We found the following complaints for BMW 3 SERIES (2004)
Read complaints for BMW 3 SERIES (2004)
Takata recall.this complaint is due to the slow response ofnalley bmw in decatur georgia to replace my airbag.i received my recall letter and immediately called the bmw dealer on sept 7th.i was told that parts were ordered and i would be called when they arrived.by sept 16th i had heard nothing and called again.nalley said they had no record of my having ordered parts.i was transferred to the parts department where no one answered the phone.so i called bmw national customer relations.they said they would contact the dealer and have them get in touch with me directly.nothing happened,so today visited the dealer personally to get the parts ordered.i was told it would take an additional two weeks to receive parts.this is unacceptible.my recall letter from bmw clearly states "we have the necessary parts to complete this recall," "please contact your authorized bmw center immediately to schedule an appointment to have this important free recall performed as soon as possible," and "...metal fragments striking the driver or other passengers potentially resulting in serious injury or death."bmw has built cars with shrapnel grenades instead of airbags and now they don't care about fixing it.bmw should not e allowed to sell another vehicle in the us until they have completed all of these critical recalls.
Takata recalli received a letter dated july 2015 concerning the recall of the driver's side air bag.i called my local bmw on 11/24/15 and they said they put my name on the list and would call me when the replacement came in.i called again on 4/14/16 and [xxx] said she would check to make sure my name is on the list and would call me back when the parts arrived.it's been a year and a half and i have not received a call back.this is so concerning to me as this car is my main mode of transportation and i am so afraid i will have a front end collision resulting in death or dismemberment.if that should happen i or my estate will most certainly sue.information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I received a recall notice months ago and bmw has yet to be able to replace airbag!!i drive across country twice a year and have already made the trip once since the recall notice.what can be done to get bmw to take action??i can't believe they still have "no parts and a long backlog of people waiting" after all this time.
Takata recallnhtsa recall number:15v318nhtsa recall number: 14v428
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 3 series. The contact received a notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v428000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vin was not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Updated 01/13/15*lj
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 3 series. The contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 15v318000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The vin was invalid. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect. Updated 2/4/16updated 02/16/16
No in passenger seat when starting the car and the passenger air bag lamp was illuminated on dashboard.turned car off and then back on and the light was off.went about 15 feet and the light came back on. Turns on and off with or without anyone in the seat.bmw representative stated recall id# 81074 did not relate to my vin.
In july 2015 i received a notice of recall campaign no. 15v-381: driver side front air bag module. It said if deployed metal fragments could strike the driver or other passengers causing death or serious injury.it said i'd get a 2nd letter when the parts were available.i've never gotten the second letter, and when i called my dealer at the beginning of this month to schedule the repair they said that the parts were still not available!that's almost a year later.i'm afraid to drive the car but i have no choice!
I drove my car over a very minuscule crack in the road at an extremely low speed as i was making a turn and the passenger side airbag deployed.the car did not have a passenger at the time but the explosion of the airbag simultaneously blocked my view of the right side window while i was making a turn, put me into a state of shock and cut all power from my car.i was very lucky to have been the only person in the car while this happened and i was also fortunate enough to not have crashed into anything while my life was put in such severe danger from the state of chaos this airbag caused.i called bmw north america and they had stated that even though there is a recall for the passenger side airbag matching my car's vin number, they said that the recall only covers the passenger side front airbag and not the side airbag!
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 3 series. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v428000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The vin was unknown. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Takata recall - notified july 2015 - a year ago- about driver's side airbag, still no parts available and i live in one of the most humid states in the south.it is irresponsible and ridiculous that we have to wait over a year for part replacements that if ruptured, could cause serious injury or death.bmw north america website states: remedy available but global imports atlanta is reporting they still do not have any replacement drivers side airbags.
Takata recalli received a air bag recall notice from bmw in june 2015 and another recall notice in september 2016.over a year + i have been calling south bay bmw in torrance ca. And they keep on telling me they do not have the parts yet. Can you please help me..
Takata recall.the airbag replacement has not been performed as of04-25-16
Takata recall:in july, 2015 i received a letter from bmw (recall notice 15v-318) stating that my driver side air bag should be replaced, but that there was no remedy available and i would be contacted when one is.i've had a couple of service appointments at my local dealership (perillo bmw in chicago) and each time asked if there was any update on resolution and each time i was either referred to bmw's corporate customer service or politely told that there was no update.i have also called the 1-800-525-7417 bmw service center multiple times over the course of the last year, most recently today (7/1/16), and they have not been able to resolve the issue.at this point, i am frustrated by the lack of resolution and would appreciate any assistance helping me with this recall notice.thank you.
