2003 BMW 325XI Owner Complaints

fuel tank bracket rust off and will break and is a very expensive job to repair im not the only person to face this issue anyone with a BMW

NHTSA ID

11756445

Incident

Aug 6, 2026

DRIVERS DOOR LOCK DOES NOT UNLOCK WITH KEY, OR WITH REMOTE. OTHER THREE DOORS DO.

NHTSA ID

11074079

Incident

Feb 21, 2018

Mileage

125,000 mi

THANK YOU VERY MUCH JO WHAT I DID TAKE CARE OF THE AIRBAG OR

NHTSA ID

11064287

Incident

Jan 20, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V428000 AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. WEATHERFORD BMW OF BERKELEY (735 ASHBY AVE, BERKELEY, CA 94710) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11054992

Incident

Dec 8, 2017

TAKATA RECALL TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 PONTIAC G6. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ROOF FAILED AND CAUSED WATER OT ENTER INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONCERNED THAT THE WATER WOULD DAMAGE THE CARPET, DASHBOARD, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGONOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. CONSUMER PUT IN NEW ENGINE. NEW RUG IS MESSED UP NOW BECAUSE OF SUNROOF LEAKS. UPDATED 9/13/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11042250

Incident

May 1, 2015

THIS RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS IN MY BMW IS AFFECTING HOW I GET TO WORK EVERYDAY, I DON'T DARE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO WORK SO I AM RELIYING ON OTHERS TO GET ME TO WORK AND I AM OFTEN LATE TO WORK BECAUSE OF THIS, WHICH IS GETTING ME IN TROUBLE AT MY JOB. I AM AT RISK OF LOSING MY JOB AT THIS POINT.

NHTSA ID

11015693

Incident

Aug 8, 2017

Mileage

164,000 mi

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN 2015 FOR REPLACEMENT OF DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG. AS OF THIS DATE 10/15/16 BMW HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED ME OF WHEN THEY WILL NOTIFY ME THAT I CAN BRING MY CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE DRIVE SIDE AIR BAG REPLACED. CALLS TO BMW IN IN JUNE 2016 SAID TO WAIT UNTIL JULY,CALLS IN JULY SAID TO WAIT UNTIL AUGUST, CALLS IN AUGUST SAID PERHAPS BY OCTOBER OR END OF 2016...CALLS TO THE BMW DEALER I USE VARY -ONE TIME THEY SAY MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING THE CAR IN,NEXT CALL THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE NO AIRBAGS...MY QUESTION(S) TO THE NHTSA IS "WILL BMW EVER REPLACE THE AIRBAG" AND IS DEPENDENT ON WHETHER I USE A BMW DEALERSHIP FOR MAINTAINING MY BMW.???... I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT SOME COLLEAGUES WITH OTHER TYPES HAVE CARS HAVE BEEN NOT TO DRIVE THEIR CAR UNTIL THE AIR BAG IS REPLACED AND SOME DEALERS HAVE ACTUALLY PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR FOR THEM UNTIL AIR BAG IS REPLACED....ALSO MY WIFE HAS A 2013 ACURA RDX, AND WHILE I BELIEVE THAT YEAR WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE AIRBAG RECALL, HER ACURA DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY REPLACED HER DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG AFTER JUST A FEW MONTH WAIT....I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ALMOST 17 MONTHS FOR BMW RO NOTIFY ME THAT I CAN BRING MY CAR IN FOR AIR BAGS....AND I DO NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND WHY THE BMW DEALERSHIP KEEPS CHANGING THEIR STORY ON THE AVAILABILTIY OF REPLACEMENT AIR BAGS YOUR HELP AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED

NHTSA ID

10916248

Incident

May 17, 2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10897670

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. 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 NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10888283

Incident

Jul 17, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10845528

Incident

Mar 8, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10839151

Incident

Jul 20, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. 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 NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10836651

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

DRIVING THE CAR THE FRONT DRIVER WHEEL AXIAL SYSTEM FELL OFF WHERE THE BALL BEARING HELD THE WHEEL ON 3/4" BALL BEARINGS FELL OFF THE CAR, AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS READY TO FALL APART AS WELL I WAS DRIVING AND AS I TURNED INTO THE AUTO SHOP DRIVEWAY THE WHEEL FELL APART GOOD THING MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WAS NOT DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY OR EXPRESSWAY.

NHTSA ID

10819708

Incident

Jan 8, 2016

Mileage

98 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REMEDY THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10735307

Incident

Apr 15, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. WHEN TURNING THE IGNITION OFF, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXPANSION TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID

10734783

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

103,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AND FILLED THE DRIVER'S CABIN. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED OIL BETWEEN THE VALVE GASKET AND THE HEAD GASKET AS WELL AS OIL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE OIL DIP STICK WAS REMOVED, HOT OIL SHOT OUT ONTO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT WAS BURNED, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCV SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10725736

Incident

Jan 4, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

NHTSA ID

10695458

Incident

Jan 16, 2015

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (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 NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10668751

Incident

Dec 29, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V280000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED 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 NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10662883

Incident

Dec 8, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION AND WERE DETACHED FROM THE HOUSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HOUSING COMPARTMENT AND BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

NHTSA ID

10627390

Incident

Jun 27, 2014

Mileage

133,000 mi

BILSTEIN IS A MAKER OF AFTERMARKET SHOCKS. THE REAR BILSTEIN SHOCKS FOR THE BMW 3-SERIES FROM 1999-2006 ARE PRONE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. BILSTEIN HAS UPDATED THE PART TWICE IN AN EFFORT TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE SHOCKS CONTINUALLY FAIL. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PREMATURE FAILURES OF THESE SHOCKS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. REAR SHOCK FAILURE CREATES DANGEROUS HANDLING PROBLEMS, LOSS OF BRAKING PERFORMANCE, AND DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. STOP BILSTEIN FROM SELLING ANY MORE OF THESE DANGEROUS SHOCKS! I HAVE HAD NINE REAR SHOCKS FAIL, AND BILSTEIN KEEPS SENDING OUT THE SAME PART AS PART OF THE LIFETIME WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10588545

