RoadVitals

2003 BMW 330XI Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

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.
33
Latest Apr 23, 2025
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
11
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.
2

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2003 BMW 330XI, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Airbags1333.3%
  • Tires & wheels410.3%
  • Engine37.7%
  • Exterior lighting37.7%
  • Body & structure25.1%
  • Interior & seats25.1%
  • Brakes12.6%
  • Powertrain (other)12.6%
  • Steering12.6%
  • Driver assistance12.6%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

While I was driving the air bags went off.

NHTSA ID 11656332 · filed Apr 23, 2025

TAKATA RECALL: AIR BAGS WERE REPLACED ON 11/23/16. THE AIR BAG RED LIGHT INDICATOR REMAINED ON AND WAS NEVER RESET BY THE DEALER. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE BUT NEVER RESOLVED THE ISSUE. TO THIS DAY THE LIGHT IS UNRESOLVED, STILL ON

NHTSA ID 11054518 · filed Dec 13, 2017
All 13 reports naming airbags

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

8
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Power windows Power windows broke on 3 windows. Sometimes the glass has shattered. Sometimes the glass just slides down and becomes non operational. Glass shattering has been scary and dangerous. This has occurred while driving. I live in a state with lots of weather. Thunderstorms. Has occurred with child in car seat during a thunderstorm. At highway speed. I have had them repaired at dealerships and at independent bmw repair shops. Cost has been approx $600. This began as early as 2010 and continues to this day.

NHTSA ID 11440350 · filed Nov 13, 2021

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS COMES ON WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, AND NOW THE CAR STAYS ON WHEN THE KEY OUT OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE RECALL WAS FIXED BEFORE ABOUT THE LIGHTS BUT THEY STARTED BACK AGAIN I JUST GOT THE CAR AND I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE BATTERY DYING IF I GO TO WORK OR EVEN THE STORE

NHTSA ID 11184018 · filed Mar 4, 2019
All 8 reports naming electrical

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Continental Sport Plus 215/50 ZR17 Replaced Michelin tires with four of this size/brand. Highly unstable at highway speeds. Even more unstable under wet roadway conditions.

NHTSA ID 11478511 · filed Aug 9, 2022

2003 BMW 330XI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SPONTANEOUS CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED ON HIS DAUGHTER'S VEHICLE IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. THE ENTIRE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE FAILED,CREATING A VOID AROUND THE OUTSIDE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE, ABOUT MID-WAY BETWEEN THE BEAD AND TREAD LINES. THE CONSUMER STATED IT APPEARED THE SIDEWALL PILES SIMPLY GAVE WAY AND WITHOUT THAT INTERNAL STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, THE TIRE SUDDENLY LOST AIR. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DISCOUNT TIRE STORE FOR AN INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN DID NOT OBSERVE ANY ROAD TRAUMA OR EXTERNAL REASON FOR THE SUDDEN FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE VIRTUALLY NEW. THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED, THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ON DUNPLOP'S PART. DUNLOP REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE, BECAUSE THE CONSUMER WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL PURCHASER AND THE TIRES HAD BEEN PURCHASED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER MORE THAN SIX YEARS AGO.

NHTSA ID 10476429 · filed Sep 20, 2012

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Coolant leak from exhaust manifold Reservoir fails All coolant hoses fail

NHTSA ID 11449466 · filed Jan 30, 2022

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 BMW 330XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S JOB, THE FRONT END CAUGHT FIRE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED DAYS BEFORE THE FIRE, BUT IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE REPAIR CONTRIBUTED TO THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED, BUT NOT TOWED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT ONCE A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, THEY COULD DISCLOSE SPECIFICALLY WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

NHTSA ID 11104782 · filed Jun 29, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

330I SEDAN - ZKW HID HEADLIGHTS WITH BURNT XENON BULB REFLECTORS RENDERING THE HEADLIGHTS INEFFECTIVE AND THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT.

NHTSA ID 11412892 · filed Apr 19, 2021

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS COMES ON WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, AND NOW THE CAR STAYS ON WHEN THE KEY OUT OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE RECALL WAS FIXED BEFORE ABOUT THE LIGHTS BUT THEY STARTED BACK AGAIN I JUST GOT THE CAR AND I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE BATTERY DYING IF I GO TO WORK OR EVEN THE STORE

NHTSA ID 11184018 · filed Mar 4, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

POWER TO CAR WAS CUT. COULD NOT UNLOCK DOORS OR PULL DOOR HANDLE TO OPEN DOOR/UNLOCK. STUCK INSIDE.

