2005 BMW 325I Complaints

EXTERIOR BRAKE AND TAILIGHT FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATED GROUND TERMINAL. NHTSA ACTION # EA09019. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BULBS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE TAIL LIGHT WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS) THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

PROBLEM WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. LEFT REAR BRAKE, TAIL AND TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD GO ON/OFF. I REPLACED THE BULBS, BUT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRE SOMEPLACE. IF THE WIRES/CONNECTORS WERE WIGGLED, THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON UNTIL A BUMP IN THE ROAD OR I CLOSED THE TRUNK. I REPORTED THIS TO BMW AND BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS. BMW DID REPAIR THE PROBLEM AS A ONE TIME GOOD WILL GESTURE. ADDITIONAL VIN'S MAY NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE RECALL. *TR

THE ISSUE IS WITH AN 8 PIN CONNECTOR AND ASSOCIATED GROUND WIRING. THESE COMPONENTS ARE ALLEGEDLY OVERHEATING AND MELTING DUE TO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT THAT RUNS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. BMW ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR

REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILED. CORROSIVE FLUID LEAKED OUT MELTING PLASTIC SHIFT CONSOLE AND STAINING PASSENGER SEAT. REAR VIEW MIRROR NOW DISTORTED AND UNUSABLE. AUTO NIGHT DIMMING NOT OPERATIONAL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 72 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG PARTIALLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE CRASH TEST SENSOR HAD ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BUT WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN WITH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.

REAR TAIL LAMP ON LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE GO OUT AND COME OUT INTERMITTENTLY. STARTED AT 80,000 MILES AND HAS GOTTEN MUCH WORSE NOW AT 110,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS AND BLINKER LIGHTS WERE FAILING SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE BULBCARRIERS, CONNECTORS, AND WIRING WERE BURNED OUT. THERE WERE NO GROUND WIRES PRESENT WHICH WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,380 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 05/09/11

INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYS PICTURE OF CAR IN ORANGE, ALONG WITH LEFT, RIGHT OR BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. THIS WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT RECENTLY BECAME PERMANENT. LEFT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR ALSO FLASHES QUICKLY. LEFT TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY IS NOT OPERATING (NO TAIL, BRAKE LIGHT OR TURN SIGNAL LIGHT). *LN

I HAVE A 2005 BMW 325I AND RECENTLY BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF MY TURN SIGNAL. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD TODAY IT FAILED TO OPERATE AND I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY A SCHOOL BUS FULL OF CHILDREN ON THE ROAD...THE BUS HAD TO SLAM ON ITS BREAKS AVOIDING MAJOR CATASTROPHE BY INCHES. WE STOPPED AND MADE SURE ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE OKAY AND WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS. I HAD SWITCHED THE BULBS OUT JUST LAST WEEK ON VEHICLE AND RECHECKED THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I DISCOVERED CHARRED WIRING AND A CHARRED WIRING PLUG. I CONTACTED BMW NORTH AMERICA AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE REGARDING THE DESIGN OF THE TAIL LIGHT WIRING BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL IN PLACE...THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR BMW'S DESIGN FLAW WITH THEIR LIFE...20 CHILDREN AND MYSELF ALMOST DID TODAY. THE SERVICE BULLETIN BMW ISSUED ON THIS IS #630306. I ASK THE HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER IMMEDIATELY. *TR