RoadVitals

2005 BMW 328XI

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
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InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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Overview

Our database contains no NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 BMW 328XI. 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 6 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA09019ClosedEngineering Analysis

Rear Lamp Illumination

Opened Dec 18, 2009
Closed Sep 28, 2011

In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.This can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.The recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.An 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.BMW will complete dealer notification in September 2011 and will begin owner notification in October 2011.All 3 series sedans (except for the M3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between September 1, 2001 and March 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.The action taken by BMW is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

EXTERIOR LIGHTINGLed to recall 11V438000
PE09036ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION

Opened Aug 7, 2009
Closed Dec 22, 2009

ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT 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 (TSB) SIB-630306 ON FEBRUARY 2007 TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION BY ADDING SUPPLEMENTARY GROUND WIRING TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI IS UPGRADING TO AN EA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE.

EXTERIOR LIGHTINGLed to recall 11V438000
DP09002ClosedDefect Petition

REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION

Opened Apr 8, 2009
Closed Aug 6, 2009

IN MARCH 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. MARK PETERS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF REAR LAMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES.AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER WAS SENT TO BMW IN APRIL 2009, AND ODI RECEIVED BMW'S RESPONSE IN JUNE 2009.THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINS LIGHTING FOR THE BRAKE LAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNALS.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) WAS ISSUED BY BMW IN JANUARY OF 2007 INSTRUCTING SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO EXAMINE AN 8 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR HEAT-RELATED DAMAGE AND TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRING TO THE CONNECTOR.COMPLAINANTS HAVE ALLEGED THAT SIGNIFICANT THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING HAS OCCURRED.THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR TOTAL LOSS OF ALL LIGHTING (BRAKE, TAIL, AND TURN SIGNAL) FOR THE EFFECTED REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI WILL OPEN A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO FURTHER EXAMINE THIS ISSUE INCLUDING FURTHER EVALUATING BMW COMPLAINTS AND RELATED WARRANTY DATA.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

No owner complaints recorded for this model year

Either none have been filed with NHTSA, or this vehicle is too new for reports to have accumulated.

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

B510819

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

The basic conditions for initializing the power windows are not met.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle “discharged battery” complaints.

B611305

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

Discharged Battery Energy Diagnosis Must Be Performed: The electrical system of BMW vehicles has been subject to an ongoing development process over the last few years. This has led to increased demands being placed on the battery. This document covers important information for the dealer on how to handle "discharged battery" complaints. In order to properly repair the vehicle the first time in the workshop, it is very important that the diagnostic test plans are performed to completion, with all results taken into consideration. Without performing the energy diagnosis test plan, the root cause of the discharged battery cannot be identified. This increases the chances of a repeat repair.

SIB-63-02-01

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

BMW: PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING AND REPLACING INCANDESCENT AND HALOGEN LIGHT BULBS UNDER WARRANTY. *RM

SIB-32-04-07

STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM; STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

BMW: A NEW TECHNICAL PROCESS HAS BEEN CREATED FOR BMW TO IDENTIFY CAUSES OF STEERING COMPLAINTS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF MODELS. *RM

SIB-16-02-09

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

BMW VEHICLES: FUEL LEVEL SENSOR REPAIRS. WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT SIDE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR DUE TO A FAILURE, THE ENTIRE PUMP AND HOUSING OR DELIVERY UNIT (SUCTION JET ASSEMBLY) DO NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. IN SOME CASES, EPC DOES NOT SHOW THAT THE REPAIR KIT IS AVAILABLE SEPARATELY IN THE ILLUSTRATION, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PARTS DESCRIPTION. ALL MODELS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

BMW 328XI by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2016411
2015142154.9
2014173156.0
2013272152.5
2012140
2011673053.2
2010173049.5
2009114047.6
2008993054.3
20071984049.3
2006530
2005Viewing003

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.