RoadVitals

2004 BMW 330I Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
113
Latest Jun 25, 2026
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.
9
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
1
Reports on file since May 7, 2004

What this page shows

Our database holds 113 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 BMW 330I. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 113 · page 1 of 5

Airbags
Filed Jun 25, 2026
Crash reported3 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2004 BMW 330. The contact stated while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the front center of the vehicle crashed into the front center of another vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact stated that her and her husband both sustained injuries and sought medical attention; the contact stated that a piece of her nose detached, there was a gash on her knee and that she broke her hips, ribs, and one of her arms. The contact also stated that her husband bruised his face, heart, broke his hips, sustained laceration to his lungs and liver and fractured his right foot; The other party also sustained several unknown injuries. The vehicle was towed to an unknown location. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ID
11746545
Incident
May 29, 2026
Mileage
145,000 mi
BrakesElectricalFuel system
Filed Apr 29, 2025

Unknown

NHTSA ID
11657631
Incident
Apr 29, 2025
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 5, 2023

This car has factory HID Xenon projector headlights. Over time the reflector bowls burned and melted from the heat of the light bulbs, causing some wire insulation to melt, and a brown film to cover all surfaces inside the headlight assembly. The brown coating makes the headlights dangerously dim. From various online searches, it appears this is a common failing of these headlights. BMW has not recalled these headlights, and replacements nearly exceed the value of the car.

NHTSA ID
11500404
Incident
Jan 5, 2023
Electrical
Filed Jun 1, 2021
Fire reported

Two hours after I got to work one of my coworkers came running in the backroom, And told me my car was on fire.

NHTSA ID
11419139
Incident
May 26, 2021
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 15, 2020

RIGHT FRONT LOW BEAM HEADLAMP CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND EVENTUALLY STOPS WORKING DUE TO CRACKED WIRING INSIDE THE ADJUSTABLE HEADLAMP UNIT. FOR AWHILE, MY HEADLIGHT WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN BUT THEN TURN BACK ON WHEN STRAIGHTENED OUT. AFTER TWO RIGHT TURNS, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD CEASE TO TURN BACK ON. NOW (AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF THIS HAPPENING) THE HEADLIGHT DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL, AND I CAN SEE BROKEN WIRING IF I LOOK INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT UNIT CAUSING THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11355131
Incident
Jul 17, 2020
Mileage
210,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 24, 2020

THE INTERIOR WIRES OF THE BMW E46 HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE INSULATION MATERIAL THAT READILY BREAKS OFF OF THE WIRE, CAUSING THE BEAR WIRE CONDUCTOR TO BE VISIBLE. THIS RESULTS IN A FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHTS AS THE WIRES CONDUCTORS ARE ALLOWED TO TOUCH. THIS IS ALSO A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF A VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA ID
11341318
Incident
Jul 16, 2020
Mileage
145,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 22, 2020

CHEAP WIRING WAS USED IN THE HEADLIGHT UNITS FOR SPECIFIC CARS WITH ADAPTIVE BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS. THE WIRING FOR THESE CARS NOW HAS FALLEN APART, AND DISCONNECTS. BMW'S ONLY WAY OF FIXING IT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT, WHICH COSTS AROUND $2000 TO REPLACE A FEW WIRES THAT SHOULD COST LESS THAN $10. THERE ARE MANY CARS ON THE ROAD THAT THIS AFFECTS, WHICH IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. CAR OWNERS ARE SOLDERING WIRES BY HAND IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BUT THERE IS NO LONG TERM SOLUTION.

NHTSA ID
11340803
Incident
Jul 20, 2017
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 2, 2020

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WIRES BREAK AND CAUSE THE HEADLIGHT TO STOP EMITTING LIGHT OR OTHERWISE WORKING. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE WIRING HARNESS EVENTUALLY FAIL. THIS OCCURS WITH MERE NORMAL USE OF THE CAR AND PASSAGE OF TIME. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND BULB ARE STILL INTACT, BUT SIMPLY RECEIVE NO POWER DUE TO THE BROKEN WIRES. THE ASSEMBLY CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME, WHETHER STATIONARY, IN MOTION, OR ON BACK ROADS OR HIGHWAYS. WHEN THIS ISSUE IS GOOGLED ON THIS PARTICULAR CAR, A 2004'2006 BMW 3 SERIES E46 COUPE WITH BI-XENON ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS, MANY MANY USERS REPORT THE SAME ISSUE. NO MATTER THE CONDITION, LOCATION, AND SERVICE HISTORY OF THE CAR, THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL ALWAYS STOP WORKING SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE WIRING. SEE: HTTPS://FORUM.E46FANATICS.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=1073501 IF REPAIRED ENOUGH TIMES, THE ASSEMBLY BECOMES UNREPAIRABLE, AT WHICH POINT THE USER IS STUCK DRIVING WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT, A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN. ORDERING AN INCREDIBLY COSTLY $1500 PART TO REPLACE IT IS NOT ONLY COSTLY, BUT WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN THE SAME CRITICAL ISSUE RE-APPEARING BECAUSE THE DESIGN IS INHERENTLY DEFECTIVE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. OTHER COSTS INCLUDE MECHANICS WHO INSIST TO CUSTOMERS THAT THE ISSUE IS BOTH WIRING AND THE BULB TOO, CAUSING UNSUSPECTING USERS TO BE CHARGED EXTRA FOR REPLACEMENT BULBS AND THE ASSOCIATED LABOR AS WELL. FIRST OCCURRENCE ON MY CAR WAS APRIL 2019, SECOND WAS OCTOBER 2019, AND THIRD WAS FEBRUARY 2020 AT WHICH POINT THE PART WAS DEEMED UNREPAIRABLE. 2004'2006 BMW 325CI AND BMW 330CI WITH ADAPTIVE BI-XENON HID HEADLIGHTS

NHTSA ID
11315498
Incident
Apr 18, 2019
Mileage
120,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 17, 2020

THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN ZKW XENON PROJECTOR BOWLS USED IN E46 BMW CARS. MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME SO DIM THAT I CONSTANTLY RUN FOG LIGHTS AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. DRIVING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN THE RAIN, IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND OTHER DRIVERS. ZKW PROJECTOR BOWLS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC, WHICH ARE UNABLE TO STAND UP TO THE HEAT OF XENON BULBS. OVER TIME, THEY HAVE BECOME BROWN AND CRACKED AND DO NOT REFLECT LIGHT ON TO THE ROAD. AL XENON PROJECTOR BOWLS, ALSO USED IN E46 BMWS, DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. ZKW SEEMS TO HAVE REALIZED THAT THEIR PLASTIC BOWLS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT. THE ZKW PROJECTOR BOWLS FOR E90 BMWS ARE MADE OF METAL AND DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE AND SUFFICIENT OEM REPAIR FOR THIS ISSUE. BMW ONLY SELLS WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, NOT JUST THE PROJECTOR BOWLS, WHICH RUN HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS EACH. EVEN THEN, REPLACING WITH ZKW LIGHTS WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE INSUFFICIENT DESIGN OF THE PLASTIC BOWLS. THE COMMUNITY IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE ONLY REMEDIES ARE REPLACE ENTIRE ASSEMBLIES OR RETROFITING THE HEADLIGHTS WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS. HEADLIGHTS ARE CRITICAL TO DRIVER SAFETY AND SHOULD NOT BE THIS COSTLY TO KEEP WORKING. THESE HAVE FAILED PRIOR TO THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (MINE IS AT 138K). THIS THREAD GOES INTO DETAIL FOR MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.ZHPMAFIA.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?3598-THE-ZKW-BURNT-BOWLS-THREAD THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE CAUSED BY NEGLECTFUL MANUFACTURING OF THESE HEADLIGHTS. THE ATTACHED PICTURE SHOWS THE DAMAGE OF MY HEADLIGHTS.

