26 of the 1,136 complaints filed about the BMW 335I are about the doors, latches and locks — 2% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2007.
26
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE LIGHTS FLASH ON THE OUTSIDE BUT EVEN WHEN PUSHING THE UNLOCK BUTTON FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR THE DOORS STAY LOCKED. WIFE HAD TO EXIT MY CAR WAS BY CRAWLING OUT OF THE WINDOW. ABLE TO USE THE KEY FOR MANUAL UNLOCK OF DRIVER DOOR ONLY; GAS TANK DOOR REMAINS LOCKED SO I CANNOT PUT GAS IN MY CAR AND, THEREFORE, CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10704402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY CAR KEYS CANNOT UNLOCK ALL THE DOORS. I HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE REMOTE AND USE THE KEY TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND BOTH DOORS AT THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS CANNOT BE OPENED. THERE IS NO WAY THE DOORS CAN BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE ONCE IT IS LOCKED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY FROM A CAR FIRE, PEOPLE IN THE CAR (PASSENGER SIDE CANNOT UNLOCK THE DOOR TO GET OUT AND THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. I SEE THIS A POTENTIAL LIABILITY AND I AM SURPRISED WHY NO AUTHORITIES HAVE STEPPED UP AND INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION. DOES THAT MEAN WHEN ONLY THERE IS A FATAL INCIDENT THAT PEOPLE WILL START INVESTIGATION? I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEIR APPOINTMENT TIME IS FULLY BOOKED TILL NEXT WEEK. THEY DON'T SEEM TO EVEN THINK THIS COULD RESULT IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS WEBSITE IS DEDICATED TO WHAT IS PROFESS TO DO, THEN I HOPE TO SEE ACTION. THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BMW BUT I AM SURE OTHER MAKES ALSO HAVE THIS SAFETY CONCERN.
NHTSA complaint #10531662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE MECHANISM TO UNLOCK THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY BMW 335I FAILED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. PREVIOUSLY, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED AND WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA (ODI #: 10378269). BMW AGREED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK (THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY), BUT AT THE TIME DID NOT REPLACE THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK WHICH HAS NOW FAILED TOO. BEING TRAPPED IN THE CAR DUE TO A FAILED DOOR LOCK MECHANISM IS AN INCONVENIENCE AT BEST AND A MAJOR HAZARD AT WORST.
NHTSA complaint #10502199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
ALL DOORS EXCEPT DRIVER DOOR ARE LOCKED AND CANNOT BE OPEN BY PASSENGER FROM INSIDE USING DOOR HANDLE; CANNOT BE OPENED USING THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH ON THE DASH BOARD; CANNOT BE OPENED USING THE KEY FOB; CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THEREFORE ALL PASSENGERS HAVE TO EXIT THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR. ONCE BEING LOCKED FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE DRIVE HAS TO USE THE BACKUP KEY IN THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING EXITING THE CAR IN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #10499791 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2007 BMW 335I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ACTUATOR FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PERMANENTLY LOCK VEHICLE DOORS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER HE ARRIVED AT HIS DESTINATION, HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR, BUT IT FAILED TO OPEN. THEN, HE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE, BUT THAT FAILED TO OPEN THE DOOR AS WELL. AFTER APPLYING ALL PRACTICAL OPTIONS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, SUCH AS USING THE MANUAL DOOR RELEASE, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DOOR HANDLE, AND USING THE CENTRAL LOCKING MECHANISM, ALL THE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN. HE HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND CLIMB OUT OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10495821 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE LIGHTS FLASH ON THE OUTSIDE BUT EVEN WHEN PUSHING THE UNLOCK BUTTON FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR THE DOORS STAY LOCKED. I'M BEING TOLD IT IS A FUSE, BUT LITERALLY NONE OF THE DOORS WILL LOCK OR UNLOCK. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT MY CAR WAS BY CRAWLING OUT OF MY WINDOW.