NHTSA ID 11321870 · filed Apr 22, 2020

WINDOW BROKE WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. RIGHT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WAS BEING LOWERED. HEAR WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A CRACKING SOUND. WINDOW STAYED IN THE DOWN POSITION AND COULD NOT BE RAISED. SMALL CHILD WAS SEATED IN HIS CAR SEAT NEXT TO WINDOW. WE WERE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OF 70 MPH. (HWY 540). A THUNDERSTORM BEGAN, NO SAFE WAY TO PULL OVER FOR ABOUT A MILE OR TWO. 4 YR OLD CHILD WAS SCARED, WET AND HOT (NORTH CAROLINA-SUMMER). CHILD WAS NOT HARMED, JUST VERY SCARED. SEMI TRAILER TRUCKS HAULING BY. VERY BUSY TIME OF DAY. CHILD WAS MY NEIGHBORS SON, I WAS HELPING PICK HIM UP FROM DAYCARE BECAUSE HER OTHER CHILD WAS SICK I BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AS THIS IS THE 5TH WINDOW ON THIS VEHICLE THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN JARRING TO SAY THE LEAST TO HEAR GLASS CRACKING AS YOU LOWER THE WINDOW. I'VE HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS, THRIVED. EACH TIME THE COST TO REPAIR A WINDOW HAS BEEN AROUND $600. I GO TO VERY REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOPS HERE AND IN CALIFORNIA. THINGS HAVE BEEN SUCKED OUT OF THE WINDOW DUE TO THE FORCE OF THE WIND. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. ONE INCIDENT WAS ENOUGH, BUT 5!!! I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES OVER THE YEARS AND THE WINDOWS DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. IT SCARY AND A MAJOR DISTRACTION FOR THE DRIVER. UNBELIEVABLE. BMW HAS A BIG PROBLEM. MY FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN 2010 AND THEY HAVE CONTINUED THOUGH 1218. CURRENTLY THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW IS ALSO MAKE A GLASS SCRAPING SOUND, SO WE JUST LEASE IT UP. THAT WINDOW HAD BEEN REPLACED IN 2010.. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET, I DON'T HAVE ANY PHOTOS TO PROVIDE SINCE I WAS ALWAYS IN SUCH A HURRY TO GET THEM FIXED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE HELP THIS A BIG PROBLEM FOR US BMW DRIVERS.(I'M GLAD THE TODDLER IN MY CAR WAS UNHARMED, NO BROKEN GLASS GOT ON HIM. MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION WINDOWS HAVE NO PROBLEMS, EVEN WITH MY 3 BOYS USING THEM.

NHTSA ID 11268417 · filed Oct 14, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

DRIVERS SEAT HAS SEAT WARMERS AND THE SEAT OVERHEATS WHEN TURNED ON. IT HAS BURNED A SMALL HOLE IN MY SEAT AND PROBABLY WOULD CAUSE A FIRE IF LEFT TURNED ON. *TR

NHTSA ID 10457556 · filed May 5, 2012

THE DOORS ON OUR BMX 330XI WILL LOCK AND WE CANNOT UNLOCK THEM FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE USING THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES OR THE KEY FOB. MY WIFE AND KIDS HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE WINDOWS TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. I CALLED THE BMW DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE IT TOWED AND THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND IT IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND IT APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THE 300 SERIES. IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES AND THEN THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. I HOPE NO ONE GETS HURT BECAUSE THEY GET TRAPPED IN THEIR VEHICLE. THANK GOD THAT MY FAMILY WAS PHYSICALLY ABLE TO CLIMB OUT OF THE WINDOWS ,IF THEY WERE ELDERLY OR DISABLED THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, ADDRESSED AND REMEDIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID 10457540 · filed May 4, 2012

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ON OR AROUND THE FIRST WEEK OF DEC. 2020 AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS, THE CAR JUST STOPPED WHILE IN MOTION WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DASH WARNING INDICATORS. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR ON THE FIRST TRY. AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN BAD GAS. FAST FORWARD TO JAN. 09, 2021 WHILE PULLING UP TO GAS STATION CAR ACCELERATES WHILE I AM APPLYING BRAKES. VERY SCARY BECAUSE I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT REVVED UP AS THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS, ALTHOUGH. INTERMITTENTLY. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I FOUND THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL BMW FORUMS SINCE 2002 AND APPEARS TO HAPPEN IN OLDER AND NEWER CARS REGARDLESS OF MODEL TYPES. I HAVE MAYBE 165,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE MAINTENANCE IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED AND CONSISTENT.

NHTSA ID 11387793 · filed Jan 12, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ON OR AROUND THE FIRST WEEK OF DEC. 2020 AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS, THE CAR JUST STOPPED WHILE IN MOTION WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DASH WARNING INDICATORS. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR ON THE FIRST TRY. AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN BAD GAS. FAST FORWARD TO JAN. 09, 2021 WHILE PULLING UP TO GAS STATION CAR ACCELERATES WHILE I AM APPLYING BRAKES. VERY SCARY BECAUSE I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT REVVED UP AS THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS, ALTHOUGH. INTERMITTENTLY. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I FOUND THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL BMW FORUMS SINCE 2002 AND APPEARS TO HAPPEN IN OLDER AND NEWER CARS REGARDLESS OF MODEL TYPES. I HAVE MAYBE 165,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE MAINTENANCE IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED AND CONSISTENT.

NHTSA ID 11387793 · filed Jan 12, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50MPH I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND DURING THE TURN THE STEERING WHEEL STOPPED HALF WAY DURING A FULL ROTATION AND LOCKED UP PREVENTING ME FROM MAKING A FULL RIGHT HAND TURN. ONCE PARKED I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND IT STOPPED HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN AGAIN.

NHTSA ID 11320188 · filed Apr 4, 2020

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ON OR AROUND THE FIRST WEEK OF DEC. 2020 AFTER FILLING UP WITH GAS, THE CAR JUST STOPPED WHILE IN MOTION WITHOUT ANY PRIOR DASH WARNING INDICATORS. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE CAR ON THE FIRST TRY. AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN BAD GAS. FAST FORWARD TO JAN. 09, 2021 WHILE PULLING UP TO GAS STATION CAR ACCELERATES WHILE I AM APPLYING BRAKES. VERY SCARY BECAUSE I COULD HAVE KILLED SOMEONE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT REVVED UP AS THOUGH MY FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS STARTED TO HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS, ALTHOUGH. INTERMITTENTLY. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE I FOUND THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL BMW FORUMS SINCE 2002 AND APPEARS TO HAPPEN IN OLDER AND NEWER CARS REGARDLESS OF MODEL TYPES. I HAVE MAYBE 165,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE MAINTENANCE IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED AND CONSISTENT.

NHTSA ID 11387793 · filed Jan 12, 2021

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .