2005 BMW 325I Electrical Problems

The complaint was filed on behalf of the contact's mother. The contact's mother owned a 2005 BMW 325i. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, the contact's brother noticed that the vehicle was on fire. The contact's brother used a nearby water hose and extinguished the fire. The Fire Department and the Police arrived. A fire report and a Police report were filed, however the Police report information was unavailable. In addition, the contact was informed that the light module was the source of the fire. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure. The vehicle remained at the residence. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

NHTSA ID

11749301

Incident

Jun 23, 2026

Mileage

127,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN SPEED WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE FUEL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, OR ENGINE WAS THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND FAIL TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY MAY BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11129525

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

Mileage

140,000 mi

FAULTY OR INADEQUATE GROUND WIRE WHICH BURNED 8-PIN CONNECTORS AND BULB-HOLDERS IN BOTH REAR QUARTER PANELS. DEALER INSTALLED "ADDITIONAL GROUND CONNECTION TO THE CIRCUIT OF THE LAMPS" AT NO CHARGE ON 1/19/12, BUT I AM STILL FIGHTING WITH CORPORATE OFFICE IN NJ FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF $271.35 INCURRED IN REPLACING THE OTHER BURNED OUT PARTS PRIOR TO THE RECALL IN DECEMBER. MY RESEARCH REVEALED THAT SECTION 6(B) OF THE TREAD ACT REQUIRES MANUFACTURES TO INCLUDE FUNDS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIR EXPENSES PRIOR TO RECALL IN A RECALL PLAN. ALSO, THE "FINAL RULE" PASSED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IN OCTOBER 2002 STATES THAT "FOR THOSE RECALLS WHERE THERE IS A REASONABLE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME CONSUMERS WILL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT, THE MAIN BODY OF THE OWNER NOTIFICATION MUST INCLUDE A CONCISE REFERENCE TO THE RIGHT TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, ALONG WITH A DESCRIPTION OF WHERE CONSUMERS WHO BELIEVE THEY MAY BE ENTITLED TO SUCH REIMBURSEMENT CAN OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT." THERE WAS NO REFERENCE TO THE RIGHT OF REIMBURSEMENT IN BMW'S NOTIFICATION LETTER, AND TWO DEALERS (THEIR "EYES AND EARS IN THE FIELD," PER A CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVELY WORDS TO ME) HAVE SAID THEY "KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT" AND "WILL GET BACK TO ME," WHICH NEITHER ONE HAS DONE. ALTHOUGH I MAY VERY WELL STILL GET MY $271.35 REIMBURSED (AM WAITING TO HEAR), I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT ALL THE OTHER 2005 325I OWNERS OUT THERE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10445682

Incident

Oct 29, 2010

Mileage

69,000 mi

EXTERIOR BRAKE AND TAILIGHT FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATED GROUND TERMINAL. NHTSA ACTION # EA09019. *TR

NHTSA ID

10438167

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

72,000 mi

REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND BLINKER NOT WORKING. WIRE IS BURNED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10437995

Incident

Sep 21, 2011

PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. LEFT REAR BRAKE, TAIL AND TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD GO ON/OFF. I REPLACED THE BULBS, BUT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE SOMEPLACE. IF THE WIRES/CONNECTORS WERE WIGGLED, THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON UNTIL A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR I CLOSED THE TRUNK. I REPORTED THIS TO BMW AND BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS. BMW DID REPAIR THE PROBLEM AS A ONE TIME GOOD WILL GESTURE. ADDITIONAL VIN'S MAY NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10437424

Incident

Nov 11, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

REAR TAIL LAMP ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE GO OUT AND COME OUT INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED AT 80,000 MILES AND HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE NOW AT 110,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392508

Incident

Mar 16, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

I HAVE A 2005 BMW 325I AND RECENTLY BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF MY TURN SIGNAL. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD TODAY IT FAILED TO OPERATE AND I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A SCHOOL BUS FULL OF CHILDREN ON THE ROAD...THE BUS HAD TO SLAM ON ITS BREAKS AVOIDING MAJOR CATASTROPHE BY INCHES. WE STOPPED AND MADE SURE ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE OKAY AND WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS. I HAD SWITCHED THE BULBS OUT JUST LAST WEEK ON VEHICLE AND RECHECKED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I DISCOVERED CHARRED WIRING AND A CHARRED WIRING PLUG. I CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE REGARDING THE DESIGN OF THE TAIL LIGHT WIRING BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL IN PLACE...THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR BMW'S DESIGN FLAW WITH THEIR LIFE...20 CHILDREN AND MYSELF ALMOST DID TODAY. THE SERVICE BULLETIN BMW ISSUED ON THIS IS #630306. I ASK THE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262573

Incident

Mar 20, 2009

Mileage

56,600 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2005 BMW X3 2.5I. SHE NOTICED THE VEHICLE WOULD START VIBRATING WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, AND THE BRAKES WOULD MAKE AN AWFUL NOISE WHEN APPLIED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT RADIO/TAPEDECK/CD OVERHEATED WHEN PLAYING CDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 12,000 MILES WHEN BRAKE PROBLEM STARTED. SHE STATED THAT SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT THEY REPLACED 2 ELECTRICAL MODULES AND THE BRAKE ASSIST. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE VIBRATING AND BRAKES SQUEAKING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHCILE TO A DEALERSHIP A SECOND TIME, AND THEY ROTATED ALL FOUR TIRES . THE CONTACT STATES THAT THIS DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN ON 12/08/2006 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AXLE SHATTERED, AND THAT THE AXLE WAS GOING BAD DURING THE ENTIRE TIME SHE'S WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VIBRATING. BMW HAS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE SHATTERED AXLE, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10176979

Incident

Feb 25, 2006

Mileage

12,000 mi

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY EXIT RAMP, NEAR NOON TIME IN A SUNNY ~80 F WEATHER. DURING THE DRIVING, ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD SUDDENLY STARTED TO FLASH, ACCOMPANIED WITH BEEPING WARNING SOUND. THE WHOLE FLASHING AND BEEPING LASTED FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL, HOWEVER. AFTER THE INCIDENT, CAR'S MEMORY OF CLOCK TIME AND TRIP ODOMETER WERE LOST. MADE A CHECK IN LOCAL BMW DEALER. THE LOCAL DEALER COULD NOT RETRIEVE ERROR CODE FROM THE ON BOARD COMPUTER, AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SYMPTOM DURING THE CHECK. *NM

NHTSA ID

10167257

Incident

Aug 19, 2006

Mileage

10,404 mi

THE DRIVER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AT THE DEALER. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE MECHANIC PLACED THE VEHICLE ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND THE CODES REGISTERED ON THE MACHINE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10111803

Incident

Jan 27, 2005