Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 BMW 325I submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
OEM ZKW XENON PROJECTORS BURNED OUT OVER TIME CAUSING EXTREMELY LOW HEADLIGHT OUTPUT DURING NIGH TIME DRIVING. EXTREMELY LOW VISIBILITY DURING RAIN IN THE NIGHT DUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY LOW LIGHT OUTPUT. *TR
OEM BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS (MANUFACTURER ZKW) HAVE A BURNED OUT BOWL (REFLECTOR) THAT HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT IS PRODUCED. CHANGING BULBS HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM IN VARIOUS USER FORUMS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING APPLIED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GROUND WIRE KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,648. UPDATED 06/24/14 MA UPDATED 06/25/2014 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 07/10/13*LJ
OEM BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS (MANUFACTURER ZKW) HAVE A BURNED OUT BOWL (REFLECTOR) THAT HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT IS PRODUCED. CHANGING BULBS HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM IN VARIOUS USER FORUMS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND OVER TIME, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED. SPORADICALLY, THE FAILURE WOULD ROTATE BETWEEN THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS) RECALL, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE THE WORK NEEDED TO PERFORM THE RECALL, DUE TO THE DEALER NOT RECEIVING THE NECESSARY PARTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER, BUT THE DEADLINE HAD PASSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 145,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR TAIL LIGHTS BURNED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS CHANGING THE BULBS TWICE WHEN THE BULB AND THE WIRES BURNED HER FINGERS. THE WIRES AND THE HOUSING HAD BECOME SO HOT THAT IT ALSO BURNED A HOLE SURROUNDING THE BULB. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: TAIL LIGHTS) BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE RESISTANCE IN THE LAMP CONNECTORS MAY HAVE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
EXTERIOR BRAKE AND TAILIGHT FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATED GROUND TERMINAL. NHTSA ACTION # EA09019. *TR
REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND BLINKER NOT WORKING. WIRE IS BURNED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BULBS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE TAIL LIGHT WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
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
THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING. THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND BLINKER LIGHTS WERE FAILING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BULBCARRIERS, CONNECTORS, AND WIRING WERE BURNED OUT. THERE WERE NO GROUND WIRES PRESENT WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,380 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 05/09/11
INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYS PICTURE OF CAR IN ORANGE, ALONG WITH LEFT, RIGHT OR BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT RECENTLY BECAME PERMANENT. LEFT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ALSO FLASHES QUICKLY. LEFT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT OPERATING (NO TAIL, BRAKE LIGHT OR TURN SIGNAL LIGHT). *LN
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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