2003 BMW 330i complaints

MY CAR WILL NOT UNLOCK RELIABLY VIA THE REMOTE CONTROL OR THE CENTER UNLOCK/LOCK BUTTON. I CAN'T GET INTO THE CAR WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS. THE GENERAL MODULE(GM5) IS GOING BAD AND THE CAR WILL ONLY UNLOCK WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A NORMAL ISSUE WITH MY 2003 BMW 330I. HOPEFULLY BMW WILL FILE A RECALL ON THIS ITEM SO I DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE $790 THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES FOR THIS KNOWN PROBLEM. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MANUFACTURED BY ZKW, THE REFLECTIVE BALLASTS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND MELT, THEREBY DECREASING LIGHT OUTPUT. THE DARKNESS IS BARELY ILLUMINATED, THEREBY MAKING DRIVING AT NIGHT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THERE IS NO KNOWN DEALER PART TO REPLACE OR UPGRADE, SAVE FOR PURCHASING EXPENSIVE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIREDOR EXAMINED BY TECHNICIANS. *TR

ZKW MANUFACTURED XENON HEADLAMPS FOR BMW 330I E46 CARS. THE PROJECTORS BECOME SCORCHED OVER TIME, CAUSING DANGEROUSLY LOW LIGHT OUTPUT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AT NIGHT. *TR

BMW E46 3-SERIES SEDANS WITH THE ZKW-BRAND XENON HEADLAMPS HAVE DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS. THE PROJECTOR REFLECTOR BOWLS BURN OUT, REDUCING LIGHT OUTPUT, MAKING THE CAR LESS SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. AS FAR AS I KNOW, ALL THE E46 SEDANS WITH ZKW-BRAND XENON HEADLAMPS SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER. REPLACEMENT WITH NEW OEM PARTS TYPICALLY RUNS MORE THAN $800 PER SIDE. MY CAR HAS THE BURNED ZKW PROJECTOR BOWLS, THOUGH IN MY CASE IT HAS NOT CAUSED ANY SPECIFIC ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND BMW SHOULD REPLACE ALL DEFECTIVE XENON PROJECTOR HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE TAIL LIGHT SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE PLASTIC WHERE THE LIGHT BULB WAS LOCATED AND FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC WAS MELTED AND CORRODED DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED THE CONTACT A DISCOUNT FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SINCE HIS VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,800.

RECENTLY I BOUGHT A 2003 BMW 330I WITH XENON PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS. THE LOW- AND HIGH-BEAM OUTPUT OF THESE LIGHTS IS VERY POOR, WITH VERY LITTLE USABLE LIGHT WHEN DRIVING ON LIT OR UNLIT ROADS AT NIGHT. COMPARED TO STANDARD HALOGEN LAMPS ON MY OTHER CARS (1990 BMW 525I, 2004 SATURN ION) I WOULD RATE THEM AT 40% AND 30% OUTPUT RESPECTIVELY, AND BOTH OF THE OTHER CARS USE STANDARD HALOGEN LAMPS. RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE FOUND THE HEADLAMP REFLECTOR USED BY BMW FOR THESE LIGHTS (ZKW BRANDED) IS MADE OF PLASTIC INSTEAD OF METAL AND BEGINS TO OVERHEAT AND MELT OVER TIME, REDUCING LIGHT OUTPUT AND EVENTUALLY FAILING COMPLETELY. BMW DOES NOT OFFER REPLACEMENT REFLECTORS, PLASTIC OR OTHERWISE, AND THE ONLY OPTION USING MANUFACTURER PARTS IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE UNIT AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2000 (FOR THE PAIR). I FIND THIS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE CONSIDERING THE HEADLIGHTS ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND A $2K 'WEAR PART' IS GROSSLY EXCESSIVE. *TR

