This is a brand new replacement motor for the SMG pump fitted to the Bmw E46 M3 (Coupe & Convertible) & CSL. This covers all ages of M3 from 2001-2006. This motor will fit all M3's fitted with SMG.

These cars are getting to the age now where they are starting to experience problems with the SMG gearbox. You may well be here reading this due to experiencing issues with your own car. Symptoms could include:

- Yellow cog light on dash a.k.a. 'The Cog of Doom'
- Gear indicator light flashing
- Car stuck in gear
- Car dropping out of gear
- Slow gear changes
- Various error codes logged including (but not limited to):
57 (0x39) Misuse of hydraulic unit,
53 (0x35) low level of pressure reached HE
55 (0x37) Switching-on frequency of hydraulic unit
56 (0x38) Switching-on time of hydraulic unit


Firstly I always recommend taking your car to a Specialist and getting the fault codes read in the first instance. I never recommend 'guessing' what the fault could be or attempting an 'internet diagnosis' over Facebook or forums. A Bmw specialist with the correct software can quickly identify exactly the issue with your SMG system. There can be a number of issues with the SMG. These can include the following:

- Salmon Relay failure. From my experience, this is the least likely. However, this is a cheap fix to buy the part from BMW & try
- Knuckle seized. Sometimes this can stop the car selecting gears. Can be determined from visual inspection
- Gear Position Sensor Failure (GPS). Assessed via Fault codes.
- Broken indent spring[s]
- SMG Pump failure. The pump part itself rarely fails. BMW will always replace as a complete unit with pump/motor, but the pump itself is normally fine. Bmw do not sell the motor part separate to the pump, even though it is nearly always the motor that fails.

90% of all failures are down to the motor failing and the resulting system pressure loss. This is experienced more commonly during hot weather as heat exacerbates the issue. The fault is really just due to age and wear and tear. The brushes and bearing inside the motor wear out and break down; then the motor can no longer drive the pump. Due to this it cannot build pressure in the accumulator. This is what leads to the SMG error light illuminating and other issues experienced as described above.

Rather than spending thousands on a new pump/motor from BMW, just change the part that is at fault: the motor itself. This is where I can help you. The Motor I am offering for sale here is not 're-manufactured' or 'refurbished'. It is a brand new motor built from the ground up and a big improvement on the original part. Plus it is a fraction of the price! It really is a win-win solution. This motor is a direct replacement to the original. It is a bolt in solution with the correct slide pins that fit in to your original Bmw connector.


This motor is designed specifically for SMG duty cycle to handle high torque of 90+bar(1300 PSI) pressure requirements.

Kit supplied includes the following:
  • 1 High torque DC motor
  • 1 Drive coupler
  • 2 new installation screws
  • 1 Sealing gasket
  • 1 Grease packet
  • 1 year warranty

Replacement of SMG relay is highly recommended anytime there is a motor failure. Not doing so could cause erratic switching on/off times of pump and cause further damage to new components.


In stock in the UK, ready for immediate shipping.

Buy from a fellow passionate M3 owner. Providing cost effective repair solutions for E46 M3's for over 12 years now.

Please me know if you have any further questions.