Most common 2002 BMW 3 Series problems
Share of the 26 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
BMW 3 Series complaints by model year
Best 3 Series years: 2011, 1999, 2001. Years to avoid: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2000. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 2002 BMW 3 Series:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Rear lamp illumination
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 through the…
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Rear Lamp Illumination
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 electrical contact…
Inadvertent side-impact air bag deployme
The subject vehicle's air bag electronic control module contains programmable logic for deploying the side-impact air bags.BMW revised the module several times over the span of the model years 1999 through 2002 (identified as mrs2.ca, mrs2.bb, mrs3, mrs3+ and mrs4).although model year 1999.5 vehicles with version mrs2.bb had 6.5% of the subject population, it accounted for 29% of the total reports received.the…
Rear lamp illumination
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 technical service bulletin…
What 2002 BMW 3 Series owners say
Electrical system
I opened the passenger door in the morning after the car had been parked overnight. I had a hockey bag with approximately 25 lbs of equipment sitting on the passenger seat which I removed from the car and closed the door. I forgot something and went back to the car, about 40 seconds later, and saw a cloud of white smoke at the ceiling and I opened the door. The car had a strong smell of burning plastic/electronics. Whatever was burning stopped and there was no visible flame. I checked all the electrical switches and all the equipment seemed to work fine and no fuses were blown. The burning seemed to come from the passenger seat heater as there was evidence of the seat cover having smooth marks on the surface (instead of the normal pebble surface) where it might have melted. I'm not sure if the seats are real leather or simulated.
This is not as much a complaint as a request for help. Since March of 2013 I have replaced 5 throttle bodies and 3 gas pedal sensors, all OEM parts. The problem that happened again today: driving at normal highway speed [55/60] the eml, traction control and brake warning lights all went on. Pulled over and turned off. Restarted, now "service engine, eml, traction control and brake lights" were on. Turned off, restarted, same lighting situation, very rough idle and car would not drive, as it was struggling for fuel. Unplugged the "mass air flow sensor": car started, displayed no warning lights, drove fine about 8 miles to repair shop. Code read shows, "throttle position sensor", replaced..same problem within minutes of driving. A little internet research on e46 finds this an all to common problem with no solution. Thanks in advance.
Air bags
Was driving on a cloverleaf ramp in baton rouge, la. (hwy 61 & florida blvd.) when passenger side air bag deployed causing me to veer to the right. I then hit a drain on the curbing and blew out both right side tires and bent rims. Outside temp was 90* with no rain. ( not sure of exact vehicle mileage b/c car is in shop) I can get pictures if needed.
Takata recall, I have a 6 month old baby, I just got this car and the airbag light was on at idle and won't go away. I know the first and only owner. I know that it's been on for a while now. I am extremely concerned for the safety of my son. This must be adressed..
Suspension
Michelin pilot sport a/s plus tires 275/30/19 on BMW m3 had blow out on freeway at normal speeds of 65 MPH. Could hear rubber whipping the road just prior to the abruptly bursting. Had tires inspected and technician found excessive cracking near the tread and center wear-bar had pitting in the rubber (15,622 miles). Car is seldom driven and always garaged (climate controlled). Tire store had seen identical issues in the past with same tire. Did not want to replace with same tires that potentially have the same issue. Lost warranty credits to purchase another brand for family safety. These tires are not safe and need to be reviewed for material and engineering design. Particular vehicle does not hold a spare. Endangerment from potential injury and being stranded in an isolated area.
Rattling noise coming from my BMW convertible 325cic, by the passengerside. Car has been in the 3 different authorized BMW dealerships for fix and plus a final attemped fix at another authorized BMW dealership where the car was bought from. Total of more than 8 times in the dealer ship with one attemped from BMW field engineer and didn't fix the problem.
2002 BMW 3 Series engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 27 / 22 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 25 / 20 |
| 2.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 23 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 BMW 3 Series a good car?
Based on 26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 3 Series rates better than average: 72% fewer complaints than a typical year of the 3 Series at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 BMW 3 Series?
The electrical system — 6 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the air bags (6) and suspension (3).
How many recalls does the 2002 BMW 3 Series have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2002 BMW 3 Series. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the BMW 3 Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011, 1999 and 2001. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2000. See the full BMW 3 Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 BMW 3 Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 92,000 miles; 24% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.