59 complaints reported

2006 BMW 3 Series Latches/Locks

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

Reports
59
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2011

DOORS WILL NO LONGER UNLOCK USING REMOTE KEY FOB OR INTERIOR DOOR UNLOCKING BUTTON. ONLY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN MANUALLY. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Jan 2011

DOORS FAILED AND CONTINUE TO FAIL TO UNLOCK. PASSENGERS WERE STUCK IN VEHICLE. DRIVER'S DOOR WAS UNLOCKED BY OPENING WINDOW. FRONT PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OVER CONSOLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Jan 2011

2006 BMW 325 I - DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY BMW. THEY ARE FAULTY AND BMW SUGGESTS WHEN ONE FAILS YOU REPLACE BOTH FOR OVER $800.00. KNOWN PROBLEM BY BMW BUT REFUSES TO HELP, ONLY CHARGE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Apr 2011
Jan 2011

ALL THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK WHETHER I USED THE KEY FOB OR THE CENTRAL UNLOCK BUTTON. COULD NOT EVEN OPEN UP DOORS FROM INSIDE. IF I WOULD HAVE HAD KIDS IN MY CAR AND AN EMERGENCY EXISTED THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THEM OUT THE DOOR LET ALONE GETTING MYSELF OUT. I REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE DOORS WORKED FOR A FEW WEEKS AND NOW THE DOOR LOCK ISSUE HAS RESURFACED. I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND IT TURNS OUT THAT BMW HAS HAD THIS DOOR LOCK FUSE/DOOR ACTUATOR ISSUE FOR A LONG LONG TIME, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. THIS IS DANGEROUS (LIFE THREATENING) AND DESERVES A RECALL. BMW ONLY WANTS TO REPLACE THE 15A FUSE WITH A 20A FUSE FOR A FIX, BUT DOING THIS DOESN'T FIX THE ROOT PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Apr 2011
Jan 2011

2006 BMW 325I DOOR LOCK/LATCH FAILURE. UNABLE TO OPEN DOORS WITH KEY FOB. DOORS WILL LOCK BUT NOW NOT POSSIBLE TO OPEN ANY DOORS WITH FOB OR WITH LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON INSIDE CAR. MUST UNLOCK DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH VALET KEY. FUEL DOOR ALSO LOCKED AND WILL NOT OPEN. ALL READY HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR AGO. *LN

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Nov 2010

WENT TO UNLOCK DOORS IN 2006 BMW 330I AND THERE WAS A RAPID CLICKING SOUND IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE POWER LOCKS FAILED TO RESPOND AFTERWARDS AND ALL DOORS REMAINED LOCKED. THE FOB, NOR THE INTERNAL UNLOCK BUTTON WOULD ALLOW THE DOORS TO BE UNLOCKED AND ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE DID NOT WORK EITHER. ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED BY PHYSICAL KEY OR BY PULLING THE HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE. AN INITIAL ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE FUSE #57 WITH A 20A FUSE OVER THE ORIGINAL BLOWN 15A FUSE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2010
Nov 2010

I HAVE A BMW 320D. A FEW DAYS AGO MY WIFE WAS OUT SOMEWHERE AND SHE LOCKED THE CAR IT WEREN'T LOCKING SO SHE OPENED THE DOOR AND THEN PRESS LOCK, IT LOCKED. WHEN SHE CAME BACK SHE WAS TRYING TO UNLOCK IT BUT IT WEREN'T UNLOCKING. SHE HAD TO USE THE TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE FOB AND OPEN IT MANUALLY, THEN THE ALARM STARTED GOING OFF SO SHE HAD TO TURN THE CAR ON SO IT WOULD STOP. NOW ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE OPENS BUT YOU HAVE TO OPEN IT MANUALLY WITH THE KEY, HE REST WON'T OPEN OR CLOSE. I HAVE BEEN TO THE BMW GARAGE AND THEY SAID IT WILL COST AROUND 600 TO REPLACE THE LATCHES. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS AND YOU DON'T EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN TO A 27,000 CAR AFTER ONLY HAVING IT FOR 3 YEARS. ALSO IF THEIR EVER WAS AN ACCIDENT AND THE DOOR LATCHES STOPPED WORKING NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET OUT, THEY WOULD ALL HAVE TO RUSH OUT THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2010
Nov 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. WHEN THE DOORS ARE LOCKED EITHER BY ALARM OR BY THE INSIDE BUTTONS THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REOPENED UNLESS A KEY WAS USED AND IT COULD ONLY BE REOPENED WITH A KEY ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 330I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2010
Nov 2010

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INSIDE. OCCUPANTS ARE LOCKED IN VEHICLE. BLOWN FUSE (NO 57) CAUSED BY AMPERAGE SPIKE IN ONE OF THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS. SPIKE IS DUE TO CONTAMINATION WITH SILICONE. BMW HAS ISSUED A SIB ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jun 2010
Oct 2010

THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE FAILED TWICE ON MY 2006 BMW 325I. THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY TO OPEN THE CAR IS BY USING THE EXTERIOR KEY. THE REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN AND THE PPASSENGERS HAD TO CRAWL ACROSS THE SEATS TO EXIT THE CAR. THEY JUST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Oct 2010
Oct 2010

THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY CAR FAILED RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK ANY OF THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. I CAN UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITH THE VALET KEY. NONE OF THE OTHER DOORS CAN BE UNLOCKED AND CAN NOT EVEN BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. IF SOMEONE GOT LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR, THEY COULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IF IN AN ACCIDENT ANY PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET OUT BECAUSE THE DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Sep 2010
Sep 2010