I received a recall notice dated september 2014 from bmw regarding a defect in the front passenger airbag.i called my local dealer in ft myers fl on 10/28/14 to set up an appointment to get the repair done.i was told the part was out of stock and asked to leave my name and phone number and i would receive a call when it became available.since i did not hear from the dealer i decided to follow up and called them on january 8, 2015.i was told the part was out of stock.the woman said they only receive small quantities at a time.again, i was asked to leave my name and phone number and would be called when the part was restocked.how can bmw send out a recall notice asking you to call immediately to have the necessary repair performed as soon as possible when they don't supply the dealer with the part?i expected more from bmw.i certainly hope they do something to rectify the problem and expedite the repair!
Module that controls central locking, wipers, and several other parts (the gm5) started to develop a fault.we had problems unlocking doors, locking doors, using windows, and worst of all - the wipers were hit or miss.bmw wanted $750 for the part replacement.
I want to report a problem with the ignition coils in the bmw 330xi modelmade in the year 2004 that results in reduced ignition firing power.the engine runs rough and the "service engine soon" light illuminates.bmw had a recall onignition coils failure in 2005 and 2006 on some models but this problem now surface on other models as well.please investigate.
My bi-xenon headlights have been slowly fading resulting in extremely poor visibility during normal nightime driving. This degradation has been occurring without my knowledge until it became obvious after driving another vehicle. As it turns out, my mechanic has advised there is a common issue with certain bmw assemblies that the projector lenses literally burn due to heat resulting in the need to replace the entire assembly. This loss of headlight intensity resulting in poor visibility is a significant safety situation and request someone look into why no recall has occurred as this is obviously a safety concern. I have entered today's date as incident date as i am not sure when degradation of the projectors began.
The power door lock on passenger side cannot be unlocked either via remote or inside button. Worse, often when this happens, the door cannot be opened even by pulling on the handle from the inside! a passenger cannot get out of the car via the door. Furthermore, repeatedly attempts to have this fixed all fail within a short time.
Door locks intermittently will not unlock with switch or remotes. Central locking does not work even when using the key fob. My kids and i have been trapped in the car on several occasions for up to 10 minutes. This is a serious risk to my life and the life of others on the road. Bmw refuses to fix this problem. I have video of me trapped in the car. I addressed his problem with bmw before my warranty was up but they state since the technicians could not identity any problem it's not covered. I researched this issue and this is an ongoing problem with other customers.
As reported by other owners, the bi-xenon headlights no longer light up the road. It is a safety hazard and is a known issue with headlights manufactured by zkw on 2003-2005 bmw 330 models. The reflector bowls on these units burn out over time and reduce the headlights ability to reflect light. Driving at night is literally no better with the headlights on or off. I have to rely on my fog lights just to see anything. Please look into this safety issue as it is wide-spread. Replacement of headlights is expensive at $1300 ea, this has to be resolved by bmw immediately.
2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. Online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. Cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. Currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall.
My vehicle unexpectedly started on fire as my daughter was driving to school.it was determined that it was an electrical fire, and resulted in the car being totaled.the 2004 models need to be included in the recall (not that it will help with the loss of my car).
Vehicle adaptive xenon headlight wiring is faulty . Wire insulation is cracking/deteriorating and entire wires are breaking apart.symptoms start with flickering xenon headlight eventually (about a week later) stops working at all.vehicle is moving or stationary, engine on.the faulty wires are in a weather sealed compartment of the headlight and have never (to my knowledge) even been unsealed/accessed since leaving the factory.the issue is on the passenger side, unknown if it is on the driver side as well.the attached photo shows back side of the headlight housing looking down, with the weather-sealed compartment open.all exposed wire is as a result of the issue, nobody has actively cut or stripped the wires. Problem first noticed in sept of 2016, attempts were made to repair but now it has happened again, worse.
Wire loosing coating on inside of adaptive headlights, causing shorts or broken wires where the headlights and or turn signals will fail to work.wire is very brittle as this is also roughly 20 gauge wire. This can be an extreme hazard especially at night.this seems to be affecting bmw's 3/5/6/ series from at least 2004 to 2008 from my independent research.many pictures and complaints on various bmw forums to document this problem.my problem occurred when i lost one headlight on my way home in the dark and an indicator came on to identify a fault in the headlight.originally i though it was a bulb, changed bulb and it still did not work.further investigation led to a broken wire inside of the headlight assembly.i fixed the broken wire and then noticed two more wires where the coating on the wire seem to have flaked off causing bare wire.i also fixed those wires and all was well.a day or two later, the indicator came on again pointing to the same headlight.this time the turn signal was out.i opened the access panel to check the wiring and now a forth wire has been severed, however i can not fix it as it is down pretty far inside the headlight and to repair would require removing the headlight and taking it apart.apparently bmw used biodegradable wire for the headlights??source of the headlight is believed to be hella.supposedly bmw knows about the issue but unwilling to fix unless you purchase a $800-1500 new headlight.this is crazy for a car that is 10 years old and well maintained.this is a safety hazard as you will can loose a headlight in the dark and maybe both headlights going out, plus the fact of bare wires that can short and cause a fire.