Incident

May 15, 2014

I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MY 2003 BMW 325XI. THE FUEL INJECTORS ARE LEAKING/SQUIRTING GASOLINE OUT OF THE HOUSING. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE FIRST WITH THIS ISSUE. EVERY PERSON I'VE SEEN POST THIS ISSUE LIVES IN A COLDER PART OF THE U.S. AND IT HAPPENS WHEN IT GETS COLD. I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN WYOMING WHERE IT'S BEEN GETTING ABNORMALLY COLD. NOT GOOD FOR ME. WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING IS THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE INJECTOR ITSELF WHERE PARTS OF THE HOUSING SHRINKS IN THE COLD. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS WARMED UP AFTER SOME DRIVING THE INJECTORS WILL RETURN TO ITS PROPER STATE AND STOP LEAKING. THE BEST ADVICE I'VE FOUND IS... "FOR THE TIME BEING... TURN YOUR VENTS TO CIRCULATE MODE AND LOW FAN SPEEDS TO PREVENT THE FUMES FROM ENTERING THE CABIN. YOUR WINDOWS WILL FOG A BIT BUT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DRIVE AND THE LEAK WILL STOP ONCE THE TEMP NEEDLE HITS CENTER. ONCE THE FUMES DIE OFF IN YOUR ENGINE BAY YOU CAN OPEN YOUR VENTS AND HEAT ON AGAIN." OR REPLACE THE INJECTORS WITH 2004+ FUEL INJECTORS THE REASONING BEHIND THE 2004+ IS THAT I'VE ALSO FOUND THAT AFTER 2003, BMW UPDATED THE INJECTORS TO A MATERIAL THAT DOESN'T SHRINK IN THE COLD. TO ME, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A RECALL ISSUE. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE PAYING TO FIX SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS AN ISSUE AND THAT THEY FIXED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562782

Incident

Feb 3, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SHE HYDRO-PLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR CAUSE OF AIR BAG FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10504880

Incident

Dec 15, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

BROUGHT IN MY CAR TO LOCAL MECHANIC THREE TIMES FOR OIL LEAK (OIL ON DRIVEWAY, OIL LIGHT SENSOR ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED). IN EACH CASE, I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT AFTER TWO WEEKS THE DASHBOARD OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I THOUGHT MY MECHANIC WAS INEXPERIENCED WITH BMW'S, SO I TOOK IT TO A BMW DEALER AND ALL SEEMED FINE ($1,000 REPAIR) UNTIL TWO WEEKS LATER WHEN THE OIL LIGHT YET AGAIN APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD. I AM TAKING IT BACK TO THE BMW DEALER NEXT WEEK FOR A SECOND TIME. I BELIEVE EVERY POSSIBLE GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED - REMEMBER IT'S BEEN "REPAIRED" FOR THE SAME PROBLEM FOUR TIMES NOW, SOON TO BE FIVE. THE PROBLEM STARTED LAST YEAR. I HAVE PLACE UPWARDS OF 15 QUARTS OF OIL (ONE QUART OF OIL A WEEK AT TIMES) IN BETWEEN MECHANIC REPAIRS JUST TO SAVE UP MONEY TO BRING IT BACK IN FOR YET ANOTHER REPAIR. NOBODY, INCLUDING BMW SEEMS TO KNOW WHY OR WHERE THE OIL LEAK IS HAPPENING. I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON REPAIRS AND AS A CONSUMER AM GETTING TIRED OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10494739

Incident

Jun 11, 2012

Mileage

140,000 mi

THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE REGARDING THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2003 BMW 325 XI. THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO GEAR. WHICH I ASSUME IS AS DESIGNED. ? HOWEVER THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE IS PLACED BACK IN PARK (ENGINE RUNNING OR NOT) NEITHER BY MANUAL MANIPULATION OF THE LOCK BUTTONS ON THE DOORS OR BY PRESSING THE DOOR UNLOCK SWITCH ON THE CONSOLE. ? FURTHERMORE, WITH THE SINGLE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVER?S DOOR, ALL OTHER DOOR LATCHES ARE RENDERED NON-FUNCTIONING (INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE) ? NO ONE BUT THE DRIVE CAN OPEN A DOOR TO EXIT THE VEHICLE ALL DOORS ARE RENDERED INOP, YOU CAN?T OPEN THEM FROM EITHER THIS INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE O NO, THE CHILD LOCKS ARE NOT ENGAGED. AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRE SERVICE AND FIRE MARSHALL FOR THE CITY OF CARVER, MN I SEE THIS AS A HUGE LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. IF THERE WERE EVER A FIRE, THE OCCUPANTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SELF-EXTRICATE (OPEN THE DOOR TO ESCAPE SMOKE AND FIRE). FURTHERMORE, GIVEN THE LIKELIHOOD AND GREAT POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD IN CAR FIRES IN GENERAL?. ANY PASSENGERS, CHILDREN/INFANTS STRAPPED INTO IN CAR SEATS IN THE BACK SEATS WOULD MOST CERTAINLY PERISH. BASED ON A MULTITUDE OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS INTERNET BOARDS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE AN ISSUE SPECIFIC TO MY CAR, BUT MUCH BROADER IN SCOPE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10465103

Incident

Jul 1, 2011

Mileage

95,000 mi