67 of the
1,149 complaints filed about the BMW 3 Series
are about the body and structure —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2000.
WATER LEAKS IN MY CAR ON DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND BACK SEAT CARPET IS SOAK AND SMELL. NOT THE FIRST WHEN GOING TO GET A CAR WASH LEAKS OCCUR. THIS IS MY SECOND BMW I HAD A 2004 325L SAME PROBLEM WITH LEAKAGE. ALSO, NO DOUBT RUST HAVE OCCUR IN THIS VEHICLE WITH ON GOING LEAKS.
NHTSA complaint #11130838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK, SERIOUS HAZARD IN EMERGENCY SITUATION IF DOORS WON'T UNLOCK. DOORS LOCK/UNLOCK PROBLEM, I'VE HAD TO EXIT THRU WINDOWS. NO MANUAL UNLOCK FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. MECHANISM IS OPERATIONAL, MUST BE COMPUTER PROBLEM. FUSE REPLACED,CKD MANY THREADS WITH SAME ISSUE. WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM / 3 + TIMES HAPPENED TO ME.
NHTSA complaint #11104900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BLACK MOLD FORMED ON REAR SEATS, DASHBOARD INTERMITTENTLY WORKED (1/2 OF DASHBOARD ACTIVE, 1 FUSE POWERS THE DASH), 6" OF WATER POOLED IN REAR BACK PASSENGER FOOTWELL (LOCATION OF MAIN ELECTRICAL UNIT); WATER WAS DRIPPING ON MY FOOT WHEN RESTING ON PETAL OF MY 42000 MILE, $50,000, 2008 BMW 328XI COUPE. I CONTACTED BMW OF NA WHO ADVISED ME NOT TO USE THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO WORK WITH BMW OF NA & BMW DEALERSHIP (PLACE OF PURCHASE) A VAPOR BARRIER LEAK WAS FOUND BUT MORE WAS BELIEVED TO BE AT CAUSE. THE DASH NEEDED TO BE REMOVED, FOR $1800. I REFUSED TO PAY; REQUESTED BMW OF NA TO PAY. REQUEST DENIED. THE DEALER SAID BMW OF NA WOULD ONLY PAY VAPOR BARRIER REPAIR COSTS. I ASKED FOR NO REPAIRS; TOWED THE CAR HOME. FINALLY REACHING LINDA VITALE, EXEC. CUSTOMER SERVICES OF BMW NA, NJ, SHE TOLD ME THE DEALER DID DO THE REPAIRS. THIS WAS AGAINST MY EXPRESSED WISHES. I WANTED THE CAR INVESTIGATED ELSEWHERE TOO. IN A LATER CONVERSATION, [XXX] CLAIMED THE REASON FOR THE WATER WAS FROM A LEAK FROM A 3RD PARTY WINDSHIELD INSTILLATION. NOTE: MOLD, WATER, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS EXISTED PREVIOUS TO 3RD PARTY WINDSHIELD INSTALLMENT. [XXX] , PROVEN WRONG, DUE TO DATES, STATED, IN A SUBSEQUENT RECORDED CONVERSATION, PER THE DEALER, THE WATER ENTERED THE CAR BECAUSE THE DOORS WERE DISMANTLED AND INCORRECTLY PUT BACK. NOTE:[XXX] HAS PROOF THAT THE DOORS WERE NEVER REMOVED. [XXX] TOTALED THE CAR DUE TO BLACK MOLD CONTAMINATION, HEALTH RISKS; RISK OF INJURY TO ME AND OTHERS DUE TO MOLD, THE ELECTRICAL COMPROMISED, AND POSSIBLE POWER CUT TO ENGINE WHILE IN MOTION. A PAID LOAN BUT HAVING NO CAR, BMW OF NA WISHED ONLY TO COMPENSATE ME WITH $1000 TOWARDS A NEW BMW. I FOUND MANY FORUMS, ON THE INTERNET, REGARDING 2002-2015 BMW'S W/THE SAME PROBLEMS & OWNERS SUSTAINING SAME LOSS OF PROPERTY WITH NO ETHICAL OR SUSTAINABLE COMPENSATION FROM BMW OF NA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'
NHTSA complaint #10679453 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AS I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TRIED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I PULLED THE HANDLE AND TRIED THE KEY FOB AND NOTHING WOULD MAKE IT UNLOCK. I HAD TO CRAWL TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT IS A KNOWN FUSE PROBLEM THAT IS FAULTY AND VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEED TO ESCAPE YOUR VEHICLE QUICKLY. HAVING A DRIVER DOOR THAT ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT OPEN IS A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR COMMON SENSE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
NHTSA complaint #10643565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS: WAS DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY AND WENT OVER SOME TRAIN TRACKS. THEY WERE BUMPY BUT NOT JARRING OR EXCESSIVE. RIGHT AFTER THAT A STRONG VIBRATION STARTED GOING THROUGH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND FOUND THE FOUR BOLTS HOLDING THE MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET TO THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD ALL SHEARED OR FALLEN OUT. THE ENGINE IS NOW SITTING AT AN ANGLE.
