Page 5 of 5 · complaints 201–219 of 219

2006 BMW 330i complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2006 record →

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed May 31, 201147,800 milesOH

2006 BMW 330I STARTED INTERMITTENTLY HAVE DOOR LOCK ISSUES. ONE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK BUT OTHERS WOULD. TODAY (05/31/11) I WAS AT LUNCH WITH MY KIDS AND WE WENT TO GET IN THE CAR AND NONE OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE EXCEPT THE RIGHT REAR. I LEANED IN AND TRIED TO UNLOCK THE OTHERS WITH THE HANDLE BUT THEY WOULD NOT. I CLIMBED THROUGH TO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND DROVE HOME. I GOT TO MY HOUSE AND WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE BUTTON ON THE DASH, THE KEY, OR BY PULLING ON THE HANDLE. I HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW AND I HAD TO PULL MY KIDS OUT OF THEIR WINDOWS TO GET THEM OUT. NOW THE CAR IS AWAITING A SERVICE APPOINTMENT BUT THE CAR IS TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE MEANTIME. I AM SCARED SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AND WE WILL GET TRAPPED IN THE CAR. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed May 25, 201168,000 milesTX

I PURCHASED A 2006 BMW 330I. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR MAT. MY VEHICLE EXHIBITS THE SYMPTOMS THAT LED TO THE RECALL, INCLUDING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK AS A RESULT OF THE FAULTY SENSOR MAT. BMW WILL NOT REPAIR THE ISSUE CLAIMING THAT MY VEHICLE'S VIN DOES NOT HAVE AN OPEN RECALL. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed May 24, 201170,000 milesOR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AND THE PASSENGER ON-OFF LAMP WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL ). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,400. THE MANUFACTURER PAID FOR THE PARTS AND THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE LABOR. STATUS UPDATE 07/26/11

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed May 11, 201158,000 milesNY

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH OF THE AIR BAG ON-OFF LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A FAULTY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER - 08V384 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL), THEREFORE THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE LABOR BUT WOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Apr 20, 201145,000 milesCA

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON AT ALL TIMES AND AIR BAG DISENGAGES WHEN SOMEONE SITS ON IT...SRS WARNING LIGHT. REPLACE SEAT MAT SENSOR NOT COVERED BY RECALL FOR E90 2006 330I SEDAN WITH SPORTS PACKAGE. I WANT TO KNOW WHY IS MY CAR NOT INCLUDED ON RECALL...IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE AS WITH THE OTHER MODELS...THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND CAN CAUSE INJURY.... *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Apr 12, 201176,239 milesCA

BMW IS AWARE THAT THE CYLINDER BOLT ON THESE MODELS HAS BEEN KNOWN TO FAIL AND ARE NOW BEING MADE OUT OF A DIFFERENT MATERIAL IN NEWER MODELS. WE REQUESTED THAT BMW PAY FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY ARE AWARE OF IT BEING AN ISSUE AND THEY REFUSED TO DO SO. IT IS DEFINITELY A PART THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL FOR ALL MODELS USING THIS MATERIAL IN THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLD. UPDATED 04/21/11 *BF

Steering
Filed Mar 29, 201171,000 milesOH

STEERING WHEEL LOCK

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Mar 23, 201158,000 milesOR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO DISPLAY THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS EMPTY EVEN WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING THERE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AFTER READING ONLINE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V384000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL), BUT WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Mar 7, 201143,900 milesFL

2006 BMW 330I WITH SPORT PACKAGE; WITH PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT THE AIR BAG TURNS OFF AND MESSAGE IS SENT SAYING PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS YEAR AND MAKE AND MODEL BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS NOT ON MINE. THEY SAY IT IS VIN SPECIFIC. I SAY THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM SO FIX IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR THE PAYMENT TO FIX THE ISSUE. I PAID TO GET IT FIXED. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Feb 11, 201168,000 milesLA

MY 2006 3301 W/SPORT SEATS IS NOT COVERED IN THE BMW RECALL FOR THE MALFUCTIONING PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. AFTER DOING MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE THERE SEEMS TO BE A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF BMW OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

Unknown or Other
Filed Feb 10, 201156,000 milesCA

WHEN THERE IS A POWER FAILURE IN THE 2006 BMW 330I, IN THIS CASE CAUSED BY A BLOWN FUSE, THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN EITHER BY ATTEMPTING TO ELECTRONICALLY UNLOCK THEM OR BY USING THE DOOR HANDLES. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR WAS TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND USE A MANUAL KEY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF A TOTAL POWER FAILURE AND THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED AS WELL, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN BY BREAKING THE WINDOWS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Feb 9, 201147,230 milesWA

