Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 77 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 BMW 3 Series. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 77 · page 1 of 4
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.
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 PARTS 42832 STATE ROUTE 12, ALEXANDRIA BAY, NY, 13607-2216 CAN 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.
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.
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).
TAKATA RECALL NHTSA RECALL NUMBER:15V318 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: 14V428
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.
TAKATA RECALL I 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). *TR
TAKATA RECALL I 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..
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.
TAKATA RECALL. THIS COMPLAINT IS DUE TO THE SLOW RESPONSE OF NALLEY 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 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 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. *TR
TAKATA RECALL. THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT HAS NOT BEEN PERFORMED AS OF 04-25-16
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!
TL* 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.
TL* 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 2/4/16 *CN UPDATED 02/16/16*JB
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.
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.
HEAD LIGHTS ARE VERY DIM. REFLECTORS ARE BURNED. HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT ON THE ROAD. CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT. *TR
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! *TR
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. *TR
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. *TR
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. *TR
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! *TR
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. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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