NHTSA ID
11309655
Incident
Oct 6, 2018
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 16, 2020

CHEAP PLASTIC USED IN HEADLIGHT PROJECTORS MELT DUE TO HEAT FROM OEM XENON BULBS. THIS POSES A FIRE SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS LOW AND EVENTUALLY NO LIGHT ONTO THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
11299989
Incident
Jan 15, 2020
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 10, 2018

THE STOCK ZKW PROJECTORS HAVE BURNT OUT AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE QUALITY OF LIGHT EMANATING FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY TRUE VISIBILITY, I HAVE TO HOLD THE "FLASH-TO-PASS" LIGHTS ON WHILE I'M DRIVING (A MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLIES ARE OVER $3,000 FOR THE PAIR. THAT COST CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED. I PURCHASED THE CAR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT I, OF COURSE, DID NOT TEST DRIVE IT AT NIGHT (SINCE IT WAS SUMMER). SO I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING ABOUT THE DETERIORATED CONDITION OF THE HEADLIGHTS. I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT, BASED ON INTERNET SEARCHES, IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE THAT DATES BACK TO AT LEAST 2011.

NHTSA ID
11128565
Incident
Jun 11, 2018
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 10, 2018

THE OEM XENON ZKW BRAND LIGHTS HAD COMPLETELY BURNT REFLECTOR BULBS THAT CAUSED LOW LIGHT TO BE EMITTED. THIS DEFECT IS DUE TO PLASTIC BOWLS BEING USED INSTEAD OF METAL OR ANOTHER MATERIAL. THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE HAZARD OR WORSE. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE AND LIGHT OUTPUT TO THIS COMPLAINT. THIS OCCURRED SIMPLY BY HAVING THE HEADLIGHTS ON.

NHTSA ID
11061606
Incident
Aug 19, 2017
Mileage
178,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 6, 2017

TAKATA RECALL FIRST I SHOULD SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT ABOUT AN INCIDENT. THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FAILURE OF BMW TO PROVIDE A TIMELY REPLACEMENT FOR THE THIRTEEN (13) YEAR OLD DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG IN MY 2004 BMW 330I, WHICH HAS SPENT ALL OF ITS LIFE IN A HIGH ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY LOCATION (HOUSTON, TEXAS). I FIRST CONTACTED BMW ON APRIL, 26, 2016 REGARDING THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL ON MY 2004 BMW 330I. THEY FIRST OFFERED TO PERFORM AN INTERIM REPAIR OR AN ALTERNATE PROVIDED VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE INSURANCE COMPANY INFORMED ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER MY CURRENT POLICY. I FOLLOWED UP AGAIN ON JULY 15, 2016, AND BMW INFORMED ME THAT INTERIM REPAIRS WERE NO LONGER BEING OFFERED BECAUSE FINAL REPAIR PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE SHORTLY. THEY SAID I WOULD RECEIVE A NOTICE IN THE MAIL LETTING ME KNOW WHEN I COULD TAKE MY VEHICLE IN TO MY LOCAL BMW CENTER FOR REPAIR. I HAVE VERIFIED THAT MY ADDRESS AND CONTACT INFO IS CORRECT WITH BOTH BMW AND THE REPAIR CENTER IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. HOUSTON, TEXAS IS A HIGH ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY AREA AND THIS CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD WITH THE ORIGINAL AIRBAG STILL INSTALLED. I DRIVE THIS CAR EVERY DAY TO AND FROM WORK IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS INSIDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON. I BELIEVE BMW HAS HAD AMPLE TIME TO PROCURE A REPLACEMENT AIRBAG, AND I HAVE CALLED THEM AND WASTED SEVERAL HOURS OF MY PERSONAL TIME ON THIS STILL UNRESOLVED ISSUE. IN SHORT I BELIEVE BMW IS STALLING WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF OLDER MODEL YEAR AIRBAG REPLACEMENTS, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THESE VEHICLES ARE "END OF LIFE" AND THERE IS LITTLE INCENTIVE FOR BMW TO FIX THEM. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE FOR ITS AGE: EIGHTY THOUSAND (80,000) MILES, AND THE LACK OF AN AIRBAG REPLACEMENT WILL DIMINISH THE RESALE VALUE OR MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO SELL.