AROUND NOVEMBER 2009 I STARTED TO NOTICE THE UNMODIFIED FACTORY XENON HEADLAMPS IN OUR CAR SEEMED DIM. OVER THE NEXT YEAR THEY SEEMED TO DIM CONSIDERABLY AND AFTER THE RECENT END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN MY NIGHT-TIME DRIVING, I HAVE FOUND THE HEADLAMPS TO PROVIDE NEARLY NO PROJECTED LIGHT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT BMW BUILT THESE HEADLAMPS USING A CHROME-COATED PLASTIC REFLECTOR TO DIRECT THE LIGHT FORWARD TO THE ROAD. IT APPEARS THE DESIGN USED PLACED THE BULB TOO NEAR THE REFLECTOR OR USED PLASTIC WITH INADEQUATE TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE AND THE BOWL ITSELF HAS GRADUALLY BURNT TO THE POINT WHERE IT NO LONGER REFLECTS LIGHT. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FIRE AT THIS POINT BUT THE PLASTIC APPEARS TO BE FAILING STRUCTURALLY NOW (BURN THROUGH) AND I FEAR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I ALLOWED IT TO PROGRESS FURTHER. THE LIGHT PROJECTED WITH LOW BEAMS ON NOW IS SO INADEQUATE THE CAR CANNOT BE SAFELY USED FOR NIGHT DRIVING. BMW DOES NOT SELL REPLACEMENT REFLECTOR BOWLS TO ALLOW REPAIR OF THE HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY AND THE ONLY OPTION TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE IS TO PURCHASE A PAIR OF NEW HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLIES AT APPROXIMATELY $1,200 EACH. I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH MY LOCAL BMW DEALER AND BMW CARS NORTH AMERICA AND NEITHER HAS OFFERED AN ENGINEERING OR CUSTOMER SERVICE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

INTERMITTENT FUNCTION OF LEFT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY, DESPITE FUNCTIONAL LIGHT BULBS. ASSEMBLY REMOVED AND 7 PIN CONNECTOR NOTED TO HAVE OVERHEATED AT PIN 2, MELTING SURROUNDING PLASTIC. *TR

I OWN A 2003 BMW 330I SEDAN THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY WITH XENON HEADLIGHTS. THESE HEADLIGHTS WERE MANUFACTURED BY ZKW. OVER TIME, THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BURNS AND DEGRADES. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT ZKW USED A PLASTIC REFLECTOR HOUSING WHICH CANNOT WITHSTAND THE HEAT OF THE XENON BULB. WHEN BURNED, THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING TO SAFELY DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE SUGGESTED RESOLUTION PER BMW IS TO PURCHASE NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES AT $1200 PER SIDE. NOTE: BMW USED ANOTHER MANUFACTURER (AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING, AL) FOR LATER MODELS AND THOSE VEHICLES WITH AL LIGHTS DON'T SUFFER FROM THIS FAILURE DUE TO THE FACT THAT AL USED METAL REFLECTORS NOT PLASTIC LIKE ZKW. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASE A 2003 BMW 330I WITH FACTORY XENON LIGHTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED BY ZKW. THE LIGHT OUTPUT OF THESE HEADLAMPS IS THE WORST BY FAR I HAVE EVER SEEN FROM A MODERN VEHICLE. XENON HEADLAMPS NORMALLY HAVE SUPERIOR BRIGHTNESS OVER HALOGEN HEADLAMPS. MY FOG LIGHTS PUT OFF MORE LIGHT THAN THE ZKW HEADLAMPS. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT A BULB ISSUE, BECAUSE THEY BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE BOWLS THAT REFLECT THE LIGHT TURN BROWN BECAUSE OF THE HEAT AND LIGHT OUTPUT GOES WAY DOWN OVER TIME, FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON MANY FORUMS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND BMW ONLY SELLS THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOT JUST THE BOWL THAT BURNS AND DISCOLORS. THE HEADLAMPS FROM BMW ARE OVER $1,000 EACH AND I REALLY CAN'T JUSTIFY SPENDING THAT RIGHT NOW. HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT A WEARABLE ITEM AND I NEVER EXPECTED TO HAVE TO REP. *TR

MODEL 2003 BMW 330I E46 (3 SERIES) SEDAN SITUATION ONE OF THE REAR LIGHTS IS INOPERATIVE. CAUSE MINOR CORROSION AT THE 8-PIN REAR LAMP CONNECTOR CREATES HIGH RESISTANCE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CONNECTOR HOUSING (IT ACTUALLY BURNED THROUGH THE PLASTIC HOUSING POTENTIAL FOR FIRE) CORRECTION REPAIR THE DAMAGED WIRE(S) AND REPLACE DAMAGED CONNECTOR HOUSING. INSTALL ADDITIONAL GROUND WIRES TO BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT REAR LAMPS. *TR

