2005 BMW 3 Series Exterior Lighting

The wires inside the headlight assembly have literally snapped rendering the headlight inoperable. I’ve repaired in places just for them to break where I haven’t repaired. Access is very difficult. On a longer trip I wouldn’t be able to repair on side of the road. It’s a manufacturing defect.

RT REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,120. VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST.

The contact owns a 2005 BMW 330CI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was pulled over by law enforcement due to malfunctioning taillights. The dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that he needed to pay out-of-pocket for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V438000 (Exterior Lighting). The failure mileage was approximately 44,800.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE LIGHT INTENSITY HAS STEADILY DECLINED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS OF MY CAR, TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NO LONGER FUNCTION. MY MECHANIC HAS LOOKED INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOUND THAT THE PROJECTOR BOWL REFLECTOR HAS PREMATURELY WORN OUT -- IT HAS LOST ITS REFLECTIVE ABILITY. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AND BASED ON MULTIPLE REPORTS IN ONLINE GROUP DISCUSSIONS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE ZKW XENON HEADLIGHTS. THIS DEFECT IN THE HEADLIGHTS COMPROMISES SAFE OPERABILITY AND INCREASES THE RISK OF A NIGHT-TIME ACCIDENT. THIS IS A PART OF THE HEADLIGHT THAT SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT OR NEED REPLACEMENT UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RESORTED TO USING MY FOG LIGHTS OR HIGH BEAMS FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT. BMW AND ZKW ARE DEFLECTING THE ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING A POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD DEFECT IN THESE XENON ZKW HEADLIGHTS. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

THE OEM FACTORY ZKW HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR BOWL IS CHEAPLY MADE AND IS KNOWN TO BURN OUT. THE CHEAP PLASTIC USED CANNOT HANDLE THE HEAT OF THE BULB AND THE METALLIC REFLECTOR FILM EVENTUALLY STARTS TO GO BAD CAUSING VERY POOR HEADLIGHT VISIBILITY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND CONCERN. BMW NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOULD FIND A REPLACEMENT OPTION WITHOUT USING THE POORLY MADE OEM ZKW REFLECTOR BOWL.

PASSENGER HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM REFLECTOR IS BURNT OUT DUE TO FAULTY MATERIAL BEING USED. REFLECTOR IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND NORMAL HEAT FROM BULB MELTS THE PLASTIC. THIS MAKES IT VERY UNSAFE AND DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. THIS SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON ON THE INTERNET. THE SOLUTION IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND DUE TO THIS COST,MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT FIX AND DRIVE UNDER THIS UNSAFE SITUATION. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND HOLD BMW RESPONSIBLE.

INSULATION CRACKING ON WIRES TO XENON HEAD LIGHTS LEADING TO HEAD LIGHT FAILURE DUE TO SHORTING OR WIRE BREAKAGE; NOTATION ON WHEN IT HAPPENED IS ESTIMATE BECAUSE I HAD REPLACED ONE HEADLIGHT FOR THIS ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO (NOT KNOWING IT WAS THE CAUSE AT THE TIME). I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AFTER NOTING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. PHOTOS ARE FROM WIRES TO BOTH LIGHTS. ON LIGHT THAT WAS REPLACED NEW WIRES WERE SPLICED TO OLD WIRES BY DEALERSHIP AND PHOTO IS OF ORIGINAL WIRE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 14V428000 (AIR BAGS), AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

I BROUGHT MY CAR TO BMW FREEPORT WAS A TAIL LIGHT RECALL & THEY REFUSED TO FIX MY VEHICLE. SAID THE HARNESS & WIRES WERE MELTED TOO MUCH & IT WOULD COST $1400 TO FIX. NOW I HAVE A SAFETY HAZARD AS I'M DRIVING WITH NO TAIL LIGHT OR MY WIRES COULD CATCH ON FIRE. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED FOR FREE UNDER A RECALL FROM 2011.