The heating element on my 2004 bmw x3 caught on fire while i was driving. I don't use it often, but had noticed a hot smell when i did use it and that it would be too warm in the lumbar and hip region. The fire actually burned about a dime size hole in the driver side left seat panel (under the thigh). After reading of many others having the same or worse experiences, i am glad i immediately shut if off, although it still burned all the way through the leather. Please advise me of next steps i should take. I have shut off the heater and will no longer use it. With so many complaints, i would think this would result in a recall. Thanks for your advice.
I was not able to unlock my car with my car key. I was able to hear the click sound on pressing the unlock button on the key but nothing was happening. After numerous attempts for about 10 minutes car got unlocked. Now i'm having this problem on/off basis. I took the car to the local bmw dealer. After diagnose they said i have a failed general module which will cost me around $1000. This is way too much for car for it's total value of around $7000. This is scary since i'm not able to trust the locking system on my car. Sometime i'm not able to lock at all and at sometime i'm not able to unlock anything.
The zkw projector bowls are burned out on the headlight fixtures, reducing light output and visiblity. After some research, it is evident that this is not an isolated incident.bmw needs to address this safety issue.
As reported by other owners, the bi-xenon headlights no longer light up the road. It is a safety hazard and is a known issue with headlights manufactured by zkw on 2003-2005 bmw 330 models. The reflector bowls on these units burn out over time and reduce the headlights ability to reflect light. Driving at night is literally no better with the headlights on or off. I have to rely on my fog lights just to see anything. Please look into this safety issue as it is wide-spread. Replacement of headlights is expensive at $1300 ea, this has to be resolved by bmw immediately.
My bi-xenon headlights have been slowly fading resulting in extremely poor visibility during normal nightime driving. This degradation has been occurring without my knowledge until it became obvious after driving another vehicle. As it turns out, my mechanic has advised there is a common issue with certain bmw assemblies that the projector lenses literally burn due to heat resulting in the need to replace the entire assembly. This loss of headlight intensity resulting in poor visibility is a significant safety situation and request someone look into why no recall has occurred as this is obviously a safety concern. I have entered today's date as incident date as i am not sure when degradation of the projectors began.
Head lights are very dim. Reflectors are burned. Headlights do not project on the road. Cannot see at night.
Problem began with rear right tail light working intermittently.now the problem is occurring with the left tail light and front right signal.problem prevents other drivers from knowing when i am braking or making a right turn.i have tried replacing bulbsbut problem still persist and appears to be a problem with the wiring. I have called bmw north america to inquire about recall and i have not received any solid information on how to have my vehicle repaired.
2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. Online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. Cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. Currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall.
Zkw hid xenon low beam reflectors burnt or corroded causing a significant decrease in light output that bmw wants ~$3000 to fix. Lights were a premium option and cannot be corrected by xenon bulb replacement. The output has dimmed as to be unsafe.
My 2004 bmw 325ci recently developed a problem with the left rear tail light (turn signal and brake light) intermitently does not work.a left tail light failure also shows on the on board diagnostic display.the problem is intermitent and with no warning.i did some research and found there was a bmw recall for model years 2001 thru 2005 for this exact problem. The recall specifies 325 sedan models, my model is a 325ci (coupe).i called bmw north america and they say my particular model is not covered by the recall.i argued that i am having the exact same issue as the recall suggests, and my vehicle falls into the model years specified.they refused to acknoledge the problem as part of the recall.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (si b63 06 11 lights) for this issue in january of 2012.a recall (id # 71087) was issued aug. 26, 2011.i was not notified by bmw of either the service bulletin or recall.i am the original purchaser of the vehicle.my wife and i drive this car with our 11 year old daughter in the car, and this is a definite safety hazard.please help me get this resolved.
My headlights are so dim at night it is impossible to see without high beams on at all times. The fog lights are brighter than my new headlight bulbs. Only solution seems to replace the whole assembly but after researching this seems to be an ongoing issue with bmw so why should i have to spend over 1500.00 when they should have to replace them with a recall.
Headlights very dim when compared to original brightness.
On 2003-2004 bmw 3 series e46 sedans with oem zkw manufactured xenon (hid) headlights, the reflective bowl for the headlights will become discolored and non-reflective after normal use with oem bulbs. Over time, the heat from the oem bulb will scorch the reflective bowl and dramatically reduce light output to unsafe levels for night time driving. Bmw has not notified owners of the design flaw, and no replacement parts are available other than the entire expensive, new headlight assemblies that will suffer from the same problem in time.though bmw refuses to acknowledge that an issue exists, bmw changed the xenon headlight reflector design for later model years to a metal reflector assembly that does not degrade when exposed to the normal operating temperatures of the oem xenon bulbs. These newer designed headlight assemblies to not suffer from any reduction in light output with use.updated ivoq 07/26/11
Headlights have gradually lowered light output to the point that the vehicle is unsafe to operate in dark conditions. This condition has apparently happened to many other vehicles of the same make and model, and may have something to do with the low beam reflectors on 2003-2004 zkw hid headlights were made of some material that degraded when subjected to the heat produced by oem xenon bulbs.
