We found the following complaints for BMW 330I (2003)
Read complaints for BMW 330I (2003)
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 3301. While driving various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v428000 (air bags); however, the part to repair the vehicle 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 failure. The failure mileage was 136,000.
Takata recall - it's been over 6 months since the takata recall was expanded to the driver's side on my car & there's still no estimate of when the replacement part will be available. I believe it's over a year & a half since the passenger airbag recall began. The company refuses to simply disconnect the potentially deadly airbag. Note, autos have not had airbags much longer than they have had them - and mine is potentially deadly. I have asked for a "loaner car"but have not yet heard their response. To me, no action without a timeline to fix this potentially deadly problem is ridiculous and completely unacceptable. I would greatly appreciate your help. Thank you, [xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Takata recallmy family drives a 2003 bmw 330i.we received notice of the airbag recall over 6 months ago, but the dealer still does not have parts needed for repair.there has not been an incident, but i feel like we are driving a ticking bomb.when will bmw be forced to make these repairs?
Takata recall i was involved in a traffic accident on 05/05/2017. I was hit by another vehicle on the passenger side of my vehicle while i was making a left hand turn. I was hit so hard that i was driven into an automobilethat was waiting at the traffic light to make a turn.both sides of my automobile were damaged. The windshield on the passenger side was broken. The air bags did not deploy. I had taken the automobile to the dealer when i received the air bag recall approximately one year ago.
Bmw issued recall 13v-172000 in may 2013 and expanded to recall 14v-428000 in september 2014 to include my vehicle. In their letter to nhtsa with regards to recall 14v-428000 they noted they should have enough parts to perform the recall in october 2014. An update to the recall notice on the nhtsa site states "a second notice was mailed when an adequate supply of parts became available, on december 1, 2014", however i have not received such notice and when i contacted bmw they stated on 12/15/14 "due to a high demand for parts, we are experiencing shipment delays but do anticipate receiving an increase in inventory supply over the next few months". They will not provide a date when they estimate the repair will be done. The recall notes that in a collision, the passenger side airbag inflator could rupture and metal fragments could seriously injure a passenger. Based on the lack of additional communication from bmw, and their recent statement that the repair could take several months, i am filing a complaint on their lack of urgency to resolve a serious problem that has been known at least since july 16, 2014, and should have been known on may 2013 when the original recall 13v-172000 affecting a lower number of vehicles was originally issued.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the passenger seat air bag sensor causes the air bag indicator to illuminate.the illumination occurs whenever someone is seated in the passenger seat.the indicator remains lit even if no one is in the passenger seat.the dealer stated that the warranty was expired and the contact would be responsible for the repair costs.the failure mileage was 59,000.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v318000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Air bag light comes on intermittently. Received recall notice june 2105, dealer says they have not received parts. Car was originally a california car, in north carolina since 2015. When will parts be available?
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the driver's side air bag deployed inadvertently.the vehicle was merged to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician stated that the air bags deployed due to driving over a pot hole.the manufacturer was notified of the failure.the approximate failure mileage was 154,000.
The car was being driven by my house and the transmision started slipping as well as it catching and breaking one of the axles leaving the car to be stuck not being able to move period surely the most important thing this resulted in the car getting hit and the fuel tank exploding my aunt want not able to make it out of the car to get out of the way and again this car didn't allow the air bags to deploy the location is unkown
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v318000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.updated 11/29/16*lj
Hi i have two bmw's that qualify for this recall. I learned about it 6 weeks ago. My fianc and i havnt been able to use our vehicles in almost 2 months! i even called and went to the bmw of and they said they would order the air bag for the one and our second car they would write the order up when i left the dealership . Needless to say i even brought over a dealership memo from bmw because i work in the auto industry and have acesss to identifix.com, i showed them the notice where they have to give customers loaner vehicles or pay up to $68 a day for a rental car. They keep ignoring my calls.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330-i. The contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised that the failure was caused by the air bags sensor. The vehicle was repaired however the failure recurred several times after the repair.the contact continued to take the vehicle to the dealer upon each recurrence but the contact was concerned because at every visit to the dealer, she was told a different component was causing the failure. The contact was not aware of each component that she was advised to have repaired. The dealer later denied any further service to the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 84,000.