NHTSA complaint #10616665 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEC. 2008 I RECEIVED A CONSUMER ADVISORY LETTER FROM BMW OF NORTH AMERICA. THE LETTER STATES THAT DEPENDING ON THE MANNER AND FREQUENCY OF THE FRONT PASSENGER'S ENTRY AND EXIT, SMALL CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT DETECTION MAT. IF THIS CONDITION EXISTS, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SIDE AIR BAG WILL DEACTIVATE, AND BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AND FRONT PASSENGER "ON-OFF" LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE. IN THIS SITUATION THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG AND SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY, EVEN IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THEY ARE EXTENDING THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR 10 YEARS. IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR BOTH THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG "ON-OFF" LAMP ARE ILLUMINATED IN MY 2006 325I BMW. THE LETTER STATES SHOULD THIS HAPPEN HAVE THE VEHICLE CHECKED WITHOUT DELAY AT AN AUTHORIZED BMW CENTER. I DID THAT AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE ADVISORY LETTER STATES AND WILL COST ME $1300.00. I CONTACTED BMW CUSTOMER RELATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA AND SPOKE TO A PERSON BY THE NAME OF "[XXX]" WHO TOLD ME SHE WOULD CHECK WITH THE AUTHORIZED BMW CENTER. I TOLD HER I AM THE ONLY DRIVER OF MY CAR AND VERY SELDOM DO I HAVE ANY PASSENGERS WITH ME AND I NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENT WITH MY CAR, SO THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER HER REPLY WAS BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF MY BMW THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY "BUT" THEY WOULD DISCOUNT THE COST OF THE REPAIR AND INSTEAD OF CHARGING $1300.00 THEY WOULD CHARGE $1002.00! SO THAT'S MY STORY AND MY AIR BAG WARNING LAMP IS STILL LIGHTED! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10610196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE LEAKS RAINWATER PROFUSELY THROUGH THE DOORS/VAPOR BARRIERS TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. RAIN WATER POOLS IN THE FOOTWELLS EXCESSIVELY. COULD POSE POTENTIAL DANGER IF FEET ARE WET AND SLIPPING ON BRAKE, CLUTCH OR GAS PEDALS. ALSO WORRIED ABOUT POOLING OF WATER AFFECTING SAFETY SENSORS/SYSTEMS LOCATED UNDER DRIVER SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #10585939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FIRST THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK SO I WOULD HAVE TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER DOOR. BOUGHT A NEW ACTUATOR AND HAD IT REPLACED. NOT EVEN ONE MONTH LATER THE BACK SEAT DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WENT OUT AS WELL. HOWEVER THERE IS NO KEY HOLE FOR THE BACK DOOR AND IT CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. I WAS TOLD BY A BMW DEALER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE DOOR TORN OFF AND REPLACED WITH A NEW DOOR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! BOTH BACK WINDOW REGULATORS WENT OUT AS WELL! GOT THE BACK SEAT PASSENGER SIDE FIXED. BUT CAN'T GET THE DRIVER SIDE DONE YET. THIS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN A YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10579425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BMW DID NOT PROPERLY DESIGN THE REAR FLOOR OF THE CAR BODY WHERE IT SUPPORTS THE REAR SUBFRAME. AS A RESULT UNDER NORMAL DRIVING, MANY OF THE BMW E46 3-SERIES CARS (325, 323, 330, IN THE I, CI, OR CIC TRIMS, EXAMPLE 325CI OR 330I) SUFFER FROM TORN SHEET METAL WHERE THE REAR SUBFRAME ATTACHES TO THE BODY. THIS EVENTUALLY CAUSES A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD AS THE REAR SUBFRAME AND ASSOCIATED SUSPENSION CAN SEPARATELY ENTIRELY FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND SEVERE CRASH. THIS CAN AFFECT ANY E46 3-SERIES CAR BUT IS MOST COMMON IN MODELS BUILT FROM 1999-2001 AND MORE COMMON IN MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS. THE REPAIR COSTS ANYWHERE FROM $800 (PRE-EMPTIVE STRENGTHENING OF SHEET METAL IF IT HAS NOT TORN ALREADY) TO $5,000 (REPLACEMENT OF REAR BODY SUBFLOOR). BMW SETTLED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT IN 2009 ALLOWING 3-SERIES OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR CARS INSPECTED AND IN SOME CASES REPAIRED BY BMW BUT THIS DID NOT COVER ALL AFFECTED CARS AND EXPIRED IN DECEMBER 2010 SO NOT ALL OWNERS WERE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR CARS INSPECTED OR REPAIRED BY THAT DATE. IN ADDITION MANY CARS HAVE EXPERIENCED SUBFRAME MOUNTING FAILURES AFTER DEC 2010. BMW SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INSPECT, REPAIR, AND REINFORCE ALL E46 (1999-2005) 3-SERIES BODIES WHERE THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTS.
