Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 27 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 BMW 325CI. 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 27 · page 1 of 2
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,550.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE WAS PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE FOG LIGHTS. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE FOG LIGHTS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, AND PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WERE NOT OPERATING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. 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.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. 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.
TAKATA RECALL I ASKED FOR A SERVICE APPOINTMENT ON MARCH 8TH, 2016 BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP TO SET A CERTAIN DATE FOR THE REPAIR. IS A 5 MONTHS WAIT NORMAL? I AM DRIVING THE CAR DAILY. EVERYTHING WORKS FINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
2003 BMW 325CI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG REPLACEMENT NOT AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE RECALL 14V-42B. *SMD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK ON A FEW DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *TR
HELLO, I RECEIVED A PASSENGER AIR BAG RECALL NOTICE BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2014 FOR MY BMW 325 CI YEAR 2003 AND HAVE TRIED TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE CALL WITH TWO BMW DEALERSHIPS IN NJ (BLOOMFIELD AND JMK IN SPRINGFIELD) SINCE THIS DATE. BOTH DEALERSHIPS KEEP TELLING ME THERE IS A BACK ORDER ON THE PARTS AND STATE THAT THEY HAVE PLACED MY NAME ON A WAITING LIST. EVERY TIME I CALL THEM (IT IS APRIL 2015 NOW) I GET THE SAME STORY AND IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING. I AM AFRAID TO LET ANYONE SIT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE AND FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY UNREASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME TO HAVE SOMEONE WAIT FOR SUCH A DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE. I KINDLY REQUEST YOUR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING MY VEHICLE'S AIR BAG REPLACED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *TR
WHEN INSIDE, ALL DOORS OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPEN WITH EITHER THE HANDLES, THE INTERNAL LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON, OR THE UNLOCKING MECHANISM ON THE KEY FOB. STOPPING AND STARTING THE VEHICLE AND MOVING IT A FEW YARDS STOPPED THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME AND THE BMW DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAULTY CONTROL MODULE. THEY DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WOULD PREVENT EXITING THE CAR IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V172000 (AIR BAGS). HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DELAY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB AND KEY FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNLOCK THE DOORS BY USING THE KEY FOB AND KEY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE MODULE FIVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. MA 09/22
THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO OPERATE; PROBLEM IS INFLUENCED BY TEMPERATURE EXTREMES (HOT AND COLD); SYMPTOMS VARY FROM REQUIRING THE DRIVER TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE DOORS WILL UNLOCK TO A COMPLETE FAILURE OF ALL DOORS TO UNLOCK. WHEN THE PROBLEM MANIFESTS ITSELF, THE CENTRAL ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK BUTTON (MOUNTED IN THE CENTER CONSOLE BESIDE THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH) IS INOPERABLE. BMW CRASH SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDE MECHANICAL DISCONNECT OF DOOR LATCHES WHEN LOCKED; WHEN THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM MANIFESTS, SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS WILL REMAIN MECHANICALLY DISCONNECTED, MEANING THAT THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED AT ALL. IN A WORST CASE SCENARIO, IF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE FOR ESCAPE DUE TO DAMAGE OR BEING BLOCKED, THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE FROM THE VEHICLE IS BY SMASHING WINDOWS. BMWS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH A GLASS BREAK DEVICE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A BODY MODULE CALLED THE GM5, WHICH IS MOUNTED ABOVE/IN FRONT OF THE GLOVE BOX; ALL LOCK POWER CIRCUITS RUN THROUGH THIS MODULE; THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A VOLTAGE DROP IN THE MODULE, RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT VOLTAGE TO THE LOCK MECHANISMS, AS YOU CAN HEAR THE LOCKS ATTEMPTING TO CYCLE WHEN AND CAN SEE THE LOCK BUTTONS MOVING WHEN THE KEY FOB IS USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THE TERMS "BMW","DOORS WON'T UNLOCK" GETS AT LEAST 10 PAGES OF RESULTS ON THE ISSUE, INCLUDING SEVERAL THAT IDENTIFY THE GM5 MODULE AS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND WAYS TO FIX IT. REPAIR REQUIRES A NEW GM5 MODULE THAT NEEDS TO BE PROGRAMMED PRIOR TO INSTALL. *TR
THE PASSENGER SIDE HID HEADLIGHT FAILS TO COME ON. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY IN THE WINTER TIME WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS COLDER AND THE AIR HAS MORE HUMIDITY. THIS IS NOT A BULB ISSUE IN THAT I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES. *TR
WHILE TRAVELLING ON ROUTE 50 IN MARYLAND AT 55MPH ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. I LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, TURN OFF VEHICLE AND RESTART IT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE IT WITHOUT AT LEAST $1100 WORTH OF WORK (THEY THINK ITS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM). AFTER $1100 THEY STATE IT WOULD BE AN EASY $200 FIX OR A SUBSTANTIAL $6-8000 FIX. I WILL BE BRINGING IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC FOR SECOND OPINION. I WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC AND COULD PULL OVER SAFELY.
PASSENGER DOORS WON'T UNLOCK ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THE CARS AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ISSUED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 BMW 325CI THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSES: 1. POWER STEERING STOPS FUNCTIOINING 2. I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE 3. BRAKING TAKES EXCESSIVELY LONG WITH ENGINE OFF 4. DASHBOARD LIGHTS UP. *TR
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE/ENGINE MANAGEMENT CONTROL MODULE. WHENEVER ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD, THEN STOPS AND GOES INTO A CYCLE WHERE IT DOES THIS "BUCKING" ACTION A FEW TIMES. THE CAR IS 2 YEARS OLD, BUT HAS ONLY DONE THIS FOR THE PAST YEAR. I'VE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED BY BMW- HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR THE LAST EIGHT (8) MONTHS WITH NO RESULT. MY FAMILY REFUSES TO RIDE IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE JERKING MOTION MAKES THEM SICK. A BMW FIELD REPRESENTATIVE KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I HIRED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT WAS ABLE TO TRACE THE PROBLEM TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL, BUT DOES NOT POSSESS THE BMW SOFTWARE OR EQUIPMENT TO REPAIR IT. NOW IT HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. IT'S IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE LEFT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS SINCE THE CAR JERKS FORWARD AND STOPS. A FEW TIMES I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO THIS.
SPORTS SUSPENSION IS CAUSING THE TIRES TO POP WHEN THE VEHICLE TENDS TO GO OVER A BUMP. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECKUP, AND REPAIRS 3 TIMES.*AK
VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 35,000 MILES SUFFERS FRONT CONTROL ARM FAILUE. AFTER REVIEWING THE DATA ONLINE I SEE THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT. AS AN AVIATION TECHNICIAN I CAN STATE THIS IS WELL ABOVE "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" AND IN FACT PRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS IGNORED. THE CONTROL ARMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONLY TO FAIL AGAIN SINCE THEY HAVE NOT BE REDESIGNED. THIS IS THE TYPE OF FAILURE THAT NHTSA WAS CREATED TO PREVENT, THE MFG HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO ADVISE OWNERS OR TO INSPECT WITHOUT A FAILUE. THIS FAILURE CAN RESULT IN THE FRONT WHEELS COMMING OFF THE VEHICLE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH OVER AN BUMP IN THE ROAD PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH. CONDITION FORCED CONSUMER TO PULL VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. UNABLE TO RESTART UNTIL 30-60 SECONDS LATER. DEALER INSPECTED AND FIXED THE FUEL INJECTION. BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
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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