NHTSA ID
10949787
Incident
Apr 26, 2016
Mileage
75,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 25, 2017

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS), 14V428000 (AIR BAGS), AND 11V438000 (AIR BAGS). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10947677
Incident
Jun 27, 2014
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 2, 2016

ZKW BRAND XENON HEADLAMPS HAVE DEFECTIVE REFLECTOR BOWLS. THE LIGHTS BURN OFF ALL OF THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE CAUSING THE LOW/HIGH BEAMS TO BE SO DIM THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT IS IMPOSSIBLE. THE PART (REFLECTOR BOWL) IS NOT AVAILABLE AS A REPLACEMENT PART, IT CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED AS A WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR $1300 EACH LIGHT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, THAT I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT. AS WE HAVE BEEN GETTING INTO WINTER AND THE DAYLIGHT SAVING CHANGE CAUSE EARLIER SUNSET TIMES, I NOTICED MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT VERY BRIGHT ON THE ROAD. IT HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE THAT I NOTICED IN PAST YEARS DUE TO MY <1 MILE COMMUTE, BUT THIS YEAR I PURCHASED A HOUSE 25MI FROM WORK AND THE AMOUNT OF NIGHT DRIVING HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY. I FIRST ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT OF THE LIGHTS TO TRY TO CORRECT WHAT I THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS, AND ALSO HAVE REPLACED ONE OF THE HEAD LIGHT BULBS WITH NO CHANGE. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON BMW FORUMS ALL OVER THE INTERNET, AND IT SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL, OR AT LEAST AN OEM REPLACEMENT PART AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10929637
Incident
Nov 6, 2016
Mileage
125,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 6, 2016

LOW BEAM HID HEADLIGHT PROJECTOR MADE BY ZKW FOR BMW ARE POORLY DESIGNED/MADE, UNABLE TO HANDLE THE HEAT OUTPUT FROM THE OEM XENON BULBS, THE PART BECOMES SEVERELY SCORCHED AND DEGRADED, REDUCING LIGHT OUTPUT TO UNSAFE LEVELS. TO COMPENSATE, FOG LIGHTS HAVE TO BE USED TO SAFELY SEE THE PAVEMENT. THIS IS A VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THIS MANUFACTURER'S PRODUCT (ZKW). BMW HAD ANOTHER MANUFACTURER, AL (AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING), WHICH DIDN'T SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10924526
Incident
Nov 6, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 30, 2016

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE POOR LIGHT OUTPUT FROM THE FACTORY XENONS. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH THE E46 SEDAN WITH XENON HEADLIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY ZKW HAVE AN ISSUE OF THE PROJECTOR BOWLS BURNING SLOWLY OVER TIME DUE TO POOR MATERIAL CHOICE THAT CANNOT WITHSTAND THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE FACTORY BULBS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY HEADLIGHTS, I NOTICED THAT THE BOWLS IN MY HEADLIGHTS WERE INDEED BOTH BURNT AND CRACKED AND AS A RESULT OF THIS, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT DUE TO POOR LIGHT OUTPUT. I HAVE RESULTED TO USING MY FOG LIGHTS AS A SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHT SOURCE JUST TO SEE IN THE EVENINGS AND I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEGLIGENT OF BMW CONSIDERING COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR YEARS.

NHTSA ID
10920112
Incident
Oct 15, 2016
Mileage
106,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 30, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT COULD NOT GET THE RECALL REMEDIED DUE TO LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID
10910714
Incident
Aug 1, 2016
Airbags
Filed Aug 30, 2016

TAKATA RECALL-I'VE BEEN GOING ROUND AND ROUND WITH BMW USA AND HENDRICK MOTORS IN CHARLOTTE, NC SINCE DEC. 2015 TRYING TO GET INFO ON WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO FIX MY DEATH TRAP. I JUST LEARNED TODAY ON THIS SITE THAT MY CAR IS PRIORITY 1 IN HIGH HUMIDITY AREA WHICH CHARLOTTE CERTAINLY IS. PLUS THE AIR BAG LIGHTS HAVE BEEN ON SINCE DEC AND REPORTED TO THEM AND THIS IS THE LOW PROFILE SPORT MODEL CAR THAT IS A BUMPY RIDE. I WAS TOLD IN JAN BY BMW THAT AN INTERIM BAG WAS SENT TO NJ SPECIFICALLY FOR MY CAR, BUT HENDRICK CLAMS THEY NO NOTHING ABOUT IT., THEY HAVE MY INFO AND EVERY TIME I CALL TO SEE WHEN THEY WILL HAVE PARTS FOR THE RECALL I GET THE SAME INSPPID BLOW OFF, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING BUT WE'LL CALL YOU AS SOON AS WE DO.I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM BMW SAYING THE PARTS ARE READY TO CALL AND MAKE APPT TO REPLACE AND HENDRICK SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE YET THEY ARE ON ORDER SHOULD BE 2 WEEKS BUT THEY CANNOT CONFIRM THE DATE, NO ONE KNOWS OR HAS ANY INFO WHAT SO EVER SO DON'T BOTHER US ANY MORE. I GUARANTEE THAT PRIORITY HAD BEEN GIVEN TO ANY CAR THAT WAS ON THEIR LOT FOR RESALE!

