BMW 3 Series window and wiper problems

VISIBILITY/WIPER

SUNROOF EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING HOME, POWERFUL IMPLOSION, GLASS EVERYWHERE.

NHTSA complaint #11096605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

PASSENGER AIR BAGS AND SEAT BELT WONT WORK AND BMW WONT FIX. ELECTRICAL:RADIO,CLIMATE CONTROL,HEADLIGHTS AND WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP. WINDOW REGULATORS. AND THE WORST:LEARNING FROM X_EMPLOYEES OF BMW SAY THAT BMW PURPOSEFULLY MISS-TORQUES OIL PAN,VALVE COVER AND OIL FILTER HOUSING SO THE FAIL RIGHT AFTER 50,000 MILE WARRANTY. EVERY E90 HAS THESE PROBLEMS. AND WINDOW REGULATORS ALL EXCEPT DRIVER SIDE. IN MOTION.

NHTSA complaint #10935537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

SIDE MIRRORS FADING INTO A BROWN COLOR. MAKING THE VISIBILITY THROUGH THEM IMPOSSIBLE. MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST SIDE SWIPED CARS THAT ARE ON THE SIDE OF ME DUE TO MY NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUR OF MY SIDE MIRRORS. ALSO FRONT LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAVE CHANGED IT 3 TIMES IN TWO MONTHS AND IT KEEPS EITHER GOING OUT OR FALLING OUT OF THE HOLE MAKING THE INDICATOR LIGHT COME ON.

NHTSA complaint #10839998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS ON HID BEING BURNT THEREFORE NOT GIVING ENOUGH LIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OWNERS OF THIS MODEL THAT HAS THE ZKW BRAND.

NHTSA complaint #10732847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

WE HAVE HAD SOME SNOW HERE IN NEW YORK THIS PAST WINTER. IT SEEMS AS IF THERE MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. FOR WHATEVER REASON THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE POPPED. PER THE DEALER THIS OUTSIDE INFLUENCE VOIDED THE GUARANTEE AS THERE WAS ICE UNDER THE COWL WHERE THE ARM IS CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR. THE PHOTO IN THE ATTACHMENT SHOWS THE AREA IN QUESTION. WHAT GETS ME IS THE "ICE BUILDUP" THAT CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN MOST LIKELY CAME FROM THE DEFROSTER. THE SNOW MELTS AND DRAINS DOWN INTO THE AREA IN QUESTION. I'M ENCLOSING A COPY OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE BMW DEALER. 1 ATTACHMENT (1307.1 KB) CLICK FOR OPTIONS VIEW SLIDE SHOW (1) DOWNLOAD AS ZIP ADD TO ONEDRIVE HI [XXX], HERE'S A PICTURE OF MY CAR. I'M LETTING MOTHER NATURE GET RID OF THE ICE. THE DESIGN MIGHT WORK IN FLORIDA. IT'S A DESIGN DEFECT THAT, IF YOU ASK ME, SHOULD BE COVERED! REGARDS, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10691962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

AS REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS, THE BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER LIGHT UP THE ROAD. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH HEADLIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY ZKW ON 2003-2005 BMW 330 MODELS. THE REFLECTOR BOWLS ON THESE UNITS BURN OUT OVER TIME AND REDUCE THE HEADLIGHTS ABILITY TO REFLECT LIGHT. DRIVING AT NIGHT IS LITERALLY NO BETTER WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON OR OFF. I HAVE TO RELY ON MY FOG LIGHTS JUST TO SEE ANYTHING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT IS WIDE-SPREAD. REPLACEMENT OF HEADLIGHTS IS EXPENSIVE AT $1300 EA, THIS HAS TO BE RESOLVED BY BMW IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA complaint #10628093 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

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.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, THE WIPERS SHUT OFF AND QUIT WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. IT TAKES ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES OF TIME BEFORE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BEGIN TO WORK AGAIN. THIS IS CONCERNING DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY AND MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10564645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

SUNROOF EXPLODED UPWARD MAKING A "GUN SHOT" TYPE SOUND LEAVING A BASKETBALL SIZED HOLE IN THE ROOF.

NHTSA complaint #10536990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

YESTERDAY, THE DOORS ON MY 2006 325I WOULDN'T UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB. I USED THE ACTUAL KEY TO ENTER THE CAR AND THE CENTRAL LOCKING/UNLOCKING BUTTON DOES NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE DOOR TO THE GAS TANK IS ALSO LOCKED. THERE IS NO WAY TO UNLOCK ANY OF THE PASSENGER DOORS WHICH POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. IN READING THROUGH ONLINE FORUMS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY BMW. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10504242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS "BUBBLES" AND IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO USE NOW.