I own a 2004 bmw 3 series sedan with optional bi-xenon headlights. About 10,000 miles into my purchase (or 57,000) i began to notice my headlight output deteriorating significantly. My girlfriend owns a 2004 bmw 3 series coupe/convertible also with the optional bi-zenon and 60,000 miles. I compared our vehicles headlights side by side. My bi-xenon headlights in both low and high beam form were significantly dimmer and had a yellow tint when compared to her bi-xenon headlights. This is a common issue on bmw 3 series sedans with the optional bi-xenon headlamps. The problem is that the bi-xenon reflector housing bowl in bmw e46 3 series sedans is made from a different manufacturer than the coupes and convertibles. The headlights in my vehicle are made and classified under the title (zkw). The coupes and convertibles are made and classified under the name (al). The difference is that oem zkw headlights reflector housing bowls are made from a type of plastic. While the oem al headlights are made out of metal. The metal housing in al style headlights in coupes and convertibles are able to stand up to the heat of the xenon bulb, the plastic housings in my sedan are not. Due to this it literally gets too hot and burns the plastic reflective housing to a brown crisp, which is not a reflective surface and deteriorated my headlight output to an extremely unsafe level. The output level has dimmed so that when there is any oncoming traffic my lights get drowned out and i must put on my fog lamps to maintain any type of visibility. The output level is belowany halogen lamp i have seen. This is extremely unsafe at any speed and is a known issue on all bi-xenon equipped bmw e46 3 series sedans. Bmw is aware of this issue and has done nothing to address this design flaw, which compromises the safety of myself and others. Pictures of the issue are available upon request. Thank you.
Zkw xenon headlights equipped on the car have a plastic reflector bowl for the low beam. The oem light bulb burns hot and melted the plastic reflector bowl. This causes a severe loss of projected light to the road. Many times i have to drive with high beams on to see more than 10-15 ft in front of the car cause me to blind other drivers. Bmw nor zkw recognize this as an issue and my dealer suggested i buy a whole new headlight assembly for 1.5k (each side) to fix the issue. This should be recalled because it is a design failure. The later versions on the zkw headlights use metal reflector bowls (not interchangeable with earlier version) so the issue is know to them.
The bi-xenon projector headlights on my car do not produce the focused light that they did when the car was purchased. Investigation has produced evidence that the plastic xenon reflector bowls have lost their reflective material and that the plastic reflector bowl is now deteriorated and brown. The pattern of where the reflective material has disappeared indicates that the vapor deposited reflective material has failed due to the heat generated by the headlight bulb. Other headlights in the bmw 3 series line have metal bowls and do not display the same problem. I've spoken to my bmw dealer and bmw of america and registered a complaint but received no assistance. If the projector bowls were available as replacement items i wouldn't be as un-happy unfortunately that's not the case and to rectify the problem it requires the customer to purchase headlight assemblies at around $1200.00 per side. As i am an engineer by profession i would consider this a design defect due to a poor choice of material capabilities and/or material compatibilities. I consider this to be a safety issue due to the fact that this occurs over time leaving the owner operator with slow deterioration of light quality. I would appreciate your assistance in holding bmw responsible for the safety of their customers and others on the our highways.i had notice the reduced light quality but was blaming it on the condition of my headlight lenses. But after having my headlight lenses reconditioned the lighting condition continued. Leaving me to investigate and find that this is a common issue with other bmw 3 series automobiles.
Recently purchased said vehicle and it came with zkw hid bi-xenon lighting system which appears the inner plastic bowls are burnt to a crisp with detriment light output making it almost impossible to clearly see unlit roads at night, this is a huge safety concern and needs to be reviewed and solved in a timely manner as it affects thousands of similar vehicles on the road. I'm afraid the reduced light output might appear to other drivers at night that my vehicle is further away that it is in reality giving the possibility of them crossing into my travel path incurring an accident. I know you have been reviewing this for quite some time but we need a resolution soon...thank you.
My zkw headlights do not reflect light anymore.bmw offer no replacement reflector bowls for the headlight, so no fix is available except replacing the headlight assembly with the same faulty assembly from the same manufacturer.headlights produce too much heat and melt the reflectors deeming them useless and an extreme danger.recall needed for extreme safety reasons.i can't drive my car at night anymore.
