2004 BMW 3 Series Exterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2004 BMW 325 CI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side rear turn signal light became inoperable while attempting to make a turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the rear turn signal light failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear tail lamp functions had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

This car has factory HID Xenon projector headlights. Over time the reflector bowls burned and melted from the heat of the light bulbs, causing some wire insulation to melt, and a brown film to cover all surfaces inside the headlight assembly. The brown coating makes the headlights dangerously dim. From various online searches, it appears this is a common failing of these headlights. BMW has not recalled these headlights, and replacements nearly exceed the value of the car.

THE REFLECTOR BOWL ON THE HEADLIGHTS BURNS, CREATING A SEVERELY DECREASED OUTPUT. THIS IS AN ISSUE KNOWN BY MANY PEOPLE IN THE BMW COMMUNITY. HTTPS://WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM/THREADS/E46-ZKW-REFLECTOR-RECALL-OPEN-NHTSA-INVESTIGATION.552978/

RIGHT FRONT LOW BEAM HEADLAMP CUTS OUT INTERMITTENTLY AND EVENTUALLY STOPS WORKING DUE TO CRACKED WIRING INSIDE THE ADJUSTABLE HEADLAMP UNIT. FOR AWHILE, MY HEADLIGHT WOULD STOP WORKING WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN BUT THEN TURN BACK ON WHEN STRAIGHTENED OUT. AFTER TWO RIGHT TURNS, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD CEASE TO TURN BACK ON. NOW (AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF THIS HAPPENING) THE HEADLIGHT DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL, AND I CAN SEE BROKEN WIRING IF I LOOK INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT UNIT CAUSING THE ISSUE.

CHEAP WIRING WAS USED IN THE HEADLIGHT UNITS FOR SPECIFIC CARS WITH ADAPTIVE BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS. THE WIRING FOR THESE CARS NOW HAS FALLEN APART, AND DISCONNECTS. BMW'S ONLY WAY OF FIXING IT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT UNIT, WHICH COSTS AROUND $2000 TO REPLACE A FEW WIRES THAT SHOULD COST LESS THAN $10. THERE ARE MANY CARS ON THE ROAD THAT THIS AFFECTS, WHICH IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. CAR OWNERS ARE SOLDERING WIRES BY HAND IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BUT THERE IS NO LONG TERM SOLUTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND A STOP, HE NOTICED THAT HIS RIGHT TURN SIGNAL HAD FLASHED ERRATICALLY UPON ACTIVATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT CALLED CHAPMAN BMW CHANDLER (7455 W ORCHID LN, CHANDLER, AZ 85226) WHERE HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THE DEALER CALLED BACK AND INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER THEN REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN ZKW XENON PROJECTOR BOWLS USED IN E46 BMW CARS. MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME SO DIM THAT I CONSTANTLY RUN FOG LIGHTS AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. DRIVING AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN THE RAIN, IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME AND OTHER DRIVERS. ZKW PROJECTOR BOWLS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC, WHICH ARE UNABLE TO STAND UP TO THE HEAT OF XENON BULBS. OVER TIME, THEY HAVE BECOME BROWN AND CRACKED AND DO NOT REFLECT LIGHT ON TO THE ROAD. AL XENON PROJECTOR BOWLS, ALSO USED IN E46 BMWS, DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. ZKW SEEMS TO HAVE REALIZED THAT THEIR PLASTIC BOWLS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT. THE ZKW PROJECTOR BOWLS FOR E90 BMWS ARE MADE OF METAL AND DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE AND SUFFICIENT OEM REPAIR FOR THIS ISSUE. BMW ONLY SELLS WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, NOT JUST THE PROJECTOR BOWLS, WHICH RUN HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS EACH. EVEN THEN, REPLACING WITH ZKW LIGHTS WOULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE SAME ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE INSUFFICIENT DESIGN OF THE PLASTIC BOWLS. THE COMMUNITY IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE ONLY REMEDIES ARE REPLACE ENTIRE ASSEMBLIES OR RETROFITING THE HEADLIGHTS WITH AFTERMARKET PARTS. HEADLIGHTS ARE CRITICAL TO DRIVER SAFETY AND SHOULD NOT BE THIS COSTLY TO KEEP WORKING. THESE HAVE FAILED PRIOR TO THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE (MINE IS AT 138K). THIS THREAD GOES INTO DETAIL FOR MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE: HTTP://WWW.ZHPMAFIA.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?3598-THE-ZKW-BURNT-BOWLS-THREAD THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE CAUSED BY NEGLECTFUL MANUFACTURING OF THESE HEADLIGHTS. THE ATTACHED PICTURE SHOWS THE DAMAGE OF MY HEADLIGHTS.