THE CAR WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SENSOR CAUSES THE AIR BAG INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE. THE ILLUMINATION OCCURS WHENEVER SOMEONE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE INDICATOR REMAINS LIT EVEN IF NO ONE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 330I. AFTER THE CPNTACT HAD THE RIMS CHROMED THEY WOULD CONTINUOUSLY AND SLOWLY DEFLATE. THE TIRES HAD TO BE INSPECTED AND REINFLATED AFTER EVERY TRIP. THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER THE RIMS WERE CHROMED. THE RIMS WOULD NOT HOLD AIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

I HAD A FLAT TIRE ON H1 FREEWAY WESTBOUND BETWEEN KAONOHI & PEARL CITY EXIT WHERE THE H1 WIDENING CONSTRUCTION IS ON PROGRESS JUST BEFORE 10:00 AM ON 2/2/06. THERE ARE SEVERAL LARGE SIZE GRAVELS ON THE FAR LEFT LANE I WAS DRIVING. BY THE TIME I SPOTTED, IT WAS TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE LANE FAST ENOUGH DUE TO THE VEHICLE NEXT TO ME IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. MY LEFT FRONT TIRE & RIM GOT HIT BY ONE OF GRAVELS & EXPLODED I HAD AAA TO CHANGE MY SPARE & NEEDED TO PURCHASE ANOTHER RIM & TIRE COST ME $450

CAR HAS STALLED TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR HAS CONSISTENT ROUGH IDLE AND VERGES ON STALLING AT TIMES.

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BMW 3.0L ENGINE WHERE IDLING ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARMED-UP IS USUALLY VERY ROUGH IN THE RANGE OF 500-700 RPM. THERE IS ALSO A TENDENCY TO DIP BELOW 500 RPM AND STALL OUT. THIS STARTED HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 700 MILES ON IT. I CONSIDER THE STALL A FAILURE.

NO EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE CAR WILL RANDOMLY STALL WHEN STOPPED. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. BMW CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROBLEM

MY 2003 BMW 330I ZHP HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND OCCASIONALLY STALLS. I'VE HAD IT SERVICED 3 TIMES, BUT ISSUE STILL NOT RESOLVED.*AK

I AM EXPERIENCING A STALLING PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 BMW 330I. AT A STOP LIGHT THE CAR HAS A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING ON ALMOST EVERY 330I, AS EVIDENCED ON NUMEROUS INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS (INCLUDING BIMMERFEST.COM AND BIMMERFORUMS.COM) BUT BMW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD, AS THE STALLING AS LEFT ME STRANDED AT AN INTERSECTION IN THE PAST WITH TRAFFIC FLOWING AROUND ME AS I ATTEMPT TO RESTART. *AK

2003 330I ZHP (PERFORMANCE PACKAGE) : 6K MILES... CAR IDLE'S ROUGH AND STALLS OCCASIONALLY. DEALER / SERVICE HAD NO ERROR REPORTS IN THE COMPUTER, SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. PROBLEM CONTINUES... *NM

ENGINE STALLS/ ROUGH IDLE WHEN RPMS ARE LOW. FIX NOT AVAILABLE. *AK

2003 BMW 330I, I HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN THE COASTING TO A STOP, OR SITTING STATIONARY, AND WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED. ENGINE ALSO EXHIBITS UNEVEN/ODD ACCELERATION BEHAVIOR, OFTEN LAGGING NOTICEABLY AT SPEED. I'VE HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ON 4 OCCASIONS IN THE PAST YEAR (19K MILES) WITH ZERO RESOLUTION. BECAUSE THE CAR ISN'T THROWING AN ERROR CODES, I GUESS THAT I HAVE TO JUST "LIVE WITH IT". NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN COASTING TO A STOP. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BMW FINALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I JUST SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IN THIS DAY IN AGE, AND WITH A MASS-PRODUCED CAR. *AK

CAR STALLS. CAR DISPLAYS ERRATIC IDLE. CAR ENGINE STUMLE. *AKS

ERRATIC ENGINE IDLE AND STALL.AT IDLE ENGINE RPMS WILL DROP CAUSING A STALL/STUTTER. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS EFFECTS ALL 330I ZHP (PERFORMANCE PKG) MODEL.*AK

CAR STALLS. *AK

ON COLD DAYS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE FOR APPROX. 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE DRIVING. *PH ON VERY COLD DAYS, LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR ONLY 4 HOURS WAS ENOUGH TO CAUSE IT TO SLIP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AT NO COST. *NM