hi Laura,

Think white smoke is usually water getting into the cylinder, poss small fissure in cyl head gasket between the water and cyl holes. is coolant level decreasing?

Paul

Laurarocs · February 17, 2015

thanks Paul no change to lvls in coolent from what I've been observing... Car runs like a dream..anything near the head gasket scares me lol

Peter Pan · February 24, 2015

No prob. these cars really do run like a dream, fastest and most well-designed car i`ve ever had, feels like everything (except the seat belts in the compact) has been designed properly!

Enjoy that white smoke - you prob won`t even see it while accelerating away, lol

Laurarocs · February 28, 2015

Haha it's only if I accelerate quickly but I do like the thought of leaving them behind in a puff of smoke

herold goaxab · April 29, 2015

hi,how can i code the bmw 320d e46 2004 model car injectors manually to computerbox

Fox · June 11, 2015

Hi

New to the forum and took ownership of very smart E46 touring recently.

List of probs so far:

Central locking/alarm not operating via key fob. (Answer found here, thank you)

Massive oil leak around rocker cover gasket. (Solved that as I also own bmw f800 bike with same design of cover and same problem)

Interior fan pulses once or twice per second except on full power. This varies day to day but very iritating.

The radio control buttons on steering wheel occasionally stop working but seem to reset with ignition operation, like stopping mid-journey.

Other than those, really happy with it.

Buptaboy · June 13, 2015

Hi all,

Think I may have posted in here before but just incase I am confused(!) here it is..... again...maybe?

2002 E46 325Ci 100k

Airbag light - OBD II reader came back as passenger pre-tensioner. Not got around to working on this yet but did find a handy tip for passing the MOT with this fault. Remove fuse 10 from the board in the glove box and this turns out the light. It did also, however, stop my parking sensors from working, put cruise control permanently on (but with control of the cruise control!), and the BC button on the left stick stopped working. Replaced the fuse after the MOT and all was back to normal.... airbag light back on :(

Corroded brake line in O/S/R arch - Had an advisory for 2 years running now but think this is fairly easy to replace if you have a logical mechanical mind. Have seen a couple of DIY vids and will be attempting this one fine sunny day this year.

Windscreen washer jets not pumping spray through - Initially I assumed this was the jet outlets in the bonnet that were blocked, but after poking them out with a needle found no difference (it was like !Removed! with kidney stones!). Looked further back in the system and found that the reservoir had a lot of gunk in the screen wash so I removed the tank and drained then removed the pump to gain access to the micro-filter which was heavily blocked. Cleaned it all out, put back together, now they work fine.

That's all I can think of for now, or have found in the 1st year. Any newly found issue's I'm sure to update this string and look for help to resolve!!

Buptaboy · June 13, 2015

where do i start, failed handbrake, rear window demister, parking sensor, fuel sensor, ignition sensor and now rusting arches looking forward to trying a merc.

Did you buy it like this or is this a build up of un-dealt with problems?

M57TUD · August 15, 2015

Hi All,

2003 E46, 330D, manual, 204bhp, 135000.

Got an interesting one – looking for the experience of the collective here!!!

BRAKING PROBLEMS.

Vibration when braking, most prominent at speeds such as 80mph.

More prominent at 80mph when descending a hill i.e. on a dual carriage-way.

Not much inclination on whether its isolated to front or back..

Discs & pads changed all round (multiple times), callipers changed all round, control arms front new incl rear mounts, rear hub flanges replaced with new, rear wheel bearings changed, rear trailing arm bushes new, upper rose joints rear changed, anti roll bar bushes front changed, track rod changed, drop links changed.

Disc and hub run out all round checked, corrected and in tolerance – vibrations still remain.

My questions are, anyone had experience with faulty ABS sensors at the wheel – could this be causing brake judder, and 2ndly, anyone had issues with ABS valve block?

Throwing it out there, hoping for some advice. Lovely car & committed to a fix.

Best wishes, M57TUD

M57TUD · August 15, 2015

As an aside.

Have experience in the following with my E46:

PDC: PDC not wokring.

EMISSIONS: Smoky emissions under load.

ELECTRICS: Tail gate split screen button no longer works.

BRAKES: Corroding rear metal brake pipes.

COOLING: Fan clutch gone at 120/130K

SUSPENSION: Rear diff mount gone at 120/130K

RADIO: Radio reception not brill - linked to rear heating element failure.

ANCILLARIES: Rear heater element not functioning.

AIRBAG: Airbag light traced to faulty mat in front passenger seat.

RECALL: Recall at 12yrs / 130000 for faulty air-bag passenger front.

BRAKING: Hand-brake is more of a guidance tool than anything else.

Can add to the list in time.

Cheers!

G

MICK 330DCI · January 3, 2016

Ok been a while again lol,

330d is now on 204,500miles. Latest expenditure has been limited to Tailgate struts & a couple of bulbs so cheap lol. Also Wynns clean burn seems to be helping with stopping her smoking. Use it every 3rd tank. Last xmas i bodged the Telescopics for the headlamp wash but that failed a few weeks ago so this time ive just blanked off the washer bottle as i couldnt be bothered to spend n replace as they are crap anyway lol.

330 Vert ..has had a new rocker gasket & oil level sensor. Other than that its quiet.

For now.............