CHEAP PLASTIC USED IN HEADLIGHT PROJECTORS MELT DUE TO HEAT FROM OEM XENON BULBS. THIS POSES A FIRE SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS LOW AND EVENTUALLY NO LIGHT ONTO THE ROAD.

HEADLAMP BULB OUT AND UPON REPLACEMENT IT WAS NOTED THE COATED WIRING TO THE XENON SYSTEM TO RIGHT AND LEFT HEADLIGHT IS BRITTLE (THE WIRES PLASTIC COATING IS FALLING OFF)AND IN SOME PLACES EXPOSED WIRING WAS FOUND. ELECTRICAL TAPE NEED TO WRAP THE WIRING TO AVOID POTENTIAL FIRE. LATE NOTICE TO THIS SITE I WAS UNAWARE TO FILE A REPORT. OTHERS ALSO HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES.

THE ADAPTIVE BIXENON HEADLIGHTS USE BIODEGRADABLE WIRING. THIS WIRING CANNOT WITHSTAND THE HEADLIGHTS ADAPTIVE HEADLIGHT MOVEMENT. THESE WIRES CAN TEAR OR WORSE THE INSULATION CAN CRUMBLE OFF. THIS LEADS TO A HUGE FIRE RISK. FURTHERMORE, BMW DOES NOT HAVE ANY FORM OF FIXING THE PROBLEM. THEY ONLY SELL NEW HEADLIGHT UNITS THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. TO BE CLEAR, NO INCIDENT OCCURRED TO CAUSE THIS ISSUE OTHER THAN STANDARD USE OF THE CAR. IT IS A TICKING TIME BOMB ON ALL CARS USING THIS WIRING, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE E60 M5 PLATFORM. THE RESULT IS HEADLIGHTS THAT CAN TURN OFF AT ANY TIME OR WORSE THEY CAN SHORT AND CAUSE A FIRE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING MATERIAL WAS DETERIORATED AND PREVENTED THE HEADLIGHTS FROM PROVIDING ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

THE STOCK ZKW PROJECTORS HAVE BURNT OUT AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE QUALITY OF LIGHT EMANATING FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. IN ORDER TO HAVE ANY TRUE VISIBILITY, I HAVE TO HOLD THE "FLASH-TO-PASS" LIGHTS ON WHILE I'M DRIVING (A MANUAL TRANSMISSION). THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLIES ARE OVER $3,000 FOR THE PAIR. THAT COST CANNOT BE JUSTIFIED. I PURCHASED THE CAR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT I, OF COURSE, DID NOT TEST DRIVE IT AT NIGHT (SINCE IT WAS SUMMER). SO I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING ABOUT THE DETERIORATED CONDITION OF THE HEADLIGHTS. I CANNOT SAY FOR CERTAIN WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BUT, BASED ON INTERNET SEARCHES, IT APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE THAT DATES BACK TO AT LEAST 2011.

THE OEM XENON ZKW BRAND LIGHTS HAD COMPLETELY BURNT REFLECTOR BULBS THAT CAUSED LOW LIGHT TO BE EMITTED. THIS DEFECT IS DUE TO PLASTIC BOWLS BEING USED INSTEAD OF METAL OR ANOTHER MATERIAL. THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE HAZARD OR WORSE. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE AND LIGHT OUTPUT TO THIS COMPLAINT. THIS OCCURRED SIMPLY BY HAVING THE HEADLIGHTS ON.

HEADLIGHTS HAVE LOST BRIGHTNESS AND COVERAGE AND DO NOT ILLIUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH HID XENON LIGHTS PACKAGE AND WHEN NEW WERE EXTREMELY BRIGHT BUT NOW ARE VERY DIM. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH NO MODIFICATIONS OR ACCIDENTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BECAME DIM AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO VIEW THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ZEON PROJECTOR IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

HEADLIGHTS PROJECT ALMOST NO LIGHT. JUST PAID $130 TO HAVE LENSES CLEANED, NO IMPROVMENT. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY EYES AND COMPLAINED TO OPTHAMOLOGIST TWICE BUT MY EYES ARE OK. I'VE READ THT THE REFLECTOR BOWLS IN THIS MODEL MELT FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULB. I NEED TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION ASAP SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WAIT FOR AN INVESTIGATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330CI. WHILE DRIVING AND/OR PARKED, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LAMP TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

MY HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM AT NIGHT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WITHOUT HIGH BEAMS ON AT ALL TIMES. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE BRIGHTER THAN MY NEW HEADLIGHT BULBS. ONLY SOLUTION SEEMS TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH BMW SO WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SPEND OVER 1500.00 WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THEM WITH A RECALL.