NHTSA complaint #10577907 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WOULD NOT ALLOW REAR DOOR TO OPEN. HAD FIXED AND THEN DRIVERS DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED AND WOULD NOT OPEN. COULD NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10564660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE AUC SENSOR UNDER THE HOOD IS NOT WELL SECURED. THE BRACKET SECURING THE SENSOR IS BROKEN LEAVING THE SENSOR LOOSE UNDER THE HOOD. THE LOOSE SENSOR WIRE RUBS AGAINST SHARP EDGE OF THE CAR BODY, BREAKING THE OUTER PROTECTIVE SHIELD OF THE WIRE. THE EXPOSED WIRE IS A FIRE HAZARD.
NHTSA complaint #10550906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE LEFT REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT TORN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE UNIBODY/FRAME MOUNTING LOCATION. THE REAR BODY METAL FATIGUE WAS CAUSED FROM LOADING AND UNLOADING OF THE DRIVE TRAIN DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DESIGN DEFECT. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY BMW. A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT REQUIRED BMW TO FIX THE PROBLEM FROM 2009 TO 2010, BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR THE METAL FATIGUE SHOWED UP AFTER THE 2010 DEADLINE FOR REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE REAR AXLE CAN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A VEHICLE RECALL AND ALL BMW E46 3 SERIES SHOULD HAVE THE REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINTS REPAIRED AND REINFORCED BY BMW AT NO COST.
NHTSA complaint #10535754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY WIFE WAS ATTEMPTING TO EXIT CAR WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN ANY OF CAR DOORS - ALL THE LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE ! ALSO, THE DOOR HANDLES WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE IS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT ASAP. I WAS ABLE TO SEE ON LINE THAT NUMBER OF LIKE AND KIND COMPLAINTS WITH THE 2007 328 XI MODELS ...
NHTSA complaint #10522779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, EITHER WITH THE INSIDE DOOR LATCH OR THE OUTSIDE LATCH. THE LOCK PLUNGER GOES UP AND DOWN NORMALLY WITH EITHER THE KEY, THE KEY REMOTE, OR THE INSIDE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON, BUT IN NO CASE CAN EITHER DOOR LATCH OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. ALL OTHER DOORS OPERATE NORMALLY. THIS MAKES ENTERING OR EXITING THE CAR DIFFICULT, NECESSITATING EITHER CLIMBING IN/OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW OR BY CLIMBING ACROSS THE CONSOLE FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT. IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. NO EVENT APPEARED TO CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. I ENTERED THE VEHICLE, DROVE IT, EXITED THE VEHICLE A FEW TIMES DURING THE MORNING BEFORE DRIVING, PARKING, STOPPING THE VEHICLE, AND THEN HAVING THE DOOR STICK SHUT.
NHTSA complaint #10522498 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. LOCKED DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INTERIOR OF VEHICLE, NO WAY TO UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHEN THEY ARE LOCKED. ONLY WAY TO EXIT VEHICLE IS THROUGH DRIVER'S DOOR IF MANUALLY UNLOCKED WITH KEY. PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND GAS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN.
NHTSA complaint #10519401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS REARENDED, ON THE FREEWAY, ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, BY AN SUV GOING ABOUT 40MPH, I SLAMMED IN TO ANOTHER SUV IN FRONT OF ME. MY VEHICLE IS TOTALED. THE DISPLAY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN AIRBAG DEPLOY ERROR. ALSO, THE REASON MY CAR WAS TOTALED WAS BECAUSE ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRES FOR THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ARE BEHIND THE REAR TAIL LIGHT, AND THEY WERE MELTED AFTER IMPACT. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE FUEL TANK IS. LUCKILY, I WALKED AWAY WITH A SORE NECK AND FEW BRUISES, BUT IT IS CONCERNING THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHEN THEY WERE CLEARLY SUPPOSE TO. I HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW.
