2006 BMW 330I Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 33I. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming into the interior of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed fire coming from underneath the hood. The contact exited the vehicle. The contact stated he had to leave the vehicle abandoned for about a month. The contact stated the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was then towed to the contact’s residence. The contact stated that a certified independent mechanic diagnosed the failure as thermal damage due to the NHTSA recalls. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an oil leak that caused the fire. The contact was informed of a recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V683000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V273000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to have the vehicle towed to the dealer for further investigation. The contact stated that the manufacturer initiated an investigation, and after the investigation was performed, the case was closed. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ID

11681317

Incident

Dec 18, 2024

Mileage

101,000 mi

I was getting ready to leave my home and both front airbags deployed on me, which also resulted in my windshield breaking. I did not hit anything with the vehicle. I then looked up the VIN and noticed the 2 open recalls one is for the airbags, I contacted BMW left the service manager numerous voicemails he never returned any of my calls. Then I contacted BMW North America, I got the vehicle towed to BMW of Carslbad just before Thanksgiving 2024 I just picked up my vehicle on January 6 2025 and they did not fix the recalls on the vehicle. I have been without a vehicle since before Thanksgiving!! I have health issues and I am missing appointments. I am on a fixed income my husband just passed away. I need someone to help me I keep getting the run around. If there are open recalls they need to be fixed I don't understand.

NHTSA ID

11634735

Incident

Nov 11, 2024

Rolled down back window it broke and didn’t go back up

NHTSA ID

11622727

Incident

Oct 28, 2024

My airbag light is on. I checked the website, and realize that there is a recall for Takata airbags, however, when I input my VIN#, my vehicle does not show the active recall. There is an alert on the website that says "DO NOT DRIVE"....I cannot get any assistance from Takata when I call; they keep telling me that my car is not included. I don't believe it is safe to drive my car, and can't get any help.

NHTSA ID

11595776

Incident

Jun 21, 2024

UNKNOWN. I went to do the smog check on my car and I found that I have a recall and the description on the paper is positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) valve heater

NHTSA ID

11510618

Incident

Mar 7, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a burning odor was detected. The contact parked the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. Prior to the failure, the dealer was made aware of the issue but confirmed that parts were not yet available and scheduled an appointment for April. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11509887

Incident

Feb 25, 2023

Mileage

149,000 mi

All door lock actuators (including the fuel cap door cover) stopped working after driving the vehicle. The passenger and both rear doors were able to open via the inside door handle, but the driver side door could not be unlocked via the key fob, console lock button, or manually pulling the inside door handle. The fuel cap door cover could only be opened via the emergency release pull in the trunk. After inspecting the fuse box, I found that fuse 57a was blown. I replaced the fuse and the locking mechanisms started functioning again. weeks later the same issue occurred, only replacing the fuses remedied the problem for only a day or two. The fact that the driver's side door could not be opened by ANY means from inside or outside the vehicle poses a severe safety risk in situations where the driver of the car needs to exit the vehicle themself or be evacuated carefully in the event of injury. There are NO warnings, messages or warning signs before this occurs. This appears to be a common issue on my model and others, originating from issues with the door lock actuators. BMW even has a service information bulletin about it: "SI B51 19 07". The fact that the driver-side door can spontaneously become unopenable from inside or outside while the driver is in the car is a HUGE safety risk.

NHTSA ID

11501144

Incident

Jan 5, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle was emitting an abnormal oil burning odor. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11493984

Incident

Mar 2, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11487054

Incident

Sep 29, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that after turning off the vehicle, she noticed that the engine was extremely hot. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11481208

Incident

Mar 2, 2022

Mileage

88,000 mi

BMW has issued a recall with no resolution. My engine is making noises from the crankcase and no alternative has been offered at this moment. The dealer does not want to address the issue.

NHTSA ID

11478483

Incident

Aug 9, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had 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. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11477666

Incident

Mar 2, 2022

The contact owned a 2006 BMW 330i. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the air conditioning unit suddenly shut off and smoke began to come out of the air conditioning vents. After the contact exited the vehicle flames were present coming from under the passenger side dashboard. The fire and police departments were called to the scene and the flames were extinguished. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed. A fire and a police report were taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The local dealer was notified of the incident. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 190,000.

NHTSA ID

11477117

Incident

Aug 1, 2022

Mileage

190,000 mi

Fuel pump leaking gas due to cracks on top of fuel pump

NHTSA ID

11476233

Incident

May 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 330i. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently and the engine exploded. The automatic transmission gearbox warning light illuminated. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a significant amount of dark smoke and there was fire underneath the hood of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished independently. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic where the engine, the valves and the engine compartment were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (Engine And Engine Cooling), which she associated with the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

NHTSA ID

11462662

Incident

Apr 2, 2022

Mileage

111,000 mi

My car was just sitting in my driveway and my roommate noticed she said is there is your car supposed to be on fire and we went out there had to break the windows and it was already on fire and totally ruined from any repair. I didn't receive a recall until a year after it had already caught on fire. The car is totaled in my backyard. And is beyond repair because of the fire

NHTSA ID

11462242

Incident

Mar 25, 2019

The contact owned a 2006 BMW 330i. The contact stated while her boyfriend was driving 65 mph, he heard an abnormal noise coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver was able to park on the side of the road and exit before the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The driver saw the fire starting under the transmission. The driver stated no one was injured nor sought medical attention. The driver stated the fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The driver stated the police did arrive at the location and filed a police report. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The contact towed the vehicle to the record yard. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 ( Engine and Engine Cooling) on 4/25/2022. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. Consumer stated her vehicle hit a donkey head on but none of the airbags went off.