The very first time i tried to drive the car at nighttime to go back home, my wife and kids were on board, and we were more than 200 miles from home.after i turned on the low-beam head lamps and started rolling, i could barely see the road because the headlamps were not properly illuminating. I flipped the switch several times to no avail.' putting lives and properties at risk, i continued driving until we got home, all the while driving with the high-beam lamps on and apparently getting the others drivers on the road fuming.i took the car to both a lamp-adjusting station and a bmw dealer where i was told the lamps could neither be adjusted nor their bulbs merely replaced because the problem was the reflector bowls were defective and had lost their ability to project light properly.i was also told that both that the reflector bowls could not be replaced individually, and that both (left and right sides) assemblies must be replaced at a total cost of more than $2000.00.many posters in the bmw forums have voiced out exactly the same problems, and i wish that all would file a complaint to nhtsa.i never drove this car again at night until i had ? in august 2014 ? purchased and finally received and installed the head lamps assemblies in october 2014.i have in my possession the headlamp adjusting station's invoice and recommendation plus the receipt and invoice for the new headlamp assemblies that had to be specially ordered from germany.on november 17, 2014, by certified mail, i sent bmw of north america my request for reimbursement,but i have yet to receive a response. Due to this defect which affects safety, i strongly and respectfully suggest that a recall be issued on this bmw model, or some sort of directive be issued for bmw to reimburse those owners 'such as i' who had already replaced their lamp assemblies at their own expense.
2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure.online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly.cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700.currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall.
The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. The wiring is melted. While this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. The recall should be expanded to include more cars.i called bmw customer service. They are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing.thanks,
2004 bmw 325i with the factory bi-xenon headlights manufactured by zkw. The lights have extensive damage to the reflective bowlssuch that the light output is quite dim. This is apparently a weel documented problem with these lights by this manufacturer. No replacement is available other than complete replacement at $1000 per light or retrofitting another type of projector in its place. Bmw refuses to recognize this very common problem.*ln
2004 bmw 325xi sedan; taillight fails intermittently according to dashboard indicator, then failed solid. The wires melted inside the connector to the light housing and melted housing post - no easy way for home repair as this is not just a bad lightbulb. Bmw has service bulletin on repair, but is a pure design defect from the factory. There is no owner-induced problem here.they will not accept responsibility for repairs or recalls.a "google" reveals that this is a widespread issue with bmw 3-series and some 5-series cars. They should be forced to recall these cars for repairs.
My 2004 bmw 330i, with zkw produced headlight components, suffers from what appears to be a known issue with the projector bulb reflectors burning after approximately 50,000 miles of driving time.this results in a diminished light output, and is a definite safety concern.please address this issue as i believe bmw is aware of the issue, yet will do nothing to remedy the issue with it's owners.
Reflector bowls in xenon headlamp assembly burn and discolor, making low beam lighting almost negligible.doesn't even seem lights are on.very dangerous to drive at night without high beams on.
Thought i had a light problem fixed it first time. Signal on the dash did not go away but the light was on. Went to a different place and fixed it again. And the signal still would not go away. The light works but still show on the dash as if it's broken. I'm afraid by time it's time to get a new registration sticker that it will not pass.
The xenon projector bowls are made of plastic, which eventually burns.this diminishes the light output so drastically that it is incredibly difficult to see at night.the "burning" of the plastic bowl also seems like it might cause the bowl itself to melt or catch fire.
My 2004 bmw 330 equipped with bi-xenon headlights is experiencing greatly reduced light output.upon research on bmw forums, the problem is due to plastic reflectors in the light housing manufactured by zkw.this is a safety issue as the light output decreases slowly over time as the heat from the xenon bulb burns the coating off the reflector and leaves a burnt amber color as the plastic degrades.bmw refuses to replace the defective part under goodwill or cpo warranty, and classifies it as a wear item, which is incorrect.bulbs are wear items, not any non-moving part in the housing.this is a serious safety issue, especially for owners who are not aware due to the gradual degradation of lighting quality.
Headlight output began to dim. Replaced bulb and had clear lens cover cleaned. This did not help. Car is now unsafe to drive at night. Dealership discovered that the heat from the bulb has melted and discolored the reflector for the headlight.online internet search indicates this is a chronic safety problem with this model of bmw.
Wire loosing coating on inside of adaptive headlights, causing shorts or broken wires where the headlights and or turn signals will fail to work.wire is very brittle as this is also roughly 20 gauge wire. This can be an extreme hazard especially at night.this seems to be affecting bmw's 3/5/6/ series from at least 2004 to 2008 from my independent research.many pictures and complaints on various bmw forums to document this problem.my problem occurred when i lost one headlight on my way home in the dark and an indicator came on to identify a fault in the headlight.originally i though it was a bulb, changed bulb and it still did not work.further investigation led to a broken wire inside of the headlight assembly.i fixed the broken wire and then noticed two more wires where the coating on the wire seem to have flaked off causing bare wire.i also fixed those wires and all was well.a day or two later, the indicator came on again pointing to the same headlight.this time the turn signal was out.i opened the access panel to check the wiring and now a forth wire has been severed, however i can not fix it as it is down pretty far inside the headlight and to repair would require removing the headlight and taking it apart.apparently bmw used biodegradable wire for the headlights??source of the headlight is believed to be hella.supposedly bmw knows about the issue but unwilling to fix unless you purchase a $800-1500 new headlight.this is crazy for a car that is 10 years old and well maintained.this is a safety hazard as you will can loose a headlight in the dark and maybe both headlights going out, plus the fact of bare wires that can short and cause a fire.