NHTSA complaint #10513158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR HAS NO "SAFETY CATCH" ON THE HOOD LATCH THAT THE OWNER OPENS AFTER FIRST RELEASING THE HOOD FROM INSIDE THE CAR. INSTEAD, THE OWNER OPENS THE HOOD BY PULLING TWICE ON THE HOOD RELEASE LEVEL INSIDE THE CAR IN THE DRIVER'S FOOTWELL. THE HOOD THEN OPENS FREELY WITHOUT FURTHER UNLATCHING OUTSIDE THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS LATCH SYSTEM FAILS TO CLOSE THE HOOD PROPERLY. OFTEN ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER WILL NOT LATCH FIRMLY INTO PLACE. SO, INSTEAD OF TWO LATCHES HOLDING THE HOOD DOWN, ONLY ONE DOES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHO DIAGNOSED IT HAS BEING CAUSED BY "LEAVES" IN THE MECHANISM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED ON BOTH THE SIDE THEY CLEANED (THE PASSENGER'S SIDE) AND ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE LATCHES. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH THE HOOD ONLY PARTIALLY LATCHED CLOSED, AS I AM SURE YOU WILL AGREE. OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. SEE THIS DISCUSSION AND A PICTURE OF THE IMPROPERLY CLOSED HOOD ONLINE ON A BMW FORUM: HTTP://WWW.F30POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=790560.
NHTSA complaint #10492311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT WORK. THE DOOR STAYS LOCKED AND WHEN IT FIRST OCCURED THE PASSENGER HAD TO CRAWL OUT THE WINDOW. NEITHER THE ELECTRONIC KEY LOCK NOR THE PUSHBUTTON LOCK CONTROL ON THE CONSOLE WILL OPEN THE DOOR LOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ALL OTHER LOCKS WORK FINE, INCLUDING THE TRUNK. THE MANUAL DOOR OPENER WILL NOT OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR EITHER. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SINCE, IN THE CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, THE PASSENGER WOULD BE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10472119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED. NO WAY TO OPEN PASSENGER DOOR EVEN WITH INTERNAL HANDLE. PASSENGER TRAPPED AND HAD TO CRAWL OVER TO DRIVER'S SEAT. WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10466941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FIRST OCCURRENCE OF PROBLEM HAPPENED BACK IN MAY 2012. ME AND MY FIANCEE WERE EXITING THE VEHICLE BUT ONLY MY DRIVER DOOR WOULD OPEN. MY FIANCEE WAS FORCED TO CLIMB OVER THE MIDDLE CONSOLE OF THE VEHICLE AND EXIT THROUGH MY DOOR, WITH A SHORT DRESS ON. I LATER LOOKED ONLINE ON A BMW FORUM TO FIND THE CULPRIT TO BE THE LOCK ACTUATORS BLOWING FUSE 56. I REPLACED FUSE 56 WITH THE APPROPRIATE FUSE, INCREASING THE 15 AMP TO A 20 AMP AT THAT TIME. ON 30 JUNE 2012 I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHILE ON VACATION IN OGUNQUIT, ME. ONCE AGAIN MY PASSENGERS WERE ALL LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE FOR THE 335I'S DOORS ONCE THE FUSE BLOWS. ALL THREE PASSENGERS WERE FORCED TO CLIMB THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR, CREATING A DANGEROUS AND UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION. THIS TIME I REPLACED FUSE 57 AND IT SEEMED TO WORK JUST FINE AFTERWARDS. LASTLY, IT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO WITH JUST ME IN THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE BMW DEALERSHIP (IN RHODE ISLAND) AND THEY TOLD ME ALL DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS WERE DEFECTIVE/FAULTY. THEY SAID I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE EVERY SINGLE DOOR ACTUATOR ON THE CAR, TOTALING A COST OF $1600. I CALLED BMW OF NA AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP ME, DESPITE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS OF A BLOWN FUSE IN THIS VEHICLE. I DESPAIR WHEN I THINK OF THE PROBLEMS THIS COULD CAUSE DURING AN ACCIDENT. THE ABSENCE OF A MANUAL OVERRIDE WOULD CAUSE PASSENGERS TO BREAK OPEN WINDOWS IN ORDER TO ESCAPE DURING AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10464539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.