2004 BMW 330I Visibility Problems

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

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

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

E46 BMW'S WITH ZKW XENON HEAD LAMPS SUFFER FROM POOR BULB PROJECTORS WHICH BURN TO THE POINT THAT LIGHT OUTPUT IS NEARLY NONE. THIS IS DEFECT IS KNOWN BY BMWNA BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479375

Incident

Sep 19, 2012

Mileage

99,960 mi

THE GENERAL MODULE 5 IN E46 3 SERIES MODEL YEARS 2004-2006 FAIL CAUSING FAILURE OF TURN SIGNALS, CENTRAL LOCKING, WIND SHIELD WIPERS, AND HAZARD LIGHTS. THIS DEFECT IS KNOWN BY BMWNA BUT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10479373

Incident

Oct 8, 2012

Mileage

99,960 mi

DEAR NHTSA, THE HEADLIGHT DESIGN OF BMW'S E46 BODIES ARE JUST HORRIBLE. LIGHT OUTPUT IS CLOSE TO NONE CREATING A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM REGARDING VISIBILITY. THE REASON IS DUE TO BMW'S REFLECTOR BOWL THAT DETERIORATES THROUGH OUT TIME DUE TO ITS PLASTIC MATERIAL AND FINALLY ENDS UP BURNING. IT IS SO BAD THAT THE FOG LIGHTS PRODUCE MUCH MORE LIGHT THEN ITS LOW BEAMS. WE DEFINITELY NEED YOUR HELP NHTSA BECAUSE BMW SURE DOES NOT WANT TO HELP, THEIR SOLUTION IS THAT YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT WHICH IS 1200 A PIECE. MILLIONS OF E46 OWNERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. NHTSA INVESTIGATORS MUST GO AND INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM SO THEY KNOW HOW BAD IT REALLY IS. YES THAT MEANS BMW WILL LOOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUT IT IS SAFETY THAT MATTERS, WE DON'T WANT ANY PERSON OR CHILD TO BE KILLED JUST BECAUSE OF A POOR HEADLIGHT DESIGN. ONLY SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IS UP TO YOUR GUYS, NHTSA. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ MY MESSAGE, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10465613

Incident

Jul 13, 2012

Mileage

68,000 mi

BOTH BIXENON HEADLAMPS ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED ON THE VEHICLE THEY EMIT LITTLE TO NO LIGHT DUE TO THE KNOWN BOWL BURN ISSUES WITH THE PLASTIC REFLECTORS (SHOULD HAVE BEEN FABRICATED FROM METAL), INSIDE THESE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. IN LOOKING AT THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES, THEY SEEMED TO HAVE FAILED A LONG TIME AGO. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT RENDERS THE VEHICLE BASICALLY INOPERATIVE AT NIGHT TO THE OWNER, BECAUSE FELLOW DRIVERS, PEDESTRIANS, AND/OR BICYCLIST MAY BE NOT ABLE TO SEE YOUR HEADLIGHTS. THIS COULD CAUSE OR MAY HAVE ALREADY LEAD TO FATAL VEHICULAR ACCIDENT(S) OR THE DEATH OF A PEDESTRIAN(S) AND/OR BICYCLIST(S) BECAUSE OF THE LOW TO NO LIGHT EMITTED BY THESE FAULTY HEADLAMPS. WHILE PERFORMING IN DEPTH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL AT ALL MILEAGES. THE BMW FORUMS ARE FULL OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND AN OPEN COMPLAINT SEEMS TO BE OPEN AND IN PROCESS WITH NHTSA SINCE 2009 SOME THREE YEARS AGO. NEITHER BMW OR ITS SUPPLIER OF THIS FAULTY PART MAKE A REASONABLY PRICED SERVICE PART THAT CAN BE PURCHASED TO CORRECT THIS KNOWN PRODUCT AND SAFETY PROBLEM. NOT EVEN THE AFTERMARKET INDUSTRY MAKES A SERVICE PART TO CORRECT THIS PRODUCT PROBLEM. TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE, YOU MUST PURCHASE TWO NEW COMPLETE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLIES AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $ 1,200.00 EACH FROM BMW WHICH IS OUTRAGEOUS ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A KNOW PRODUCT AND SAFETY PROBLEM. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN INITIATED FOR SUCH A KNOWN PROBLEM ON SO MANY VEHICLES THAT HAS BEEN ON GOING FOR SO LONG.. I CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA FOR RELIEF WITH THIS KNOW SAFETY AND PRODUCT PROBLEM AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME WITH THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL FOR THIS KNOWN PRODUCT AND SAFETY PROBLEM. *JS

NHTSA ID

10464008

Incident

Jun 26, 2012

Mileage

92,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS OF 2004 BMW 330I WITH XENONS ARE MADE BY MANUFACTURING COMPANY "ZKW" AND BOUND TO FAIL. VISIBILITY AND LIGHT OUTPUT BECOMES EXTREMELY POOR, THAT YOU MUST DRIVE AROUND WITH EXTRA LIGHTS, OR HIGH BEAMS ON. WHEN YOU OPEN UP THE REFLECTIVE CASE, YOU WILL SEE THAT BOTH FRONT HEADLIGHTS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE BURNT BOWLS, WHICH DO NOT ALLOW ANY LIGHT OUTPUT AT ALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, I HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE FAR DISTANCE AT NIGHT. PLEASE ADDRESS AND INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10452919

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACT AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTIVE PLASTIC HOLDER MELTED AND CAUSES THE LIGHT TO BE LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. LI

NHTSA ID

10448639

Incident

Feb 11, 2012

Mileage

124,000 mi

1. BOUGHT THE CAR WITH ZKW BOWL REFLECTIVE MATERIAL DEFICIENT. 2004 BMW 330I ZHP. 2. CAN'T SEE SAFELY AT NIGHT TO DRIVE. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE...AS REPLACEMENT OEM LIGHTS ARE $1000.00 EACH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10411671

Incident

Jul 9, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330XI(N/A). WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE HE NOTICED A LOUD POPPING SOUND, AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRRIOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD LIQUID MISSING INSIDE OF IT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84000.

NHTSA ID

10317807

Incident

Mar 2, 2010

Mileage

84,000 mi