HEADLIGHT WIRING ON MY 2004 BMW 330CI DEGRADED PREMATURELY ACCELERATED BY HEAT AND HIGH VOLTAGE UNTIL IT CAUSED MY HEADLIGHT TO FAIL WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE EARLY EVENING. THE SYMPTOM WAS CAUSED BY THE SUPPLY WIRES TO THE IGNITER LOSING THERE INSULATION AT STRESSED HARNESS ATTACHMENT POINT, ARCED OVER, AND CAUSED THE COPPER CONDUCTORS TO BECOME BRITTLE. THIS SYMPTOM WAS SEEN ON THE PROJECTOR ASSEMBLY WIRING AS WELL AS THE DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHT WHICH DID NOT EXHIBIT THE COPPER BREAKDOWN. INSULATION OF BOTH ASSEMBLIES CRUMBLED TO FLAKES WHEN TOUCHED AND RENDERED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY UNUSABLE. THIS FAULT COULD JUST AS EASILY CAUSE A FIRE IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DURING WHICH THE SPECIFIED HEADLIGHT FUSES MAY NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION TO THE ASSOCIATED VEHICLE SYSTEMS. THE ONLY PROVIDED SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS TO BUY A NEW ASSEMBLY FOR A COMPONENT WHICH SHOULD ONLY REQUIRE PERIODIC REPLACEMENT OF THE LAMPS WHEN THEY BURN OUT. FORTUNATELY MY CAR ALSO FLOOD LIGHTS WHICH HELPED TO LIGHT THE WAY WHEN THE HEADLAMP FAILED.

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE POOR LIGHT OUTPUT FROM THE FACTORY XENONS. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH THE E46 SEDAN WITH XENON HEADLIGHTS MANUFACTURED BY ZKW HAVE AN ISSUE OF THE PROJECTOR BOWLS BURNING SLOWLY OVER TIME DUE TO POOR MATERIAL CHOICE THAT CANNOT WITHSTAND THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE FACTORY BULBS. UPON INSPECTION OF MY HEADLIGHTS, I NOTICED THAT THE BOWLS IN MY HEADLIGHTS WERE INDEED BOTH BURNT AND CRACKED AND AS A RESULT OF THIS, IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT DUE TO POOR LIGHT OUTPUT. I HAVE RESULTED TO USING MY FOG LIGHTS AS A SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHT SOURCE JUST TO SEE IN THE EVENINGS AND I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEGLIGENT OF BMW CONSIDERING COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR YEARS.

THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT IS INTERMITTENTLY OFF. EACH TIME I STEP ON THE BRAKES, THE TAIL LIGHT RANDOMLY TURNS ON OR OFF. MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT IS OFF, TOO. I SWITCHED THE BULBS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THEY STILL WORK. I CAN'T CHECK MY FUSES BECAUSE MY GLOVEBOX DOESN'T OPEN ANYMORE.

LOW BEAM HID HEADLIGHT PROJECTOR MADE BY ZKW FOR BMW ARE POORLY DESIGNED/MADE, UNABLE TO HANDLE THE HEAT OUTPUT FROM THE OEM XENON BULBS, THE PART BECOMES SEVERELY SCORCHED AND DEGRADED, REDUCING LIGHT OUTPUT TO UNSAFE LEVELS. TO COMPENSATE, FOG LIGHTS HAVE TO BE USED TO SAFELY SEE THE PAVEMENT. THIS IS A VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THIS MANUFACTURER'S PRODUCT (ZKW). BMW HAD ANOTHER MANUFACTURER, AL (AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTING), WHICH DIDN'T SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR EXTERIOR LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE AS THE REAR TAILLIGHT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION AROUND THE CONNECTOR AND THE PANEL, THERE WERE SCORCH MARKS AND THE CONNECTORS COATING WAS COMPLETELY MELTED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000.

HID (XENON) HEADLIGHTS VERY DIM. CAN BARELY TELL THEY ARE ON WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. (THE FOG LIGHTS ARE MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE HEADLIGHTS). CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES MANUFACTURED BY ZKW. THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL DETERIORATES INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY LEADING TO VERY POOR LIGHT OUTPUT. ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER AND OVER. I GUESS IT'S NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH UNTIL SOMEBODY DIES BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE, THAT IS IF THAT HASN'T ALREADY HAPPENED....THE RIDICULOUS COST OF FIXING THE ISSUE COMPOUNDS THE PROBLEM. SORRY I DON'T HAVE AN EXTRA $2,000.00 LAYING AROUND TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHTS. COME ON BMW STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THE PROBLEM YOU'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF, PLEASE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEAD LAMP BULBS WERE BURNED OUT AND A BURNING ODOR WAS DETECTED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE HEAD LAMPS INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 99,000. UPDATED 05/10/16*LJ *TR