2003 BMW 330XI

33 complaints on file, page 1 of 2.

1. Filed Apr 23, 2025Failure Apr 23, 2025Channelview, TXAir bags1 injured

   While I was driving the air bags went off.

   NHTSA complaint 11656332
2. Filed Aug 9, 2022Failure Jun 13, 2022Emerald Isle, NCTires

   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 complaint 11478511
3. Filed Jan 30, 2022Failure Jan 14, 2022Slidell, LAEngine, Unknown or other

   Coolant leak from exhaust manifold Reservoir fails All coolant hoses fail

   NHTSA complaint 11449466
4. Filed Nov 13, 2021Failure Jul 20, 2016Morrisville, NCElectrical system, Unknown or other

   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 complaint 11440350
5. Filed Apr 19, 2021Failure Nov 27, 2018158,300 milesCorcoran, MNExterior lighting

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

   NHTSA complaint 11412892
6. Filed Jan 12, 2021Failure Dec 8, 2020165,000 milesCordova, TNPower train, Service brakes, Vehicle speed control

   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 complaint 11387793
7. Filed Apr 22, 2020Failure Apr 21, 2020175,000 milesGladewater, TXBody

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

   NHTSA complaint 11321870
8. Filed Apr 4, 2020Failure Apr 4, 2020126,000 milesDuluth, GASteering

   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 complaint 11320188
9. Filed Oct 14, 2019Failure Aug 4, 2018110,000 milesMorrisvill, NCBody

   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 complaint 11268417
10. Filed Mar 4, 2019Failure Feb 24, 2019164,300 milesNewport News, VAElectrical system, Exterior lighting

    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 complaint 11184018
11. Filed Jun 29, 2018Failure Jun 29, 2018106,000 milesPaterson, NJEngineFire

    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 complaint 11104782
12. Filed Dec 13, 2017Failure Nov 23, 2016Questa, NMAir bags, Electrical system, Unknown or other

    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 complaint 11054518
13. Filed Oct 2, 2016Failure Oct 2, 2016153,000 milesDallas, TXElectrical system

    I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR MANY YEARS NOW BUT NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THESE ISSUES AS CAN BE FOUND WHEN DOING SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET. THIS PROBLEM INVOLVES THE DOOR NOT UNLOCKING AFTER BEING LOCKED VIA THE CENTER CONSOLE, KEY FOB, OR AUTO LOCK FEATURE WHEN VEHICLE IS MOBILE. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS MULTIPLE BUILD TYPES DURING THE EARLY 2000'S. THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE WHEN OCCUPANTS CANNOT SAFELY AND QUICKLY EXIT THE CAR WITHOUT HAVING THE BREAK THE WINDOW AND CLIMB OUT BECAUSE THE DOORS WILL NOT EVEN UNLOCK WHEN YOU PULL THE LATCH WHICH SHOULD DISENGAGE THE "LOCKED" STATE. I HAD GO TEND TO A PATIENT AT THE HOSPITAL TODAY FOR EMERGENCY SURGERY AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF MY CAR WITHOUT HAVING TO ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW, THEN USE MY KEY TO UNLOCK MY DOOR FROM THE LOCK CYLINDER ON THE OUTSIDE. HOWEVER I WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE ANYTHING ELSE FROM MY CAR AND HAD TO DO SO FROM THE DRIVER DOOR ONLY. THIS CAN BE LIFE THREATENING IN THE WRONG SITUATIONS. THIS INVOLVES THE GENERAL MODULE 5 OR "GM5" AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR A POTENTIAL SAFETY RECALL AS IT IS INTERMITTENT.

    NHTSA complaint 10911077
14. Filed Apr 20, 2016Failure Apr 20, 2016Pflugerville, TXAir bags

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

    NHTSA complaint 10860537
15. Filed Apr 8, 2016Failure Apr 8, 2016Hartford, CTAir bags

    TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/15/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS, SINCE THE RECALL WAS FIRST INITIATED AND STILL NO RESOLUTION. UPDATED 06/16/16.*JB

    NHTSA complaint 10854297
16. Filed Feb 18, 2016Failure May 27, 2015Huntington, NYAir bags

    TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V3180000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/20/16*LJ

    NHTSA complaint 10836838
17. Filed Nov 4, 2015Failure Aug 15, 2015Albuquerque, NMAir bags

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V318000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

    NHTSA complaint 10788390
18. Filed May 21, 2015Failure Mar 3, 2003500 milesDenver, COAir bags

    FROM THE TIME I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN EARLY 2003, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINED ON INDEFINITELY. THE BMW DEALER TURNED THE ALERT LIGHT OFF SEVERAL TIMES, AND DID NOT FIX THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM, INDICATING THAT IT WAS ONLY THE SENSOR AND THAT THE AIRBAG WAS WORKING. THE LIGHT CONTINUES TO REMAIN ON. AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO MURRAY BMW IN DENVER THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED AND THE DEALERSHIP MERELY TURNED THE ALERT LIGHT OFF INDICATING THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, AND NOT REPAIRING THE PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THE REPAIR WAS NEVER MADE. NOW THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS STILL ON AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR. WHEN THE AIRBAG RECALL WAS PERFORMED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT STILL REMAINED ON, AND THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE AIRBAG WAS NOT RELATED TO THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE WHEN PURCHASING A BRAND NEW VEHICLE!

    NHTSA complaint 10717650
19. Filed Mar 10, 2015Failure Mar 10, 2015Boulder, COAir bags

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V428000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO INFORM WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

    NHTSA complaint 10693355
20. Filed Feb 5, 2015Failure Jun 15, 201360,000 milesFairfax, VAAir bags

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED ,THE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:14V428000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

    NHTSA complaint 10681404