NHTSA ID

11462176

Incident

Dec 6, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

Passénger seat occupancy seat mat has failed and passenger air bag system does not work. Diagnosed recently- repair scheduled soon for cost of $1588.35 It looks like there may have been a recall in 2017 but I don’t have any record of being notified or having it fixed.

NHTSA ID

11423452

Incident

Jan 6, 2020

THE VEHICLE HAS AN UNEXPLAINED AND UNREPAIRABLE DEFECT RELATED TO THE MAIN AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT MODULE, BMW PART NUMBER 65779184432 (CURRENT VERSION); BELIEVE PART 65770394017 APPLIED TO MY VEHICLE AS-BUILT. THE CONTROL MODULE GENERATES INTERNAL CONTROL UNIT FAULT CODE 93D7. BOTH THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT AND SEATBELT LIGHT ARE CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. ACCORDING TO DEALER TECHNICIAN, THE CODE IS LOCKED IN AND CANNOT BE CLEARED. ADVICE PROVIDED WAS THAT THE UNIT CAN BE REPLACED AND THEN RECODED AT ESTIMATED COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2,000. IF A REPAIR CAN BE EFFECTUATED WITH AN UPDATED PART, THEN IT APPEARS THAT MY CAR AND PERHAPS ALL OTHER SIMILARLY AGED VEHICLES HAVE A DEFECTIVE MAIN AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT MODULE. A FAULTY AIRBAG MODULE WOULD BE A DEFECT IN A CRITICAL DEFECT IN A SAFETY SYSTEM'S PERFORMANCE THAT UNREASONABLY INCREASES RISK OF DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FAULT THUS POSES A RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. FURTHER, BASED ON OPENLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION, IT APPEARS THAT NUMEROUS OTHER VEHICLES HAVE SIMILAR, POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE, MAIN AIRBAG CONTROL MODULES. FINALLY, IT APPEARS THAT BMW UPDATED THIS PART APPROXIMATELY 15 TIMES IN A 6-YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS ABOUT DOUBLE THE UPDATE FREQUENCY FOR COMPARABLE VEHICLE--NOTING THAT THIS IS BASED ONLY ON MY LIMITED REVIEW. REGARDLESS, THAT DATA SUGGEST THAT BMW HAS HAD SOME AWARENESS THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE HAD PERFORMANCE DIFFICULTIES. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11415443

Incident

May 3, 2021

Mileage

90,000 mi

E90 BMW REVERSE LIGHT STOP WORKING DO TO CAR COMPUTER SYSTEM FAULT, THIS POSES A HIGH RISK WHEN VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE OTHER DRIVER ARE NOT NOTIFIED. THIS CAN CAUSE A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11383556

Incident

Dec 15, 2020

Mileage

25 mi

PASSENGER RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION WARNING AND PASSENGER AIR BAG TURNED OFF

NHTSA ID

11354388

Incident

Jun 30, 2020

Mileage

245,000 mi

AFTER ~30 MIN DRIVING ON THE CAPITAL BELTWAY AROUND WASHINGTON DC, I EXISTED AT EXIT 4 ON I270 NORTH). THE ENGINE SUDDENLY EVOLVED VERY FAST WHEN I WAS BRAKING BEFORE A TRAFFIC LIGHT BETWEEN I270 RAMP AND FALLS ROAD. I FELT LIKE THE CAR JUST WANTED TO KEEP MOVING. I ENDED UP HITTING A VEHICLE IN THE FRONT THOUGH THE DAMAGES ON BOTH WERE VERY MINOR. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND PLACE IT IN PARK. AFTER A FEW MINUTES (THE OTHER DRIVER AND I EXCHANGED CONTACT INFO), I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK OK.

NHTSA ID

11337532

Incident

Jul 4, 2020

Mileage

115,600 mi

AIR BAG. WARNING SENSOR,ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHTS WARNING,POWER STEERING LEAKING,BRAKES CLUMPING,BLOWER HEATER MOTOR AND MODULE HAD TO REPLACE.

NHTSA ID

11246536

Incident

Aug 25, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi

COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, SHUT CAR OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, WHEN TRYI G TO RESTART VEHICLE NOTICED ZERO POWER TO ANY COMPONENTS

NHTSA ID

11243823

Incident

Aug 13, 2019

Mileage

164,129 mi

FEW MILES AFTER STARTING TO DRIVE ERROR ICON WAS SHOWN ON THE DISPLAY SHOWING AIRBAG ICON AND SEATBELT ICON. WAS ABLE TO DISPLAY THE ERROR CODE: CC-ID 97. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE ERROR WAS TRIGGERED, AT ABOUT 25 MPH ON CITY STREETS.

NHTSA ID

11231040

Incident

Jul 11, 2019

Mileage

130,570 mi