NHTSA complaint #10481536 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
ONE OF THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED AND CAUSED A FUSE TO BLOW. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE DRIVER DOOR COULD ONLY BE UNLOCKED WITH THE METAL KEY AND NOT BY THE ELECTRONIC LOCK REMOTE. WHAT WAS SO DANGEROUS IS THAT NONE OF THE OTHER 3 PASSENGER DOORS COULD BE OPENED EITHER FROM OUTSIDE OR EVEN FROM THE INSIDE WITH THE DOOR HANDLE. ESSENTIALLY ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND HAD TO CLIMB OUT THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR WHICH COULD BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WITH THE DOOR HANDLE. HAD THERE BEEN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE OR OTHER EMERGENCY IT COULD HAVE TAKEN TOO LONG TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE 3 PASSENGER DOORS DID NOT BEGIN WORKING UNTIL THE FUSE AND DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF NEARLY $700. BMW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. SI B51 19 07 FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN.
NHTSA complaint #10475086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED ON MY CAR, THIS CAUSED THE REMOTE FOB AND ALSO INNER CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON TO STOP WORKING, THE ONLY WAY TO GET OUT OF THE CAR WAS TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVERS WINDOW AND TAKE THE KEY FOB APART TO REVEAL THE METAL KEY INSIDE, THIS COULD THEN BE USED FROM THE OUTSIDE TO OPEN THE DOOR BY PUTTING YOUR ARM OUT THE WINDOW HOWEVER ALL OTHER DOORS REMAIN LOCKED FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE, THE OTHER DOORS DO NOT HAVE A KEYHOLE AND THE INNER DOOR HANDLES WERE DISCONNECTED AND WOULD NOT WORK. MY PASSENGERS THEN HAD TO CRAWL OVER THE FRONT SEATS TO ESCAPE THE CAR THRU THE DRIVERS DOOR AND IN AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN STUCK. I THINK THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND FROM SEARCHING ONLINE I SEE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL.
NHTSA complaint #10451549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED. CANNOT UNLOCK DRIVER SIDE DOOR FROM INSIDE THE CAR WITH CENTRAL UNLOCK, KEY FOB, OR DOOR LEVER.
NHTSA complaint #10450694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
WHEN THE POWER DOOR LOCK FUSE IS BLOWN, PASSENGER CANNOT EXIT OR ENTER THE CAR MANUALLY. YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR USING THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THE CAR WOULD LOCK YOU IN. ONLY THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR CAN BE OPEN USING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE TO LET THE PASSENGERS IN MY CAR CLIMB OVER THE DRIVER SEAT TO GET OUT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE IF THE DRIVER DOOR IS JAM OR BLOCK FOR ANY REASON THEN YOU CANNOT OPEN ANY OTHER DOOR TO GET OUT. IT GETS WORSE SINCE BMW PUT AN UNDER POWER FUSE FOR THE DOOR LOCK WHICH CAUSE THE FUSE TO BLOWN OFTEN.
NHTSA complaint #10436400 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS ON MY CAR HAVE QUICK WORKING AND THE ONLY WAY TO ENTER OR EXIT THE CAR IS THROUGH THE DRIVER DOOR USING THE MANUAL KEY FOB. PASSENGER DOORS ARE INOPERABLE FROM BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR. THIS PRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10434330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT ONLY THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD OPEN FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DIAGNOSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 11/29/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED, CAUSING ALL THE OTHER DOORS TO REMAIN LOCKED AND INOPERABLE. UPDATED 12/07/11
NHTSA complaint #10425751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED ON ALL FOUR DOORS. COULD NOT UNLOCK ANY PASSENGER DOOR UNTIL FUSE INSIDE GLOVE BOX WAS REPLACED. DRIVER COULD EXIT THE DRIVERS DOOR BY MANUALLY LIFTING DOOR HANDLE. NO APPARENT MEANS TO OPEN ANY PASSENGER DOORS (OR GAS DOOR COVER) UNTIL THE FUSE WAS REPLACED. HAD THERE HAVE BEEN A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, THAT OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OVER CONSOLE AND EXIT THE DRIVERS DOOR TO EVEN ALLOW ACCESS TO THE FUSE PANEL. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IN THIS VEHICLE AND BASED ON MY ONLINE RESEARCH, IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. IF THIS PROBLEM WERE TO OCCUR AND THEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED, IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE NONE OF THE PASSENGERS COULD EXIT RAPIDLY.