NHTSA complaint #10503342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

THE BMW 3 SERIES (MINE INCLUDED) IDENTIFIED BY CHASSIS DESIGNATIONS E90, E91, E92, AND E93 (ALL US MODELS) HAVE A KNOWN DEFECT REGARDING AUTOMATIC EXTERIOR MIRROR MOVEMENT WHEN UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE DOORS USING THE KEY FOB. THE MIRROR MOVEMENT OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHICH KEY FOB IS PRESENTED TO UNLOCK DOORS. A SINGLE KEYFOB UNLOCK PROCESS CAN TRIGGER INNUMERABLE EXTERIOR MIRROR POSITIONS. THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER WHO DOES NOT CHECK BOTH HIS/HER DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE MIRRORS PRIOR TO DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL BE REQUIRED TO SET THE PROPER MIRROR POSITIONS WHILE DRIVING OR LEAVE THEM MALADJUSTED UNTIL THE NEXT STOP, IMPAIRING THEIR ABILITY TO SEE VEHICLES ADJACENT OR ONCOMING VEHICLES FROM THE REAR, INCLUDING EMERGENCY VEHICLES. BMW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THIS DEFECT. HOWEVER, ONLY CARS WITH EXISTING MANUFACTURER WARRANTIES ARE REPAIRED IF THIS ISSUE OCCURS. REF BMW SI B51 36 08 THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN LINKED TO CORROSION OF MIRROR MOTOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS. IT IS ALSO PLAUSIBLE THAT ALL ELECTRICAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE EXTERIOR MIRRORS WOULD BE RENDERED AN IMPOSSIBILITY IF THE PROBLEM ESCALATES.

NHTSA complaint #10488120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

MODULE THAT CONTROLS CENTRAL LOCKING, WIPERS, AND SEVERAL OTHER PARTS (THE GM5) STARTED TO DEVELOP A FAULT. WE HAD PROBLEMS UNLOCKING DOORS, LOCKING DOORS, USING WINDOWS, AND WORST OF ALL - THE WIPERS WERE HIT OR MISS. BMW WANTED $750 FOR THE PART REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint #10470141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WINDOW SHATTERED ON MY 2008 BMW 335XI WHILE THE CAR IS PARKED ON A HOT DAY AT AROUND 96 DEGREES OUTDOORS. THE GLASS IS COMPLETELY SHATTERED BUT HELD TOGETHER BY WINDOW TINT FILM. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT WITH ANY OBJECT OF ANY KIND ON THE GLASS OR SURROUNDING AREA. THERE IS NO HOLES ON THE GLASS. THIS IS OBVIOUS A CASE OF DEFECTIVE MATERIAL OF THE GLASS. BMW DEALERSHIP DENIED WARRANTY COVERAGE, ALLEGING THERE IS A PIT ON THE GLASS THAT CAUSES THE BREAKAGE. IF WHAT THE DEALERSHIP ALLEGED IS TRUE THEN IS THE WINDOW SUPPOSED TO FAIL COMPLETELY LIKE THIS WITH ONE PIT THAT WAS NOT VISIBLE TO ME? OR IS THE PIT THE RESULT OF DEFECTIVE PRODUCTION OF THE GLASS?

NHTSA complaint #10462930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MONOCHROMATIC COATING ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS DEFECTIVE. AS A RESULT, THE SELF DIMMING FUNCTION HAD BECOME INOPERABLE AND THE REFLECTION OF THE LIGHTS FROM OTHER VEHICLES WAS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON FAILURE AND THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. ..UPDATED 08/01/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT FAILURE OF COATING CAN CAUSE NIGHTTIME HEADLIGHT GLARE FROM FOLLOWING CARS. THE DEALER CLAIMS THIS FAILURE IS COMMON AFTER 7-8 YEARS ON CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE DEFECTIVE MIRROR. UPDATED 08/02/2012

NHTSA complaint #10462104 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY/WIPER

ON MAY 2ND, DURING A RAIN STORM, OUR 2006 BMW 3 SERIES' WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED. WE WERE ABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED OUR SERVICE CENTER, AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY. THE SERVICE CENTER'S OWNER/MECHANIC INFORMED US, THAT THERE WERE 3 OTHER 06 3 SERIES IN FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE INVOICE READS; WORK REQUESTED- DIAG WIPERS INOP, WORK PERFORMED- REPLACE JBE CONT MODULE(PART# 63 21 5 897 528). A CALL WAS MADE TO BMW, USA ON MAY 11TH AND BMW DOES NOT HAVE, TO DATE, AN OPEN RECALL ON THE PROBLEM. THIS IS DISCONCERTING, SINCE A SMALL SERVICE CENTER IN THE SMALL TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER, MA. HAD 4(INCLUDING OURS) 06 BMW 3 SERIES IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND ON THE SAME DATE.

NHTSA complaint #10458100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335 DIESEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW MIRROR DID NOT DIM ACCORDING TO NHTSA RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR DIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 05/10/12*LJ UPDATED 05/14/12

NHTSA complaint #10453028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BMW 335 DIESEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW MIRROR DID NOT DIM ACCORDING TO NHTSA RULES AND REGULATIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR DIM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 05/10/12*LJ UPDATED 05/14/12

NHTSA complaint #10453028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS

BOTH REAR WINDOWS HAVE SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING. CAN NOT BE ROLLED BACK UP. COST 500.00 FOR EACH WINDOW TO HAVE A REGULATOR REPLACED. BOTH INCIDENCE HAPPENED. RIGHT AFTER 50,000 MILE MARK.

NHTSA complaint #10445543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VISIBILITY

IN 2010 THE SUNROOF WENT BAD I TALKED TO A BMW DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEM, IN AUGUST OF 2011 I NOTICED THAT MY TAIL LIGHTS AND BLINKERS WERE NOT WORKING PROPER,NOR WAS MY HORN,AND THE DRIVERS WINDOW REGULATORS ARE BINDING UP, ALSO A BRAKE HOSE FROM MY BRAKE BOOSTER TO THE ENGINE IS COLLAPSED IN TWO SPOTS. ??

NHTSA complaint #10438952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.