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 330. The contact stated that the plastic reflector bowl used for the headlights were burned and scorched by the heat of the bulbs used on the vehicle. The contact replaced the covering before and within a year, it burned through again. The contact stated that the brand covering that was failing was the zkw brand. The vehicle was not inspected by the dealer or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 71,000.
The vehicle came equipped from the factory with bi-xenon auto leveling headlights manufactured by zkw. The past couple months, the light output has steadily decreased. Brown scorch marks are visible in the projector when the headlight is on. On the driver's side, the xenon bulb burned off all the reflective material in the projector bowl. The light output from the projectors has been reduced to a thin beam of light. It is becoming very difficult to see while driving at night. This problem is getting progressively worse.
The reflective material in the xenon headlamps has melted away due to the heat of the bulbs resulting in drastically reduced headlight effectiveness at night. This causes an extremely unsafe condition when driving at night. I have discovered this is a common occurrence in 2003-2005 e46 bmw 3 series and i believe it should be recalled and fixed by the manufacturer.bmw knows this is a deficiency as they corrected it in their later models.
Headlamp bulb out and upon replacement it was noted the coated wiring to the xenon system to right and left headlight is brittle (the wires plastic coating is falling off)and in some places exposed wiring was found. Electrical tape need to wrap the wiring to avoid potential fire. Late notice to this site i was unaware to file a report. Others also have complained about the same issues.
Xenon headlights are terrible. Very low visibility and impossible to see at night.
Front optional hid (xenon) headlamps were noticed a being extremely dim. The headlight has a replaceable plastic lens. Lens was first polished and then when no light improvement was observed, both lenses were replaced. Light output remain very poor. Bulb were ordered to replace original however when beginning to replace the bulbs it was noticed that the bowl had an observed scorch or burned spot on the projector bowl and i ceased changing the bowl. After reading forums it appears this is a common manufacturing defect involving a safety items that reduces viability and may possibly burn through on this model year with this option. A photo is available if necessary.
For a little over a year now i've been noticing that at night i've been having a real hard time seeing at night while i am driving. For a while i thought it was my eyes going bad until multiple people started asking if my lights where on, ( i was like good it's not my eyes) it gets real bad especially when it rain or the roads or wet which is almost every night cause live in hawaii and it rains all the time. But of course the problem is not getting better it's gotten so bad that i have to drive with my fog lights at night. I went to the dealer thinking it was the bulbs and they said that it was not and i would have to replace the whole headlight assembly right and left. I have never heard this before so i started to search the net and come to find out that i am not the only one with this problem. Please help!
Extremely low output. Very dim.
1. Over the lifetime of the vehicle the xenon bulbs are hot enough to burn the plastic reflector that shines the light on the road.as this reflector bowl burns inside the headlight assemble light output is severely diminished by at least 60-70% this posed a major safety issue to myself and others.2. The headlights made by zkw were installed on bmw sedan's model years 2003-2004 only. It is a constant occurrence and is very dangerous. I cannot see the road in front of me without my fog lights.3. I was forced to purchase two new headlight assemblies that were priced at $1,000 per side. There is no alternative which is very troublesome for thousands of owners of this model year car.
Bmw tail light ground is inadequate for applicable current load.hundreds if not thousands of bmw owners have reported this situation, where the brown ground wire connected to the male pin of the tail light module becomes oxidized, eventually causing a short, melting of the connector plug, and causing brake and turn signal failure.bmw sells a fix package for the problem, so they certainly know it exists.again, this is being reported by hundreds if not thousands of bmw owners.
Bought my vehicle brand new from bmw dealership & after about 5 years of having my car, i noticed that my xenon headlights were not shining as bright as they usually did. Over time i eventually had to use the high beams at night in order to see while driving. I had the passenger side headlight replaced after an accident in nov 2010 & recently went to have the driver side headlight checked to see why it wasn't illuminating as it should be. It was found that the protective sheath covering the wires in the headlight had dry rotted/desintegrated & there was hardly any sheath covering the wires, due to the heat generated by the xenon light. In addition, it was found that the projector bulb reflector had melted & burned out, also due to the heat generated by the xenon light & is why the light no longer illuminates as it should. I contacted bmw due to my findings & because many other bmw owners with the same year and model vehicle have experienced similar issues & bmw has been unwilling to address the issue. There is clearly a defect in the light design given the number of owners who have had this same issue and the fact that zkw & bmw has since changed the design of the xenon headlight in newer models & the newer design doesn't have this issue. Bmw need to be accountable for this design defect & replace the headlight with the newer design because replacing the headlight costs over $1200 dollars each light & being that the replacement lights have the same design defect you will find yourself having to replace the headlights every 4 to 5 years because it to will burn out and the projector bulb reflector is not sold separately & the entire lights has to be replaced. I can visibly see areas on the replaced headlight where the projector bulb reflector has already started to melt & burn & i have only had that light a little over a year.