NHTSA complaint #10396915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
BMW 335I INTERIOR DOORS WERE LOCKED DUE TO ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION/FAILURE OF THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM. I HAD TO UNROLL THE WINDOWS AND CRAWL OUT AND PULL MY KIDS OUT OF THE BACK SEATS THROUGH THE WINDOWS. IF THIS WERE AN ACCIDENT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE INJURIES AND MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO QUICKLY GET OUT OF THE CAR. ONLINE FORUMS INDICATE THIS IS A SERIAL PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10389882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
DOOR LOCKS FAILED USING KEY FOB OR BUTTON ON DASH. FOLLOWED SERVICE BULLETIN TO REPLACE FUSE, BUT PROBLEM KEEPS REAPPEARING. PASSENGER DOOR INOPERATIVE EVEN AFTER FUSE REPLACED AND OTHER DOORS WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #10378269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
ON SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 2010, THE DOOR ACTUATORS OF MY 2007 BMW 335I BLEW OUT A FUSE. AS A RESULT, NONE OF THE DOORS WERE CAPABLE OF BEING OPENED, EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CAR'S KEY FOB COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE DASH WOULD NOT WORK. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS MANUALLY. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY A PASSENGER COULD HAVE EXITED THE CAR, EXCEPT BY CLIMBING THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OR BY CLIMBING OUT THE WINDOWS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND PRESENTS PARTICULAR DANGERS TO DISABLED PASSENGERS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED FOR 2007 3-SERIES VEHICLES ON THE WEB. SEE HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2007/BMW/335I/LATCH,+LOCK+AND+LINKAGE AND HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2007/BMW/328I/LATCH,+LOCK+AND+LINKAGE. THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE REPRESENTS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=3V04L-ISYCS. I UNDERSTAND THAT BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR DEALERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. DEALERS FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY BY CHANGING THE FUSE. STAFF AT BMW SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (CERTIFIED USED) SIX WEEKS AGO, TOLD ME TODAY (MAY 19, 2010) THAT EVEN WITH A NEW FUSE, THE PROBLEM COULD RECUR. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT BMW HAS WILLFULLY REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE FUSE BOX IS LOCATED IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT INSIDE THE CAR. WERE THE DOOR ACTUATORS TO CAUSE A FIRE AND THE PASSENGER DOORS INCAPABLE OF BEING OPENED, PASSENGERS COULD VERY WELL SUFFER SERIOUS INJURIES OR EVEN DEATH. THE 335I MANUAL INDICATES THAT MEDDLING WITH THE CAR'S FUSE BOX COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10331302 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
HTTPS://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/IVOQ/COMPLAINT.CFM.
NHTSA complaint #10320741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE WHERE APPARENTLY A FUSE BLOWS AND THE DOOR LOCKS CAN NOT BE ACTIVATED BY THE FOB, INTERIOR HANDLES (EXCEPT THE DRIVER DOOR), OR THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKING SWITCH. [PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ACTIVATED ON THE REAR DOORS.] THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS THROUGH THE VALET KEY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME TWICE AND IS NOW APPARENTLY A SERVICE BULLETIN WITH BMW. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS A DESIGN HAZARD IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE TO FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT, THEN THIS BECOMES AN EXTREME HAZARD IF FIRE OR ANY OTHER ISSUE WERE INVOLVED. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS REQUIRED AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF UNLOCKING THE DOORS OTHER THAN ELECTRICALLY (HENCE THE DOOR PULL KNOBS WHICH IN MY CAR ARE EVEN WITH THE TRIM AND UNABLE TO GRASP).
NHTSA complaint #10303840 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONING. ALL 4 DOORS ON MY 2007 BMW 335I WON'T OPEN USING THE KEY REMOTE NOR THE CENTRAL LOCK SYSTEM. EVEN WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR MANUALLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE 4 DOORS. MY FAMILY HAD TO CLIMB OUT FROM THE WINDOW. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM DIFFERENT FORUMS. HOW DO YOU EXPECT A PASSENGER TO GET OUT THE CAR DURING EMERGENCY SITUATION? ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS A HANDICAP. NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN ALL DOORS IT CAN BE A LIFE THREATENING. PLANNING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK.
NHTSA complaint #10297788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
CENTRAL LOCKING FAILURE CAUSING ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR TO BE OPERABLE. THE PASSENGER AND REAR DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. IN THE EVENT OF FIRE PASSENGERS COULD NOT LET THEMSELVES OUT OR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE 3 DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE.
NHTSA complaint #10289049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.