2005 BMW 325I Problems

The contact owns a 2005 BMW 325I. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the passenger’s side air bag warning illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V018000 (Air Bags) and related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BMW OF ONTARIO (1350 AUTO CENTER DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT BMW WAS NOT AT FAULT, THERE WAS NO RECALL, AND THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

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

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.

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.

ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE BRAKES WERE USED TO SLOW DOWN AND/OR STOP AND AFTERWARDS THEY CONTINUED TO BE ENGAGED WHILE STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. ONE TIME THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BMW DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE OR THE BRAKES. AFTER THE LAST TIME, I COULD FEEL THE HEAT ON THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WHERE AS ALL THE OTHER WHEELS WERE NOT AS HOT.

2005 BMW 325I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 11V-438 LAMPS IN REAR QUARTER PANEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE RECALL RECTIFIED, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOPS IN HIS IMMEDIATE AREA. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE HIS VEHICLE SHIPPED TO ANOTHER ISLAND. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED BMW HAS SINCE AGREED TO SHIP THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. UPDATED 05/16/12 UPDATED 01//22/15. *JB

THE OVERHEAD SUNROOF CONTROLS SUDDENLY FELL OUT OF THE CEILING WHILE ACCELERATING, CREATING A DISTRACTION AND LOSS OF VISIBILITY FROM THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR. THE CONTROLS/PANEL REMAINED ATTACHED BY WIRING, COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE PLASTIC CLIPS ATTACHING THE PANEL TO THE CEILING APPEAR TO HAVE BECOME BRITTLE AND THEN FAILED. *TR

THE BOTTOM PART OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR HAS BECOME UNUSABLE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO SEE THE VEHICLES BEHIND US ONLY THROUGH THE TOP PART OF THE MIRROR. IT IS A AUTO DIMMING REARVIEW MIRROR, AND, JUDGING BY THE POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF MIRROR IN BMWS. REPLACING IT OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD COSTS $425 PLUS TAX FOR THE PART, NOT INCLUDING LABOR CHARGES. WE HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND WE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH A REARVIEW MIRROR; WE EXPECTED BETTER FROM BMW. WE CONTACTED BMW AND THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT UNLESS BMW IS FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK MY CAR AT MY EMPLOYER'S GARAGE. I WAS TURNING MY WHEEL TO PARK IN A SPACE, MY FOOT WAS OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND MOVING VERY SLOWLY, WHEN MY CAR SEEMED TO JERK FORWARD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WENT FORWARD AT FULL SPEED. IT ACCELERATE ALL OF SUDDEN AND SMASHED INTO THE WALL. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PUSHING DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD, BUT TO NO AVAIL. IT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY AND THE AFTERMATH RESULTED IN MY AIRBAG DEPLOYING AND CAUSING LACERATIONS, BURNS TO MY ARM, SMOKE AND CAUSING ME TO CHOKE. *TR

WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, MY VEHICLE STRUCK A CEMENT STRUCTURAL SUPPORTING COLUMN. I PUT ON BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR. THE IMPACT WAS LATER FOUND TO BE MINIMAL (DENT). SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED AS THOUGH THE FOOT PEDAL HAD BEEN PUSHED DOWN FULL THROTTLE. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE THROTTLE. DURING THIS TIME, INTERMITTENT CLICKING SOUNDS WERE HEARD, THE VEHICLE THEN ENGAGED INTO FORWARD AND DROVE ITSELF, AT FULL FORCE, AND HIT THE WALL OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND BMW OF NORTH AMERICA WERE NOTIFIED. A TECHNICAL ENGINEER FROM BMW INSPECTED MY VEHICLE ON 4-2-2008. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TEST DRIVEN DUE TO ITS DAMAGES. THE RESULTS FROM WHAT WERE INSPECTED BY BMW REVEALED NO DEFECTS OR VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONS. I WAS INFORMED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE TOTALED I INCURRED A BROKEN RIB AND MULTIPLE CONTUSIONS DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT. *TR

MY CAR'S TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON SO I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON BUT THE WARNING LIGHT WOULDN'T GO AWAY. AFTER THE CAR WAS TURNED ON, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE EVEN THOUGH I COULD HEAR THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $6,500-. IT SEEMS THAT SEVERAL BMW OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN SINCE I WAS ON A 2-LANE HIGHWAY THROUGH MOUNTAINS WITHOUT ANY CELL PHONE RECEPTION. *TR

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

I HAVE A 2005 BMW 325I THAT CAME WITH 4 CONTINENTAL CONTISPORT TIRES. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 24 MONTHS OLD AND 3 HAVE BLOWN ON ME. THE LATEST HAPPENED TODAY WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE REAR RIGHT TIRE RIPPED APART ON THE INNER TREAD AREA FORCING ME TO PULL OVER. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE CAR BUT AFTER COMING TO A STOP THE TIRE WAS 90% REMOVED FROM THE RIM WITH THE OTHER 10% OF THE RUBBER STILL ON THE BACK END OF THE RIM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 9 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT WITH ANY OF THE PREVIOUS 4 CARS I OWNED. THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND I AM FORCED WITH REPLACING ALL THE TIRES TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR. BMW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AS THEY SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM HOWEVER BOTH BMW AND CONTINENTAL SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAULTY TIRES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS I FOUND FOR THESE TIRES ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AS WELL. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT ON THE SIDEWALL. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND CHANGE THE TIRE. HE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP OR MANUFACTURER. *AK

EACH TIME I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR AT LEAST 6 HOURS. THE CAR STARTS BUT DOES NOT ENGAGE IN REVERSE. THE CAR WILL ROLL BACK DUE TO A SLOPE OF SURFACE BUT WHEN SHIFTED TO DRIVE IT ONLY ROLLS FORWARD BUT DOESN'T ENGAGE. I CONTINUE TO PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL AND IT FINALLY "LURCHES" FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED 7 TIMES RANDOMLY OVER THE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. THE BMW SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS CHECKED IT TWICE AND KEPT IT A WEEK LAST MONTH. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE IT SO THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. I AM AFRAID THIS PROBLEM WILL PUT ME OR OTHERS IN DANGER IF I CAN'T MOVE FORWARD OR REVERSE. *TR

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

WED MORNING WENT TO SCHOOL WITH MY DAUGHTER. WHEN I WALKED BACK TO THE CAR I COULD NOT UNLOCK THE CAR. CANNOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE KEY. CANNOT OPEN GAS TANK. CANNOT UNLOCK OR OPEN PASSANGER DOORS. POWER LOCKS DO NOT WORK AT ALL. TRIED TO REPROGRAM THE KEY BUT NOT SUCCESSFUL. *TR

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.

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.

I HAVE A 2005 BMW 325I THAT CAME WITH 4 CONTINENTAL CONTISPORT TIRES. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 24 MONTHS OLD AND 3 HAVE BLOWN ON ME. THE LATEST HAPPENED TODAY WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE REAR RIGHT TIRE RIPPED APART ON THE INNER TREAD AREA FORCING ME TO PULL OVER. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE CAR BUT AFTER COMING TO A STOP THE TIRE WAS 90% REMOVED FROM THE RIM WITH THE OTHER 10% OF THE RUBBER STILL ON THE BACK END OF THE RIM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 9 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A BLOWOUT WITH ANY OF THE PREVIOUS 4 CARS I OWNED. THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE AND I AM FORCED WITH REPLACING ALL THE TIRES TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR. BMW WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AS THEY SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM HOWEVER BOTH BMW AND CONTINENTAL SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAULTY TIRES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS I FOUND FOR THESE TIRES ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AS WELL. *JB