Headlights project almost no light.just paid $130 to have lenses cleaned, no improvment. I thought it was my eyes and complained to opthamologist twice but my eyes are ok.i've read tht the reflector bowls in this model melt from the heat of the bulb.i need to remedy this situation asap so i will not be able to wait for an investigation.
I find the halogen headlights on many cars very distracting. I am not sure but i think they are on german cars. I am told they are well liked by the drivers of the owners of these cars but i find them hazardous for the cars whichare facing them. These headlights seem to me as dangerous as someone using there high lights against oncoming traffic. Have you heard this complaint before? is there anything to be done? thank you for a response. Edithr. Marks i found you on google.
The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. The wiring is melted. While this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. The recall should be expanded to include more cars.i called bmw customer service. They are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing.thanks,
Every summer since 2008 when the gas tank is full or near full, fuel drips from the gas tank during hot weather.replacing the solenoid as was recommended has not solved this problem. I have found the gas dripping on several occasions during hot weather only when the tank is full or near full.this occurs with the car being parked in the sun with the engine not running.last month, september 2012 after returning to may car after work, i had started the car first, then went to get my things out of the trunk, i saw gasoline pouring like a fountain under the car for a few minutes, then slowed down to dripping.i have not driven the car since.we took it immediately to our mechanic.it was determined to be leaking from the top of the gas tank.bmw wants over $5000 to replace the gas tank!this car is not safe to drive with this problem!can't drive it, can't somg it, or re-register it without repairing the faulty gas tank!
Door locks intermittently will not unlock with switch or remotes. Central locking does not work even when using the key fob. My kids and i have been trapped in the car on several occasions for up to 10 minutes. This is a serious risk to my life and the life of others on the road. Bmw refuses to fix this problem. I have video of me trapped in the car. I addressed his problem with bmw before my warranty was up but they state since the technicians could not identity any problem it's not covered. I researched this issue and this is an ongoing problem with other customers.
Door un-lock relays in the gm5 module fail over time and eventually result in occupants being unable to get out of the car without extraordinary effort. Problem is worse in warmer months.
The unlock control button on the center console does not unlock the passenger side door and does not unlock the 2 doors in the back. This failure occurs intermittently. When the failure occurs, only the driver can exit the car by using the manual door latch lever. The other passengers are trapped unless they climb out the window or climb into the front seat and then exit through the front seat door. A proper safety design and operation would allow the manual door unlock latch levers to work at all times and especially when the electrical or electronic systems have failed. As i routinely drive with a 4 year old and a 19 month old in their car seats which are in the back seat of my 2004 bmw , i am very concerned about our safety should there be a situation that i would have to remove them from the car quickly and the door locks had failed. The bmw service believes a module has to be replaced at a parts cost of $1000 and will not cover this cost. The car has only 29,000 miles but is out of warranty. I see that others have complained to nhtsa about this same problem in bmw 3 series and bmw 325xi.
An almost fatal crash. Car was backed up from garage in the morning into the street, put in d position but there were no power to the wheels for approximately 5 to 10 seconds. Car approaching from behind on the street needed to swerve to avoid rear ending my car. This problem happens continuously when the car is cold (sitting for more than 8 hours). There is a delay of about 10 seconds for power to engage in d position. According to online customer complaints and bmw dealer, this critical safety issue is related to a software issue in the transmission. A software upgrade fixes the problem but when approaching bmw for this critical safety issue, they refuse to provide the software upgrade for free and the dealer wants to charge $360 to update the transmission software.
My vehicle is a bmw 325, 2004 and i have had issues with my reverse.when i place my car in reverse, it does not move.i have read of several issues pertaining to this problem in bmw vehicles from 2000 - 2005.moreover, i understand that there was a class action law suit that was settled in nj. I would like to understand if the nhtsa is pursuing and investigation into this matter.
I received a recall notice dated september 2014 from bmw regarding a defect in the front passenger airbag.i called my local dealer in ft myers fl on 10/28/14 to set up an appointment to get the repair done.i was told the part was out of stock and asked to leave my name and phone number and i would receive a call when it became available.since i did not hear from the dealer i decided to follow up and called them on january 8, 2015.i was told the part was out of stock.the woman said they only receive small quantities at a time.again, i was asked to leave my name and phone number and would be called when the part was restocked.how can bmw send out a recall notice asking you to call immediately to have the necessary repair performed as soon as possible when they don't supply the dealer with the part?i expected more from bmw.i certainly hope they do something to rectify the problem and expedite the repair!
No in passenger seat when starting the car and the passenger air bag lamp was illuminated on dashboard.turned car off and then back on and the light was off.went about 15 feet and the light came back on. Turns on and off with or without anyone in the seat.bmw representative stated recall id# 81074 did not relate to my vin.