NHTSA ID
10899599
Incident
Aug 29, 2016
Airbags
Filed Aug 24, 2016

TAKATA RECALL REPAIR PARTS STILL NOT AVAILABLE...ORIGINAL NOTIFICATION DATE JULY 2015. I HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT...MERELY WANT THE RECALL PROGRAM IMPLEMENTED ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
10898251
Incident
Aug 24, 2016
Airbags
Filed Jul 26, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. 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. ... UPDATED 08/23/16 *BF UPDATED 09/08/16.*JB

NHTSA ID
10888613
Incident
Jun 5, 2015
Airbags
Filed May 5, 2016

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN JUNE OF 2015. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE GIVEN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
10863447
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Airbags
Filed Mar 16, 2016

TAKATA RECALL-I FOUND OUT IN SEPT 2015 THAT MY CAR WAS PART OF THE AIRBAG RECALL. I CONTACTED HENDRICK BMW IN CHARLOTTE, NC TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. THEY TOLD ME BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER BAGS WERE RECALLED BUT THEY ONLY HAD THE PASSENGER AVAILABLE TO REPLACE. I'M NOT IN CHARLOTTE FULL TIME AND DO NOT DRIVE IT WHEN I'M AWAY. THEY SAID I WOULD BE CALLED WHEN IT WAS READY. DEC I CONTACTED THEM AGAIN, SAME STORY NO DRIVER. FEB CALLED BMW USA, THE AIR BAG SERVICE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THE CAR IS A SPORT MODEL WITH LOW PROFILE TIRES THAT DRIVES LIKE A TANK AND SOME ELSE HAD JUST BEEN KILLED IN AN AIR BAG ACCIDENT. THEY FIRST SAID THEY WOULD ARRANGE FOR A LOANER, THEN BACKTRACKED AND OFFERED A "INTERIM REPLACEMENT" UNTIL THE "REAL" REPLACEMENT DRIVERS SIDE WAS AVAILABLE WHICH ALMOST 6 MONTHS SINCE MY FIRST CALL, NO ONE HAS ANY CLUE WHEN THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE. OK....A WEEK OR SO LATER GOT A CALL FROM BMW SAYING I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A CALL FROM HENDRICK THAT THEY HAVE THE "INTERIM " BAG. I CALLED HENDRICK, AND WAS TOLD THEY ONLY HAVE THE PASSENGER SIDE, HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, PUT ME IN A MANAGER VM THAT CUT OFF BEFORE I COULD LEAVE MESSAGE. I CALLED BMW BACK, LEFT A MESSAGE IN THAT TONE ONLY DOGS CAN HEAR, AND NOW SEVERAL WEEKS LATER NOT A WORD FROM ANYONE.

NHTSA ID
10850105
Incident
Mar 1, 2016
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 29, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEAD LAMP BULBS WERE BURNED OUT AND A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE HEAD LAMPS INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID
10839007
Incident
Feb 28, 2016
Mileage
99,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Feb 16, 2016

VEHICLE HAS VERY POOR HEADLIGHT VISIBILITY AT NIGHT DUE TO BURNT OUT PLASTIC REFLECTOR BOWLS FROM BMW'S SUB-SUPPLIER ZKW. REPLACEMENT BOWLS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM BMW. ONLY FIX FROM THEM IS REPLACING THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

NHTSA ID
10836340
Incident
Feb 16, 2016
Mileage
92,000 mi

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