2003 BMW 325IT Owner Complaints

When the vehicle is without electrical power the door locks cannot be opened from the inside. In the event of any type of emergency that eliminates power and which requires the occupants to exit (fire, fumes, injury after a crash) the occupants are unable to open the doors. On this particular vehicle when there is no power only the driver's door can be unlocked with a key, and to use that method to unlock the door the window must be rolled down...also impossible without power. This seems to be a major safety problem. Has there been a recall or service bulletin to address this problem?

NHTSA ID

11425186

Incident

Jul 16, 2021

CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM NEAR TOTAL FAILURE WITH POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. ALSO, ON A MINOR NOTE, WINDSHIELD WASHER DOESN'T WORK. THE LOCK, WINDOW, WIPER, AND MAYBE OTHER RELAYS ARE LOCATED ON A CIRCUIT BOARD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE SWAPPED OUT BY THE AVERAGE PERSON. THIS MEANS A HIGH REPAIR COST WHICH MEANS THAT AS THESE VEHICLES COME ONTO THE USED MARKET AND BEING THE AMAZING VALUE THAT THEY ARE, CURRENT OWNERS MAY BE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO HAVE THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY AND SIMPLY NOT USE THE LOCKS OR WHATEVER ELSE HAS A RELAY FAILURE. DUE TO THE SECURITY FEATURES AND SUCH ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CAR, IT BECOMES EASY FOR THE LOCKS TO BE ENGAGED AND IMPOSSIBLE TO UNLOCK AS THE PROBLEM IN THE RELAYS GETS WORSE. THE RELAYS NEED TO BE RELOCATED TO SOCKETS THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE INDIVIDUALLY REPLACED LIKE FUSES THE WAY MOST CARS HAVE THEM SO THAT THE PROBLEM DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GET WORSE AND RENDER CAR NEARLY UNUSABLE OR TRAP SOMEBODY INSIDE BEFORE A REPAIR IS POSSIBLE. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND THE LOCKS WERE IMPERFECT AT THAT TIME, IT IS ALSO KNOWN TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IN MOST VEHICLES' CASES. IN MY TIME WITH THE CAR IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, BUT SINCE I STILL HAVE LIFE LEFT IN MY BATTERY AND RECENTLY PURCHASED A WORKING REMOTE KEY, AND AM AN ABLE BODIED YOUNG PERSON, I WAS ABLE TO GET CREATIVE USING THE WINDOWS AND CARGO DOOR FOR ENTRY AND EXIT AND PLAN ON ATTEMPTING A TEMPORARY FIX, MAYBE JUST DISABLING LOCK SYSTEM, UNTIL I CAN AFFORD THE REPAIR WHICH I'VE HEARD CAN COST HALF THE BOOK VALUE OF THIS VEHICLE!!! INSANITY!!! A TYPICAL RELAY REPLACEMENT IS AS SIMPLE AS BUYING A NEW ONE FOR WHAT MAYBE $5 AND PUTTING IT IN? JUST ADD A RELAY PANEL ON TOP OF THE FUSE PANEL. I DO LOVE THIS CAR YOU'VE MADE, BUT RELAYS FAIL, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE THEM LIKE FUSES, JUST LIKE OTHER CARS.

NHTSA ID

10806495

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

176,000 mi

MY 2003 BMW 325IT STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, I LOOSE POWER STEERING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I THEN PUT IT IN PARK AND START THE ENGINE AGAIN. THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN IN 2011 AND NOW OCCURS WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY. IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN 2014, INCLUDING TODAY OCTOBER 11, 2014, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD AT ABOUT 40 MPH. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND HOPE TO HAVE AN EARLY RESPONSE FROM YOU ABOUT THIS CRITICAL MATTER. I HAVE ALSO WRITTEN TO BMW CORPORATION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR, BOUGHT ON OCTOBER 22, 2002 FROM VOB AUTO SALES 1396 ROCKVILLE PIKE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20852 USA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10644107

Incident

Oct 4, 2011

Mileage

50,000 mi