OEM ZKW XENON PROJECTORS BURNED OUT OVER TIME CAUSING EXTREMELY LOW HEADLIGHT OUTPUT DURING NIGH TIME DRIVING. EXTREMELY LOW VISIBILITY DURING RAIN IN THE NIGHT DUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY LOW LIGHT OUTPUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED EXTREMELY DIMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REFLECTOR INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING MELTED AND CAUSED THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE DIMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000...UPDATED 01/21/15 *BF UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN

OEM BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS (MANUFACTURER ZKW) HAVE A BURNED OUT BOWL (REFLECTOR) THAT HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT IS PRODUCED. CHANGING BULBS HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM IN VARIOUS USER FORUMS. *TR

THE PROJECTOR BOWLS ON MY 2005 E46 330I SHOW SIGNS OF BURNING. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO AFFECT ALL E46 MODELS WITH ZKW XENON HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN BOWLS EFFECT THE LIGHT OUTPUT OFTEN RESULTING IN A POORLY LIT VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING APPLIED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GROUND WIRE KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,648. UPDATED 06/24/14 MA UPDATED 06/25/2014 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE PASSENGER FRONT HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SUDDEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IGNITER, CONTROLLER, AND BULB HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED BUT APPEARED VERY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 07/10/13*LJ

PURCHASED THE CAR IN APRIL 2012. NOTICED THAT THE XENON HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT OUTPUTTING AS MUCH LIGHT AS I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD. INSPECTED THE AREA BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS (THE REFLECTIVE BOWLS) AND DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE BURNED. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ZKW XENON EQUIPPED BMW 3 SERIES (E46) VEHICLES, AND THE NHTSA HAS MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALREADY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY MIND. HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS SHOULD NOT BURN FROM THEIR DESIGNED USAGE. THIS WILL COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. BMW SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM . *TR

OEM BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS (MANUFACTURER ZKW) HAVE A BURNED OUT BOWL (REFLECTOR) THAT HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT IS PRODUCED. CHANGING BULBS HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM IN VARIOUS USER FORUMS. *TR

I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM BMW FOR THE PROBLEM WITH REAR LAMPS. AT THAT TIME,ALL REAL LAMPS WERE WORKING ON MY CAR. HOWEVER FOR SAFETY CONCERN, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO BE CHECKED; FEW MONTHS LATER, ONE OF THE TAIL LIGHT NOT WORKING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY WERE DONE FOR THE RECALL . I NEED TO PAY IF I WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. BUT I FOUND THERE WAS NO POSITIVE VOLTAGE ON THE LIGHT BULB CIRCUIT. I TRACED THE WIRE AND DISCOVERED THE WIRE WAS BROKEN. THEN I ALSO FOUND ALL OTHER WIRES FOR THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE AGING, THE PLASTIC OF THE WIRES WERE DETERIORATED AND THE COPPER WIRE EXPLORED TO VISIBLE. THAT MEAN THE DEALER DIDN'T DO THE RIGHT WORK LAST TIME. BECAUSE IT'S NO REASON THE WIRE WILL DETERIORATE THAT FAST IF THEY DID IT RIGHT FOR THE RECALL. I COMPLAINT TO BMW AND THE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THEY ALREADY DONE WITH MY CAR. IF I NEED ANY WORK TO BE DONE I NEED TO PAY BY MYSELF. THE COPPER WIRES EXPLORED TO VISIBLE, IT WOULD CAUSE ELECTRIC FIRE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE THE PICTURE SHOWING THE AGING WIRE CONDITION ON MY CAR. I CAN EMAIL TO YOU IF YOU NEED IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE RESISTANCE IN THE LAMP CONNECTORS MAY HAVE FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE HEADLAMP GOES OUT DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY STAY ON! I WAS TOLD BY BMW EMPLOYEE THEY HAVE HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS THE LAMP GETS TO HOT AND MELTS THE WIRING AND THE WHOLE LIGHT HAS TO BE REPLACED $1200 OR BETTER! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE YOU HAVE NO IDEA IF YOU WILL HAVE FULL LIGHTS AT NIGHT. I READ BLOGS ON THE INTERNET WITH MANY PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM! *TR

2005 BMW 325I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL CAMPAIGN NO. 11V-438 LAMPS IN REAR QUARTER PANEL *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE RECALL RECTIFIED, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOPS IN HIS IMMEDIATE AREA. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE HIS VEHICLE SHIPPED TO ANOTHER ISLAND. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED BMW HAS SINCE AGREED TO SHIP THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE. UPDATED 05/16/12 UPDATED 01//22/15. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AND OVER TIME, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED. SPORADICALLY, THE FAILURE WOULD ROTATE BETWEEN THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR TAIL LIGHTS BURNED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS CHANGING THE BULBS TWICE WHEN THE BULB AND THE WIRES BURNED HER FINGERS. THE WIRES AND THE HOUSING HAD BECOME SO HOT THAT IT ALSO BURNED A HOLE SURROUNDING THE BULB. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: TAIL LIGHTS) BUT THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.