2003 BMW 3 Series recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Air bags

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS) AND 13V172000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE TO BMW OF PLEASANT GROVE (2111 W GROVE PKWY, PLEASANT GROVE, UT 84062, (801) 443-2000) WHO STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. *TT CONSUMER STATED HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT AT BMW OF PLEASANT GROVE. *JB

  Aug 13, 2018
• Exterior lighting

  BRAKE LIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES GETS STUCK ON ONCE THE PEDAL IS PRESSED. THIS PRODUCES NO ERROR CODES. I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE SENSOR SWITCH. I CHANGED THIS AND IT DID NOTHING. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS TO OTHER DRIVERS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SURE IF THE CAR IS BRAKING AS THE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND WILL BURN OUT THE BULBS AND MELT THE HOUSING IF CONSTANTLY ON. THIS CAN BE REPRODUCED EITHER WHILE PARKED OR IN MOTION.

  Jun 10, 2013 · 117,000 miles
• Engine

  2003 BMW 325I LOW FUEL STALL

  Feb 24, 2018
• Electrical system

  TRANSMISSION WILL DROP OUT OF GEAR AND SHUT CAR DOWN, WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION DURING NORMAL USE. VEHICLE WILL ONLY WORK WHEN COLD, MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF BADLY DESIGNED SMG TEMP SENSOR AND NEGLIGENTLY DESIGNED COMPUTER LOGIC THAT SHIFTS TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL AND SHUTS CAR DOWN.

  Jul 31, 2017 · 50,000 miles
• Exterior lighting

  THE ZKW XENON HEADLIGHTS HAVE A FLAW IN THE PLASTIC PROJECTOR HOUSING. THE HOUSING GETS TOO HOT AND MELTS AND THE LIGHT OUTPUT IS SEVERELY RESTRICTED. THIS HAPPENS TO 100% OF THE HEADLIGHTS MADE BY THIS MANUFACTURER AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE REFLECTIVE COATING ON THE HEADLIGHTS MELTS AND THE LIGHT CAN NO LONGER BE PROJECTED OUT CORRECTLY. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE NOW BRIGHTER THEN THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE CAN NO LONGER BE SAFELY DRIVEN AT NIGHT. SPARE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHTS AT A COST OF OVER $2000. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE.

  Apr 1, 2016
• Air bags

  TAKATA RECALL. AFTER WAITING 9 MONTHS FOR REPLACEMENT OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG. IT HAS NOW BEEN NEARLY 15 MONTHS AND NO REMEDY IN SIGHT . RECEIVED A " FINAL REMEDY AVAILABLE " LETTER DATED SEPT. 2016 ASKING THAT I CALL DEALER FOR REPAIR. CALLED LOCAL DEALER OCTOBER 10/16 AND WAS TOLD NO PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.I HAVE NOT HAD FULL USE OF MY VEHICLE FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS AND SEE NO REMEDY COMING ANYTIME SOON.

  Oct 10, 2016
• Air bags

  TAKATA INFLATORS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT PURSUED THE EXISTING RECALL IN EVEN A REMOTELY TIMELY MANNER. I WAS NOTIFIED BY LETTER DATED JULY 2015 OF THE RECALL. THAT WAS OVER 14 MONTHS AGO! I CALLED MY LOCAL BMW SERVICE CENTER WHO INFORMED ME THE REQUIRED PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE REPRESENTATIVE HERE AT SAFECAR.GOV NOTIFIED ME THAT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. WHEN I CONTACTED MANUFACTURER "NATIONAL RECALL CALL CENTER" (800-831-1117), AS RECOMMENDED BY REP HERE AT SAFECAR, THEY SAID THEY WEREN'T FOR MY VIN. WHEN I INFORMED THEM I HAD INQUIRED HERE WITH THIS AGENCY AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE, THE NATIONAL CENTER SAID THEY'D CALL ME BACK IN 48 HOURS. THEY NEVER DID. DOES ANYONE TAKE…

  Jul 1, 2015 · 76,000 miles
• Air bags

  I SENT YOU MY FIRST COMPLAINT ON OR AROUND AUGUST 10, 2016, AND ONLY RECEIVED A 'THANK YOU' RETURN NOTE, AND THAT YOU WOULD GET BACK TO ME. YOU HAVE NOT! TO RECAPITULATE THE EARLIER COMPLAINT, I RECEIVED RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 15V-318 IN JULY 2015, AND HAVE SINCE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM BMW. I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS AROUND AUGUST 4, TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT. AFTER GETTING NO INFORMATION FROM THE FIRST CUSTOMER RELATIONS PERSON, I WAS CONNECTED TO A SUPERVISOR WHO ALSO GAVE ME NO INFORMATION. I ASKED WHEN I COULD EXPECT A AIRBAG REPLACEMENT - THEY TOLD ME 'PROBABLY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR'. I TOLD THEM THIS WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE, DANGEROUS SITUATION, WITH THE…

  Aug 10, 2016

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• Rear Lamp IlluminationClosedLed to recall 11V438000

  In a letter submitted to the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) dated August25, 2011, BMWindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.The issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.Through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.This can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.The recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.An 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.BMW will complete dealer notification in…

  EA09019 · opened Dec 18, 2009 · closed Sep 28, 2011
• REAR LAMP ILLUMINATIONClosedLed to recall 11V438000

  ODI HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS STATING THAT THEIR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATING.THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A TURN SIGNAL LAMP, A TAIL LAMP AND A BRAKE LAMP.THE COMPLAINANTS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING.THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM.BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) SIB-630306 ON FEBRUARY 2007 TO ADDRESS THE CONDITION BY ADDING SUPPLEMENTARY GROUND WIRING TO THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI IS UPGRADING TO AN EA TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE.

  PE09036 · opened Aug 7, 2009 · closed Dec 22, 2009
• REAR LAMP ILLUMINATIONClosed

  IN MARCH 2009, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. MARK PETERS REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF REAR LAMP FAILURE IN MODEL YEAR 2002-2005 BMW 3-SERIES VEHICLES.AN INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER WAS SENT TO BMW IN APRIL 2009, AND ODI RECEIVED BMW'S RESPONSE IN JUNE 2009.THE TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CONTAINS LIGHTING FOR THE BRAKE LAMPS, TAIL LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNALS.A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) WAS ISSUED BY BMW IN JANUARY OF 2007 INSTRUCTING SERVICE TECHNICIANS TO EXAMINE AN 8 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR HEAT-RELATED DAMAGE AND TO INCORPORATE ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRING TO THE CONNECTOR.COMPLAINANTS HAVE ALLEGED THAT SIGNIFICANT THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING HAS OCCURRED.THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR TOTAL LOSS OF ALL LIGHTING (BRAKE, TAIL, AND TURN SIGNAL) FOR THE EFFECTED REAR LAMP ASSEMBLY.ODI WILL OPEN A…

  DP09002 · opened Apr 8, 2009 · closed Aug 6, 2009