Takata recall. I have been in contact with bmw north america & my local dealer for well over 1 year on my driver's side airbag recall (after a multi year delay to get the passenger side replaced), but still do not have any idea of when they will fix the problem. Most recently, bmw [xxx] told me "remedy is available" in writing. I have called the local dealer & left messages 3 times, but the service department will not call me back. The secretary for the service department told me while leaving a message i needed to come to the dealer to order the recalled part. I asked how this could be correct. I really need to go to the dealership to order a part for a recalled item? bmw [xxx] now will not return my emails. I have asked multiple times to simply disconnect the potentially deadly airbag until a replacement is available, but they will not. I cannot understand why both the parent company & the dealer refuse to return my calls & emails, and simply provide me with information on when my car will be fixed. Further, why would they say a fix/remedy is available & then stop communication and not follow through, making the required repair. Please help me in getting this potentially deadly airbag replaced. Please fine bmw for operating in such a horrible manner. Thank you, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v318000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v428000 (air bags) and 15v318000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact stated that the recall notices for nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v428000 (air bags) and 15v318000 (air bags) were received in 2014. After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle were still not available and no estimated time for receiving the parts could be given. The contact had not experienced a failure.updated 04/07/16*ljupdated 04/12/16.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. 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 not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. While driving various speeds, the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v318000 (air bags). The part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 208,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 11v438000 (exterior lighting), 14v428000 (air bags), and 15v318000 (air bags); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the air bag and seat belt warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the turn signal on the driver's side malfunctioned by blinking intermittently while in use. The contact called the hixson bmw and walker bmw dealers who both stated that the parts were not available for the repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who diagnosed the failure as an ignition circuit air bag indicator fault.the vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The failure mileage was 9,692 and the current mileage was 79,692.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph, the driver side air bag inadvertently deployed.the contact panicked and crashed sideways into a concrete median.the contact sustained back injuries which required medical attention. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis.the dealer stated that the vehicle was working up to standards and was unable to provide further assistance.the manufacturer was notified of the failure.the approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
I filed a previous complaint on this web site, but it has since been removed.the odi# i was provided was 1011031.please advise as to why the complaint was removed.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v318000 (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 made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The vin was not available.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who diagnosed the failure as an ignition circuit air bag indicator fault.the vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The failure mileage was 9,692 and the current mileage was 79,692.
All passenger doors except driver door cannot be unlocked or opened using any method--the key or any unlock button, or using either inside or outside door handles.this leaves only the front driver door openable.this is a huge safety risk.i can't drive the car this way--i would not be able to get my kids out of the back seat.it happens whether the car is running or not, and moving or not.
The passenger doors fail to open with the internal door unlock button.this is due to failure of door unlock relays in the gm5 module.this could result in a significant safety issue if a failure of the unlock relay happens when attempting to unlock passenger doors in an emergency to retrieve passengers.
About 2 or so years ago i started to notice my night driving was becoming unpleasant and unsafe due to the fact that my headlights were losing output.after replacing the plastic lenses new from bmw i then went on to buying new bulbs thinking that would make a diff. It didn't. 10-12-12 today my lights are yellow/foggy on the inside like smoke has made the lenses opaque and my output is barely seen, i looked on the back where the bulb is inserted and it sure looks brown in there, i get more light reflected on the ground when i turn my turn signals than i do on the headlights.after going online and searching, my car came from factory with a defect zkw xenon headlight system, which 99% of the zkw headlight owners of e46 sedans found online have the same issue, all you have to do is google "e46 zkw burnt bowls" . I have a 4 month old little girl, i cannot imagine driving with her in the car on a rainy night and my concern is now my baby. I can send you pictures if needed please, thank you for reading and i appreciate your help.
My car will not unlock reliably via the remote control or the center unlock/lock button.i can't get into the car when this problem happens.the general module(gm5) is going bad and the car will only unlock when it feels like it.from what i understand this is a normal issue with my 2003 bmw 330i.hopefully bmw will file a recall on this item so i don't have to pay the $790 the dealership charges for this known problem.thanks [xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
Intermittent failure of driver and passenger side tail light assembly due to burnt connector pins and connector housing. Inadequate connector/wire rating. Should be subject of a recall from a responsiblecar manufacturer. Unsafe to drive in the dark. Blemish on the ultimate driving machine.intermittent failure of the mostly passenger side head light. Occasional failure of the driver side head light. Normally the light bulb would require replacement, but often the whole lighting unit is consideredfailing by the dealer. Cost of replacement is extremely high.
Central locking mechanism is going crazy.if i were in a crash, the car is supposed to unlock the doors, turn on the flashers, etc.this will not happen with the central locking mechanism working intermittently.if i am injured in an accident it may be more difficult for paramedics to get to me.i was actually locked in my car today when i arrived at school.i had to crawl out the window and thankfully i was able to roll up the window with the key in the door.i have read that this may stop working as well.this is very concerning, online i have read that this can cost around $750.00 to fix at the local bmw stealership (whoops, dealership).bmw should fix this if they are concerned with their drivers safety.
Please note that this incident happened prior to the date and mileage noted above as the previous owner had to also deal with this problem. I report the dates as when i received the car when it came into my ownership only. Driver's door lock failed to electronically and mechanically unlocked from the inside. The door can only be opened from the outside with a key. This poses a potentially grave safety concern as no one can open the door from inside - essentially passengers may become locked-in. Culprit appears to be bmw e46 gm v module factory coding where glitch prevents door locks from behaving appropriately. Aftermarket reprogramming fixes the issue. This is a very common issue for bmw e46 vehicles - internet search "bmw gm v control module" for details and testimonials. Bmw should be held responsible and fix the issue.
Erratic engine idle and stall.at idle engine rpms will drop causing a stall/stutter.this happens frequently and in all types of weather conditions. This effects all 330i zhp (performance pkg) model.
Car stalls. Car displays erratic idle. Car engine stumle.s
I am experiencing a stalling problem with my 2003 bmw 330i. At a stop light the car has a very rough idle and has stalled numerous times. I have brought the car to the dealer numerous times to have this problem resolved, and nothing has been done about it. This problem is happening on almost every 330i, as evidenced on numerous internet bulletin boards (including bimmerfest.com and bimmerforums.com) but bmw refuses to acknowledge the problem. This problem causes a safety hazard, as the stalling as left me stranded at an intersection in the past with traffic flowing around me as i attempt to restart.
No events leading to failurecar will randomly stall when stopped. Problem continues to persistnothing has been done. Bmw claims there is no problem
Car has stalled twice for no apparent reason.car has consistent rough idle and verges on stalling at times.
My 2003 bmw 330i zhp has a rough idle and occasionally stalls.i've had it serviced 3 times, but issue still not resolved.
Erratic engine idle and stall.at idle engine rpms will drop causing a stall/stutter.this happens frequently and in all types of weather conditions. This effects all 330i zhp (performance pkg) model.
2003 330i zhp (performance package) : 6k miles... Car idle's rough and stalls occasionally. Dealer / service had no error reports in the computer, said they could do nothing about it. Problem continues...
There is a problem with the bmw 3.0l engine where idling once the engine is warmed-up is usually very rough in the range of 500-700 rpm. There is also a tendency to dip below 500 rpm and stall out. This started happening when the car only had 700 miles on it. I consider the stall a failure.
2003 bmw 330i, i have an issue where the engine stalls when the coasting to a stop, or sitting stationary, and with the clutch fully depressed.engine also exhibits uneven/odd acceleration behavior, often lagging noticeably at speed.i've had the car at the dealer to diagnose the problem on 4 occasions in the past year (19k miles) with zero resolution.because the car isn't throwing an error codes, i guess that i have to just "live with it".not acceptable.this can be a dangerous issue, especially when coasting to a stop.i would like to see bmw finally step up to the plate and address this issue.i just shouldn't have to live with something like this, in this day in age, and with a mass-produced car.
I'm contacting you to express my frustration with the quality of the bmw xenon headlight. The xenon low beams started to dim and are now useless. Through google i found out that this is a very common problem since the plastic reflector/projector bowls just burn out. The light output is now too low to be safe at night.http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?3625-zkw-reflector-recall-open-nthsa-investigation&s=b19d0df67f3afe70ac7ad8205496e414.
Intermittent failure of driver and passenger side tail light assembly due to burnt connector pins and connector housing. Inadequate connector/wire rating. Should be subject of a recall from a responsiblecar manufacturer. Unsafe to drive in the dark. Blemish on the ultimate driving machine.intermittent failure of the mostly passenger side head light. Occasional failure of the driver side head light. Normally the light bulb would require replacement, but often the whole lighting unit is consideredfailing by the dealer. Cost of replacement is extremely high.
Bi-xenon headlights manufactured by zkw have a serious design defect.after only 80,000 miles, the headlights are almost completely ineffective at night time.upon inspection, the reflective bowl in the headlight assembly was burnt, blackened and melted.not only is this a safety issue for driving at night, but it could potentially be a fire hazard.upon doing some research, this appears to be a serious problem, evidenced by many complaints on various bmw message forums.something needs to be done about this before it leads to fire or accident.
Around november 2009 i started to notice the unmodified factory xenon headlamps in our car seemed dim.over the next year they seemed to dim considerably and after the recent end of daylight savings time resulted in a significant increase in my night-time driving, i have found the headlamps to provide nearly no projected light.upon inspection of the light assembly i have discovered that bmw built these headlamps using a chrome-coated plastic reflector to direct the light forward to the road.it appears the design used placed the bulb too near the reflector or used plastic with inadequate temperature resistance and the bowl itself has gradually burnt to the point where it no longer reflects light.there has not been a fire at this point but the plastic appears to be failing structurally now (burn through) and i fear what would happen if i allowed it to progress further.the light projected with low beams on now is so inadequate the car cannot be safely used for night driving. Bmw does not sell replacement reflector bowls to allow repair of the head lamp assembly and the only option to remedy this issue is to purchase a pair of new head lamp assemblies at approximately $1,200 each.i have contacted both my local bmw dealer and bmw cars north america and neither has offered an engineering or customer service solution to this problem.
The zkw brand high intensity discharge (hid) / xenon headlights installed from the factory in to my 2003 bmw 330i degraded to a point where visibility at night was almost zero unless i drove with the high beams and/or fog lights on. Replacing the bulbs did not remedy the problem. The cause was burnt "reflector bowls" which are not replaceable. The whole headlight assembly must be replaced at $1000-1300 per side. I had the headlights repaired by a specialist (at a cost of nearly $700) as i was not ready to pay $2600 to replace the headlights with another set of zkw assemblies which would no doubt fail like every set of zkw headlamps installed in 2003-2004 330i sedans.i do not feel that headlights should be a 'wear and tear' item. They are obviously a critical safety component. The deterioration of light output is slow and takes time, so people may not realize anything is wrong with their headlights until they are driving with almost no output on the road.
I own a 2003 bmw 330i sedan that came from the factory with xenon headlights.these headlights were manufactured by zkw.over time, the reflective material inside the headlight assembly burns and degrades.this is due to the fact that zkw used a plastic reflector housing which cannot withstand the heat of the xenon bulb.when burned, the headlights no longer provide adequate lighting to safely drive at night.the suggested resolution per bmw is to purchase new headlight assemblies at $1200 per side.note:bmw used another manufacturer (automotive lighting, al) for later models and those vehicles with al lights don't suffer from this failure due to the fact that al used metal reflectors not plastic like zkw.