BMW CENTRAL LOCKING MODULE FAILURE WILL RESULT LOCKING UP PASSENGERS INSIDE. ALL 4 DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH DOOR NOB OR UNLOCK/LOCK BUTTON. EVEN FUSE BLOWN WILL MAKE THIS CENTRAL LOCKING MODULE FAIL RESULTING PASSENGER LOCK UP IN THE CAR. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE TO UNLOCK DOORS FROM INSIDE. *TR

Seats
Filed Feb 9, 201138,000 milesCA

I HAVE A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY MAT. BMW HAS A RECALL LIMITED TO 200,000 VEHICLES BUT IT OBVIOUSLY AFFECTS MORE THAN THAT. THEY NEED TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO OTHER AFFECTED VEHICLES. SAME SYMPTOMS SAME DEFECTIVE PART BUT NOT COVERED IN THE RECALL.

Steering
Filed Feb 4, 201154,000 milesGA

STEERING WHEEL HAD RANDOM ELECTRONIC LOCK FAILURE. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Jan 28, 201192,000 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AS WELL AS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ON-OFF LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHETHER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V384000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

Steering
Filed Jan 21, 201184,000 milesWV

2006 BMW 330I WAS FITTED WITH A STEERING COLUMN EQUIPPED WITH A STEERING LOCK SENSOR THAT IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND MAY RENDER THE CAR SAFE AND/OR INOPERABLE. I HAVE THIS ISSUE CURRENTLY THAT WILL REQUIRE OVER $1,000 IN REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL MAY LOCK UP DURING VEHICLE USE COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND/OR FAMILY. THIS IS A CHRONIC AND RECURRING ISSUE THAT BMW IS AWARE OF AND THEY HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO RE-DESIGN THE COLUMNS IN 2007+ VEHICLES. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WILL NOT RECALL THE 2006 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE COLUMNS THAT HAVE THIS DESIGN FLAW AND PROPENSITY FOR FAILURE. I HAVE CALLED BMW NA MULTIPLE TIMES TO DISCUSS BUT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO ADMIT ANY CULPABILITY OF ADDRESS MY CONCERNS IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER. I IN SPEAKING WITH MY BMW PARTS ADVISOR AND MECHANIC WHO RUNS A LARGE SCALE SERVICE GARAGE, HE SEES MANY VEHICLES COME IN FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM AND ADVISED THAT IT IS "ONLY A MATTER OF TIME" BEFORE A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS TAKEN AGAINST THEM. IT IS FRUSTRATING THAT MY FAMILY IS AT RISK BECAUSE BMW WILL NOT TAKE AN ETHICAL STANCE ON THIS ISSUE AND ADDRESS THE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE DESIGN OF THE RE-DESIGNED 3-SERIES VEHICLE THAT I HAVE PURCHASED. 2006 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF THE RE-DESIGN OF THE 3-SERIES AND THAT IS PERHAPS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE PROBLEM (SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THIS DESIGN WAS EMPLOYED IN A VEHICLE). PLEASE TAKE THIS COMPLAINT SERIOUSLY AND CHECK THE FACTS BY GOOGLING "E90 STEERING COLUMN PROBLEMS" TO FIND A WEALT

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Jan 17, 201148,000 milesCA

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS IN SEAT. SRS WARNING LIGHT. REPLACE SEAT MAT SENSOR NOT COVERED BY RECALL FOR E90 2006 330I SEDAN WITH SPORTS PACKAGE. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Jan 11, 201163,000 milesAZ

I OWN A 2006 BMW 330I 6CYLINDER ENGINE. MY CAR HAS 68K MILES AND HAS DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR CAUSING A MALFUNCTION. ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN LISTED AS HAVING THIS PROBLEM, BMW DENIES MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND WANTS TO MAKE ME RESPONSIBLE. THERE ARE TONS OF 2006 BMW 330I OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE LISTED ON THIS SITE WHO'S SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY. PLEASE MAKE BMW RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE OUR CARS SAFE. *TR

Latches/Locks/Linkages
Filed Nov 18, 201061,000 milesGA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. WHEN THE DOORS ARE LOCKED EITHER BY ALARM OR BY THE INSIDE BUTTONS THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REOPENED UNLESS A KEY WAS USED AND IT COULD ONLY BE REOPENED WITH A KEY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,000.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2006 BMW 330i → · Every 330i year → · How the figures are calculated →