2004 BMW 330I Exterior lighting Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER ILLUMINATE DUE TO DETERIORATING HEADLIGHT MATERIAL CONSIDERED A DEFECT DUE TO INFERIOR PLASTIC USED WHEN ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED. LOW ILLUMINATION LEVEL CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVER AND PUBLIC CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES AND DAMAGE. THE HIGH COST OF REPLACING THESE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES CANNOT BE BURDENED BY THE VEHICLE OWNERS. BASED ON MY RESEARCH THIS VEHICLE CONDITION HAS BEEN REPORTED ASKING THE GOVERNING ENTITIES TO TAKE ACTION BY RECALLING THE VEHICLE AND HAVING THE MANUFACTURER CORRECT THE DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10789580

Incident

Nov 5, 2015

Mileage

126,000 mi

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ABILITY TO PROVIDE GOOD VISIBILITY AT NIGHT HAS REDUCED DRAMATICALLY, ESPECIALLY WHEN RAINING OR WET ROADS. I MADE SURE THE LENSES WERE CLEAR AND NEW BULBS DID NOT HELP. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THRU SEVERAL FORUMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH BMWS' EQUIPPED WITH THE ZKW BRAND OF BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS. THE REASON IS THE PROJECTOR BOWELS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND OVER TIME BURN DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT GENERATED BY THE XENON BULB.SO MUCH SO THAT THE REFLECTOR BOWLS TURN BLACK INSTEAD OF SILVER AND THEREFORE CANNOT REFLECT THE LIGHT PRODUCED BY THE BULB. THE FOG LIGHTS PROVIDE MORE LIGHT OR IF THERE IS SOMEONE FOLLOWING ME THE CAR BEHIND ME PROVIDES FAR MORE LIGHT THAN MY OWN CAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL. THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY THAT I HAVE FOUND SO FAR IS TO REPLACE THE PROJECTOR BOWLS WITHE AFTER MARKET ONES WHICH REQUIRES SOME MODIFICATIONS AT A COST OF ABOUT $800. US.

NHTSA ID

10786505

Incident

Sep 10, 2013

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE USELESS AT NIGHT. THE BULBS ALL FUNCTION PERFECTLY, BUT THE REFLECTOR HOUSINGS ARE "WORN" ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO REPLACE BULBS OVER THE LIFETIME OF A VEHICLE, BUT $3,000 FOR A WHOLE NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS OUTRAGEOUS! THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT THE NHTSA REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS DESIGN DEFECT ALL OVER THE INTERNET. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE!

NHTSA ID

10761627

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

LIGHT OUTPUT FROM MY CAR IS EXTREMELY POOR CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN. UPON INVESTIGATING WHY THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS SO POOR, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT LIKE MANY OTHERS THE LIGHTS FITTED INTO THIS 2004 BMW 330I ARE MANUFACTURED FOR BMW BY A COMPANY CALLED ZKW WHO USED PLASTIC FOR THE REFLECTOR LENSES FOR THE HID ASSEMBLIES. THIS PLASTIC DEGRADES AND BECOMES BURNT WHICH SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHES THE LIGHT OUTPUT, EVEN FROM NEW OEM BULBS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN THE CAR. A LIGHT METER INDICATES THAT THESE LIGHTS NOW HAVE LESS THAN 50% OF THE LIGHT OUTPUT OF THE SAME CAR USING LIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY AL THAT BMW ALSO USED ON THESE VEHICLES. LONGEVITY OF LIGHT OUTPUT AVAILABILITY THROUGH LIGHTING DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A WEAR ITEM BY THE VEHICLE MAKER. THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY OF BOTH THE VEHICLE OWNER AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD WHO MAY BE SUBJECTED TO A CRASH CAUSED BY POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

10745516

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS ON THIS CAR (AND OTHER OF THIS YEAR MODEL) ARE MANUFACTURED BY ZKW AND THEY HAVE FAILED CAUSING VERY LOW, UNSAFE LEVELS OF LIGHT OUTPUT. THE REFLECTORS ARE BURNT AND CRACKED. THE ONLY WAY TO GET ANY REASONABLE OR SAFE LIGHT OUTPUT FOR NIGHT DRIVING IS TO USE THE FOG LIGHTS AND THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND I AM SURPRISED THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. UNSAFE LIGHTING AND PROCEED WHILE UNKNOWINGLY ENDANGERING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. DO NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION LIGHT OUT PUT IN SOME STATES, THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESS, IF YOU LOOK ON THE INTER NET PEOPLE ARE MODIFYING THEM TO GIVE MORE LIGHT WITCH MAKES IT MORE UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10701521

Incident

Mar 24, 2015

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE LOW BEAMS ON MY 2004 BMW 330I ARE VERY DIM. THEY BARELY LIGHT UP THE ROAD AT NIGHT, IF AT ALL. MY ONLY OPTION IS TO TURN ON MY HIGH BEAMS, BUT THEN I RISK BLINDING INCOMING TRAFFIC. I CONSIDER THIS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE BOWLS BMW USED TO REFLECT THE LIGHT FROM THE BULBS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND GET BURNT FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULB. DUE TO THIS FACT, I BELIEVE BMW SHOULD HAVE A RECALL FOR THE HEADLIGHTS OF E46 CARS. I DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS A FACTORY DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679358

Incident

Dec 14, 2014

Mileage

53,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE CAR, I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS WHERE DIM. I WENT OUT AND GOT NEW BULBS FOR MY CAR. I DIDN'T HELP AT ALL! I CAN BARELY SEE AT NIGHT AND I HAVE TO USE TO FOG LIGHTS JUST TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. IT IS ALSO UNLAWFUL TO DRIVE WITH MY FOG LIGHTS ON. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, IT SEEMS THAT THE ROOT CASE OF MY HEADLIGHT BEING AS DIM AS THEY ARE, DO TO THE REFLECTIVE BOWL BEING BURNT OUT IN THE HEADLIGHT IT UNIT. THE COST TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS IS INSANE $1000.00 FOR A SET, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. IT IS SO BAD, THAT I OFTEN DON'T DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT MY SAFE IN A BAD SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676863

Incident

May 1, 2014

PURCHASED CAR USED. UPON DRIVING IT AT NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOTICED TO BE VERY DIM. BULBS WERE CHECKED TO BE THE CORRECT WATTAGE AND COLOR TEMPERATURE. PLASTIC REFLECTOR DISH WAS SEEN TO BE BURNED OUT (NOT REFLECTING LIGHT FROM THE PORTION ABOVE THE BULB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676208

Incident

Dec 23, 2014

Mileage

185,560 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, BOTH PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PROJECTOR HEADLIGHT LENSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ID

10672197

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

190,000 mi

BI-XENON PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS HAVE VERY POOR ILLUMINATION OUTPUT AND ARE UNSAFE. APPARENTLY, THE UNIT USES A PLASTIC REFLECTIVE BOWL THAT BURNS OVER TIME DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE LIGHT BULB THEREFORE LOSING ITS REFLECTIBILITY. THE STANDARD HALOGEN FOG LAMPS IN THE LOWER BUMPER MUST BE USED AS HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE OF THE ALMOST NON EXISTENT OUTPUT OF THE ACTUAL HEADLIGHTS. THE ONLY THING THE BI-XENONS ARE GOOD FOR AT THIS POINT IS SHOWING THAT A LIGHT IS INDEED ON SO THAT THE POLICE WONT ISSUE A CITATION. BUT AS FAR AS ILLUMINATING THE ROAD, THEY DO NOT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10668419

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS ON THIS CAR (AND OTHER OF THIS YEAR MODEL) ARE MANUFACTURED BY ZKW AND THEY HAVE FAILED CAUSING VERY LOW, UNSAFE LEVELS OF LIGHT OUTPUT. THE REFLECTORS ARE BURNT AND CRACKED. THE ONLY WAY TO GET ANY REASONABLE OR SAFE LIGHT OUTPUT FOR NIGHT DRIVING IS TO USE THE FOG LIGHTS AND/OR TO HOLD ON THE PASS TO FLASH LIGHTS. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND I AM SURPRISED THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG SOME BUT MOST USERS WILL NEVER REALIZE WHAT IT CASING POOR, UNSAFE LIGHTING AND PROCEED WHILE UNKNOWINGLY ENDANGERING THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664011

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

65,123 mi