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. This results in a significant decrease in light output as the reflector became scorched. I don't know the exact ins and outs, but i would imagine that bmw and zkw were and are aware of the defect as the newer, redesigned headlights do not suffer from this problem.
Car is equipped with optional, factory-installed, bi-xenon headlamp assemblies made by zkw. The projector bowls inside, which greatly magnify the light output of the bulb, are made of a plastic that cannot handle the heat of the xenon bulb. As a result, the reflective surface burns and turns brown. In doing so, the light output is greatly reduced to a dangerous level.this problem affects both high and low beam operation. Situation gets progressively worse over time.the plastic bowls are not sold separately, therefore the only solution is to purchase new headlamp assemblies, at an approximate cost of $1,900 for the pair.
Bmw e46 3-series sedans with the zkw-brand xenon headlamps have defective headlights. The projector reflector bowls burn out, reducing light output, making the car less safe to drive at night. As far as i know, all the e46 sedans with zkw-brand xenon headlamps suffer from this problem to one degree or another. Replacement with new oem parts typically runs more than $800 per side. My car has the burned zkw projector bowls, though in my case it has not caused any specific accident. I believe this should be a safety recall and bmw should replace all defective xenon projector headlamp assemblies.
Model2003 bmw 330i e46 (3 series) sedan situationone of the rear lights is inoperative.causeminor corrosion at the 8-pin rear lamp connector creates high resistance causing damage to the connector housing (it actually burned through the plastic housing potential for fire)correctionrepair the damaged wire(s) and replace damaged connector housing. Install additional ground wires to both left and right rear lamps.
Intermittent function of left tail light assembly, despite functional light bulbs. Assembly removed and 7 pin connector noted to have overheated at pin 2, melting surrounding plastic.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact stated that the service tail light symbol illuminated on the dashboard intermittently. The contact disconnected the plastic where the light bulb was located and found that the plastic was melted and corroded due to faulty wiring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that there were no recalls and offered the contact a discount for the repairs. The manufacturer advised the contact that since his vehicle was no longer under warranty that they would not be able to provide any assistance. The current and failure mileage was 44,800.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. While parked, the contact noticed that the tailgate light warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the resistor cable and the outlet plug connected to the tail light wires were melted. The contact stated the turn signal and brake light failed intermittently and alternated functions. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics and was not repaired. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000 (exterior lighting:turn signal) but was not aware if the vehicle was included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the vin was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.
Recently i bought a 2003 bmw 330i with xenon projector headlights.the low- and high-beam output of these lights is very poor, with very little usable light when driving on lit or unlit roads at night.compared to standard halogen lamps on my other cars (1990 bmw 525i, 2004 saturn ion) i would rate them at 40% and 30% output respectively, and both of the other cars use standard halogen lamps.research on this issue found the headlamp reflector used by bmw for these lights (zkw branded) is made of plastic instead of metal and begins to overheat and melt over time, reducing light output and eventually failing completely.bmw does not offer replacement reflectors, plastic or otherwise, and the only option using manufacturer parts is to replace the entire unit at a cost of approximately $2000 (for the pair).i find this completely unreasonable considering the headlights are critical components for driving at night, and a $2k 'wear part' is grossly excessive.
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 11v438000 (exterior lighting), 14v428000 (air bags), and 15v318000 (air bags); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The contact stated that the air bag and seat belt warning indicators illuminated. The contact stated that the turn signal on the driver's side malfunctioned by blinking intermittently while in use. The contact called the hixson bmw and walker bmw dealers who both stated that the parts were not available for the repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
In the headlight assembly manufactured by zkw, the reflective ballasts are made of plastic and melt, thereby decreasing light output.the darkness is barely illuminated, thereby making driving at night almost impossible.there is no known dealer part to replace or upgrade, save for purchasing expensive light assemblies.the car has not been repairedor examined by technicians.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The vehicle was included in the recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000 (exterior lighting:tail lights). The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the wiring connector would have to be replaced prior to performing the recall repairs. The wiring connector would not be covered under the recall repairs. The contact stated that the consequences of the recall had damaged the wiring connector and he felt it should be covered under the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.