The heating element on my 2004 bmw x3 caught on fire while i was driving. I don't use it often, but had noticed a hot smell when i did use it and that it would be too warm in the lumbar and hip region. The fire actually burned about a dime size hole in the driver side left seat panel (under the thigh). After reading of many others having the same or worse experiences, i am glad i immediately shut if off, although it still burned all the way through the leather. Please advise me of next steps i should take. I have shut off the heater and will no longer use it. With so many complaints, i would think this would result in a recall. Thanks for your advice.
New defective brake pads caused a traffic accident with total loss of the vehicles involved.brake pads are contaminated and embedded with a slippery substance.pads are from prime choice auto parts42832 state route 12, alexandria bay, ny, 13607-2216can you investigate and analyze the brake pads in order to stop the selling of defective and dangerous brake pads? i am able to ship to you a brake pad sample.the vehicle was in motion, but unable to stop before turning on a city street.
2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. Online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. Cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. Currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall.
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the steering wheel vibrates, the vehicle shakes during acceleration and braking, all four tires were dry rotted, the abs light illuminates on the instrument panel, and a knocking noise is heard during acceleration.while driving approximately 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop.the contact had to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floor for the brakes to activate approximately ten seconds later.the vehicle has been taken to a dealer 8 times regarding these safety issues and several parts have been replaced; however, the failures still occur.the current mileage was 50,400 and failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 04-02-08
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the steering wheel vibrates, the vehicle shakes during acceleration and braking, all four tires were dry rotted, the abs light illuminates on the instrument panel, and a knocking noise is heard during acceleration.while driving approximately 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop.the contact had to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floor for the brakes to activate approximately ten seconds later.the vehicle has been taken to a dealer 8 times regarding these safety issues and several parts have been replaced; however, the failures still occur.the current mileage was 50,400 and failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 04-02-08
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the steering wheel vibrates, the vehicle shakes during acceleration and braking, all four tires were dry rotted, the abs light illuminates on the instrument panel, and a knocking noise is heard during acceleration.while driving approximately 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop.the contact had to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floor for the brakes to activate approximately ten seconds later.the vehicle has been taken to a dealer 8 times regarding these safety issues and several parts have been replaced; however, the failures still occur.the current mileage was 50,400 and failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 04-02-08
Bmw e46series cars, (1999-2006), have a weak point on the rear subframe mounting points. Over time, these points tear and cause the subframe to crack and begin to tear the body and frame of the car. My 2004 bmw m3 is experiencing this exact problem at the moment. There is numerous class action lawsuits open on this issue as well.
2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. Online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. Cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. Currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall.
Rear spring broke! could not believe that a spring could brake. I looked up on the internet to see if anyone else had a similar problem and was amazed that the internet is full of complaints. A broken spring causeshandling problems and can cause the car to go out of control causing an accident. It is obvious that bmw knows of the issue and the faulty design. I cannot believe that a car company that charges so much for a car would not own up too such a large problem and recall all of the affected cars. Please help us.
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the steering wheel vibrates, the vehicle shakes during acceleration and braking, all four tires were dry rotted, the abs light illuminates on the instrument panel, and a knocking noise is heard during acceleration.while driving approximately 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop.the contact had to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floor for the brakes to activate approximately ten seconds later.the vehicle has been taken to a dealer 8 times regarding these safety issues and several parts have been replaced; however, the failures still occur.the current mileage was 50,400 and failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 04-02-08
Side view mirrors begin to rust from the bottom up.this problem appears to be related to the heated mirrors but happens to most 3 series bmw's, despite the climate.
Module that controls central locking, wipers, and several other parts (the gm5) started to develop a fault.we had problems unlocking doors, locking doors, using windows, and worst of all - the wipers were hit or miss.bmw wanted $750 for the part replacement.
Headlight reflectors on hid being burnt therefore not giving enough light when driving at night.this is a common problem with owners of this model that has the zkw brand.
As reported by other owners, the bi-xenon headlights no longer light up the road. It is a safety hazard and is a known issue with headlights manufactured by zkw on 2003-2005 bmw 330 models. The reflector bowls on these units burn out over time and reduce the headlights ability to reflect light. Driving at night is literally no better with the headlights on or off. I have to rely on my fog lights just to see anything. Please look into this safety issue as it is wide-spread. Replacement of headlights is expensive at $1300 ea, this has to be resolved by bmw immediately.
The contact owns a 2004 bmw 3 series. The contact stated that the monochromatic coating on the rear view mirror was defective. As a result, the self dimming function had become inoperable and the reflection of the lights from other vehicles was extremely bright. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that it was a common failure and the mirror assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired.the failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 58,000. ..updated 08/01/12 the consumer stated that failure of coating can cause nighttime headlight glare from following cars. The dealer claims this failure is common after 7-8 years on cars equipped with the defective mirror.updated 08/02/2012
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