4 complaints reported

2005 BMW 3 Series Electrical System

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
4
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Dec 2018

I WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 45 MPH, AT NIGHT ON A BACK ROAD WHEN MY FRONT HEADLIGHT ON THE DRIVE SIDE WITHOUT. ON THE DISHBOARD OF THE CAR THE CHECK BULB LIGHT CAME ON. I GOT HOME THE NEXT DAY WHEN TK THE PART PLACE TO GET A BULB TO FIND OUT THE WIRES WHERE BARE THERE WAS ONLY METAL NO PLASTIC. THEG TOLD ME YOU HAD TO REPLACE THE HOLE THING WITCH COST OVER 1000 DOLLARS FOR. I WENT HOME RESEARCH IT ONLINE, AND FOUND OUT IT HAPPENS A LOT ON BMW, AND THEY NEVER RECALL THEM. THAT THEY HAVE EVEN BEEN ON FIRE DUE TO THIS. I CALLED BMW AND THEY TOLD ME THEY KNOW OF THE ISSUE, AND THEY HAVE YET TO RECALL THEN AND AFTER YOU FIT IT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND ABOUT FIVE YEARS DUE TO HEAT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Dec 2018
Jan 2012

FAULTY OR INADEQUATE GROUND WIRE WHICH BURNED 8-PIN CONNECTORS AND BULB-HOLDERS IN BOTH REAR QUARTER PANELS. DEALER INSTALLED "ADDITIONAL GROUND CONNECTION TO THE CIRCUIT OF THE LAMPS" AT NO CHARGE ON 1/19/12, BUT I AM STILL FIGHTING WITH CORPORATE OFFICE IN NJ FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF $271.35 INCURRED IN REPLACING THE OTHER BURNED OUT PARTS PRIOR TO THE RECALL IN DECEMBER. MY RESEARCH REVEALED THAT SECTION 6(B) OF THE TREAD ACT REQUIRES MANUFACTURES TO INCLUDE FUNDS FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIR EXPENSES PRIOR TO RECALL IN A RECALL PLAN. ALSO, THE "FINAL RULE" PASSED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IN OCTOBER 2002 STATES THAT "FOR THOSE RECALLS WHERE THERE IS A REASONABLE POSSIBILITY THAT SOME CONSUMERS WILL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT, THE MAIN BODY OF THE OWNER NOTIFICATION MUST INCLUDE A CONCISE REFERENCE TO THE RIGHT TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE COST OF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT, ALONG WITH A DESCRIPTION OF WHERE CONSUMERS WHO BELIEVE THEY MAY BE ENTITLED TO SUCH REIMBURSEMENT CAN OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT." THERE WAS NO REFERENCE TO THE RIGHT OF REIMBURSEMENT IN BMW'S NOTIFICATION LETTER, AND TWO DEALERS (THEIR "EYES AND EARS IN THE FIELD," PER A CORPORATE REPRESENTATIVELY WORDS TO ME) HAVE SAID THEY "KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT" AND "WILL GET BACK TO ME," WHICH NEITHER ONE HAS DONE. ALTHOUGH I MAY VERY WELL STILL GET MY $271.35 REIMBURSED (AM WAITING TO HEAR), I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER ABOUT ALL THE OTHER 2005 325I OWNERS OUT THERE! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2010
Mar 2009

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

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2009
Jan 2006

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY EXIT RAMP, NEAR NOON TIME IN A SUNNY ~80 F WEATHER. DURING THE DRIVING, ALL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH BOARD SUDDENLY STARTED TO FLASH, ACCOMPANIED WITH BEEPING WARNING SOUND. THE WHOLE FLASHING AND BEEPING LASTED FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STALL, HOWEVER. AFTER THE INCIDENT, CAR'S MEMORY OF CLOCK TIME AND TRIP ODOMETER WERE LOST. MADE A CHECK IN LOCAL BMW DEALER. THE LOCAL DEALER COULD NOT RETRIEVE ERROR CODE FROM THE ON BOARD COMPUTER, AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SYMPTOM DURING THE CHECK. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2005 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2006

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2005 BMW 3 Series has 4 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.