I have encountered a failure of the factory xenon headlamp assembly.i have had reduced visibility as a result of a burnt bulb housing that did not make itself readily apparent.because there is no remedy outside of replacing the poorly designed housing, i have a concern of the safety of myself, my occupants, and others on the road.a failed bulb is understandable maintenance.a failed headlamp assembly due to burning and cracking the plastic lens from so much heat is not.this is a poor design, and should warrant a recall.
I recently purchase a 2003 bmw 330i with factory xenon lights that were manufactured by zkw. The light output of these headlamps is the worst by far i have ever seen from a modern vehicle. Xenon headlamps normally have superior brightness over halogen headlamps. My fog lights put off more light than the zkw headlamps. I know that this is not a bulb issue, because they bulbs have been replaced. The bowls that reflect the light turn brown because of the heat and light output goes way down over time, from what i have read on many forums. This is a major safety issue and bmw only sells the entire headlamp to fix the problem and not just the bowl that burns and discolors. The headlamps from bmw are over $1,000 each and i really can't justify spending that right now.headlights are not a wearable item and i never expected to have to rep.
Burned headlight reflector bowl on 2003 "zkw" headlight housings. Headlamp output severely diminished. Also equipped on 03-05 3-series.
About 2 or so years ago i started to notice my night driving was becoming unpleasant and unsafe due to the fact that my headlights were losing output.after replacing the plastic lenses new from bmw i then went on to buying new bulbs thinking that would make a diff. It didn't. 10-12-12 today my lights are yellow/foggy on the inside like smoke has made the lenses opaque and my output is barely seen, i looked on the back where the bulb is inserted and it sure looks brown in there, i get more light reflected on the ground when i turn my turn signals than i do on the headlights.after going online and searching, my car came from factory with a defect zkw xenon headlight system, which 99% of the zkw headlight owners of e46 sedans found online have the same issue, all you have to do is google "e46 zkw burnt bowls" . I have a 4 month old little girl, i cannot imagine driving with her in the car on a rainy night and my concern is now my baby. I can send you pictures if needed please, thank you for reading and i appreciate your help.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. While driving approximately 65 mph, the passenger side headlight caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the headlight needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. The vin was not available.
Zkw manufactured xenon headlamps for bmw 330i e46 cars.the projectors become scorched over time, causing dangerously low light output and not being able to see at night.
This car suffers from the known burnt xenon low beam bowls, its impossible to see anything at night and is not safe. This needs to be recalled by bmw immediately, headlights have been adjusted properly and new bulbs were put in and does not cure the problem. Its very common for these xenon headlights to have this problem in alot of 2003+ bmw 3 series.
The headlights on the car seems to be very dim. The amount of light that comes out of the headlights looks slightly brown and pretty dark as compared to many other cars on the road. I believe that the headlights were designed with plastic and which case the bulb would cause things to burn over time.
Xenon headlights. Dim to dark at best. Work when they want.
2003 bmw 330i.consumer states that right rear lamp indicator was lit on dashboard. Consumer is requesting reimbursement of previous repair before recall was sent.bmw informed the consumer that the previous repair was not consistent with bmw standards and therefore, they had no responsibility to reimburse her. Recall # 11v438000.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000 (exterior lighting:brake lights) and was taken to the dealer for repairs. The technicians stated that the bulb housing would have to be replaced but would not be covered under the recall. The technician advised the contact that the recall repair would only cover the wiring harness, which connected to the taillight. The repair could not be performed unless the bulb housing was replaced. The replacement of the bulb housing was performed as well as the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000. Updated 05/09/12 the consumer stated the repair was began without first informing him of the additional chargers for the additional parts not covered by the recall. The dealer informed the consumer after the original harness was destroyed during removal that it could not be re-installed .updated 06/07/12
2003 bmw 330i.consumer states that right rear lamp indicator was lit on dashboard. Consumer is requesting reimbursement of previous repair before recall was sent.bmw informed the consumer that the previous repair was not consistent with bmw standards and therefore, they had no responsibility to reimburse her. Recall # 11v438000.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the brakes seized and the steering wheel became difficult to turn then the eml warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the fuel pump fractured.the manufacturer was notified.the failure mileage was 83,000.
The passenger doors fail to open with the internal door unlock button.this is due to failure of door unlock relays in the gm5 module.this could result in a significant safety issue if a failure of the unlock relay happens when attempting to unlock passenger doors in an emergency to retrieve passengers.
My car will not unlock reliably via the remote control or the center unlock/lock button.i can't get into the car when this problem happens.the general module(gm5) is going bad and the car will only unlock when it feels like it.from what i understand this is a normal issue with my 2003 bmw 330i.hopefully bmw will file a recall on this item so i don't have to pay the $790 the dealership charges for this known problem.thanks [xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
The car would not unlock and i was trapped inside the car for about 30 minutes.
While traveling at highway speeds, service engine soon light came on and code was p0741 was read by service technician.when fixed, torque converter seal was damaged and new torque converter was required to be installed.this is a known issue with this transmission.bmw should have a recall, as the new seal is the same design and will fail again.
The car was being driven by my house and the transmision started slipping as well as it catching and breaking one of the axles leaving the car to be stuck not being able to move period surely the most important thing this resulted in the car getting hit and the fuel tank exploding my aunt want not able to make it out of the car to get out of the way and again this car didn't allow the air bags to deploy the location is unkown
On cold days, the transmission would slip when put into drive for approx. 5-10 seconds before driving.*phon very cold days, letting the car sit for only 4 hours was enough to cause it to slip.the manufacturer was aware of this problem.the dealer ordered and replaced the transmission with a remanufactured transmission at no cost.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i.the contact stated that the brakes seized and the steering wheel became difficult to turn then the eml warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the fuel pump fractured.the manufacturer was notified.the failure mileage was 83,000.
The passenger doors fail to open with the internal door unlock button.this is due to failure of door unlock relays in the gm5 module.this could result in a significant safety issue if a failure of the unlock relay happens when attempting to unlock passenger doors in an emergency to retrieve passengers.
The car was being driven by my house and the transmision started slipping as well as it catching and breaking one of the axles leaving the car to be stuck not being able to move period surely the most important thing this resulted in the car getting hit and the fuel tank exploding my aunt want not able to make it out of the car to get out of the way and again this car didn't allow the air bags to deploy the location is unkown
All passenger doors except driver door cannot be unlocked or opened using any method--the key or any unlock button, or using either inside or outside door handles.this leaves only the front driver door openable.this is a huge safety risk.i can't drive the car this way--i would not be able to get my kids out of the back seat.it happens whether the car is running or not, and moving or not.
Vehicle door locks do not properly function; i.e will not unlock by key fob. I have experienced this before and upon researching the incident, i determined this is a common fault by the manufacturer. Door will also remain locked while pushing the door unlock button located inside the vehicle. Doors will also remain locked when engaging the door handle from the inside (engaging door handle from the inside is supposed to unlock that door). This type of fault raises major safety concerns.
All passenger doors except driver door cannot be unlocked or opened using any method--the key or any unlock button, or using either inside or outside door handles.this leaves only the front driver door openable.this is a huge safety risk.i can't drive the car this way--i would not be able to get my kids out of the back seat.it happens whether the car is running or not, and moving or not.
Engine stalls/ rough idle when rpms are low.fix not available.
The contact owns a 2003 bmw 330i. After the cpntact had the rims chromed they would continuously and slowly deflate.the tires had to be inspected and reinflated after every trip.the failure did not occur until after the rims were chromed.the rims would not hold air.the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage was 70,000.updated 03-04-08
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