I HAVE A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CAR HAS AUTOMATIC LOCKS THAT CAN BE TRIGGERED WITH A REMOTE KEY OR INSIDE THE CAR WITH A LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON IN THE DASHBOARD. THE "UNLOCK" FEATURE HAS FAILED AND I AM UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR WITH EITHER THE REMOTE OR THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON IN THE DASHBOARD. IN ADDITION, THE ONLY DOOR THAT CAN BE UNLOCKED FROM EITHER INSIDE THE CAR OR OUTSIDE THE CAR IS THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR. ALL THE OTHER PASSENGER DOORS ARE LOCKED AND CANNOT BE UNLOCKED OR OPENED. THIS OBVIOUSLY CREATES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE GAS TANK IS ALSO LOCKED WHEN THIS HAPPENS, HOWEVER, THIS CAN BE OVERCOME THROUGH THE MANUAL GAS TANK RELEASE IN THE TRUNK. THE LOCK FAILURE MUST BE REMEDIED WITH SOME TYPE OF REPAIR, EITHER OF A FUSE OR A REPAIR OF THE ACTUATORS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2010
Sep 2010

THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY CAR FAILED RESULTING IN NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK ANY OF THE DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB. I CAN UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITH THE VALET KEY. NONE OF THE OTHER DOORS CAN BE UNLOCKED AND CAN NOT EVEN BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE HEAT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RECENTLY SOMEONE GETTING LOCKED INSIDE THEIR CAR COULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT IF IN AN ACCIDENT ANY PASSENGERS IN MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET OUT BECAUSE THE DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Sep 2010
Sep 2010

DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK NOT UNLOCKING WITH EITHER THE REMOTE OR MANUAL HANDLE INSIDE, WILL ONLY OPEN WITH THE KEY MANUALLY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Sep 2010
Sep 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE, CAUSING SOMEONE TO BE TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE TO BE THAT THE FUSES ARE BLOWING OUT CAUSING THE ELECTRONIC LOCKS TO MALFUNCTION.THIS HAD BEEN THE SECOND TIME HE CONTACT HAD BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18885 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Nov 2007
Sep 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK NEITHER FROM THE INSIDE NOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE A REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,333 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,443.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2010
Aug 2010

DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPEN WHEN INSIDE THE CAR USING THE REMOTE OR THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON OR THE HANDLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Aug 2010
Jul 2010

THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2006 BMW 325XI ALL FAILED AT ONCE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE FRONT PASSENGER AND BOTH REAR DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK AT ALL, EITHER ELECTRONICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL OPEN WITH THE KEY AND IS THE ONLY ONE, SO FAR, THAT CAN BE OPENED FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. HAD PASSENGERS BEEN IN THE CAR AND THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325XI, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jul 2010
Jul 2010

THE DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING DUE TO WELL KNOWN BY BMW FAULTY DOOR ACTUATORS. LEFT SIDE GOT LOCKED, WHILE RIGHT SIDE KEPT BEING UNLOCKED. THE WORST PART IS THAT I COULD NOT CLOSE THE LOCKED PASSENGER DOOR, SO WE HAD TO "BELT IT" TO THE BACK PASSENGER DOOR TO EB ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. SHAME ON BMW FOR VERY POOR DESIGN W/O ANY MECHANICAL WAY OF LOCKING/UNLOCKING. VERY UNSAFE IT HAPPENS AT COLLISION. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jul 2010
Jun 2010

FAILURE OF DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS IN 2006 BMW 330I. INSIDE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON WOULD NOT FUNCTION, REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT UNLOCK ANY DOORS, KEY WOULD UNLOCK DRIVER FRONT DOOR, GAS DOOR COULD NOT OPEN, NO WAY TO UNLOCK/OPEN PASSENGER FRONT/REAR OR DRIVER REAR DOORS EVEN USING INSIDE HANDLES. CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR AND HAD TO EXIT EITHER THROUGH THE DRIVER FRONT DOOR OR THROUGH AN OPEN WINDOW. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE PREVENTING OR DELAYING EGRESS OF PASSENGERS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jun 2010
Apr 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT AND OCCUPANTS ATTEMPTED TO EXIT THE LOCKED DOORS. HOWEVER, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATED DOOR LOCK MECHANISM WAS THE ONLY FUNCTIONING DEVICE IN THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DOOR TO UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS EXITED FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A DEFECTIVE DOOR LATCH. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE REPAIR COST. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN RELATED TO THE DEFECT. THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD SIGNIFICANT CONCERN OF THE SAFETY HAZARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,200.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2010
Mar 2010

THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS WOULD NOT UNLOCK ON THE DOOR. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS UNLOCKED AND WOULDN'T LOCK BACK. I HAD TO CLIMB ACROSS THE PASSENGER'S SEAT TO GET OUT. THIS IS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE ESPECIALLY WHEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY AND THIS HAPPENS. VERY FRIGHTENING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Mar 2010
Feb 2010

WENT TO UNLOCK DOORS IN 2006 BMW 325I AND THERE WAS A RAPID CLICKING SOUND IN THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE POWER LOCKS FAILED TO RESPOND AFTERWARDS AND BOTH FRONT DOORS REMAINED LOCKED. THE FOB, NOR THE INTERNAL UNLOCK BUTTON WOULD ALLOW THE DOORS TO BE UNLOCKED AND ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE DID NOT WORK EITHER. ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED BY PHYSICAL KEY, PULLING THE HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE ALSO DID NOT OPEN THE DOOR. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 325I, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jan 2010
Nov 2009

WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION OF A PENDING FAILURE, THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK ALL FOUR DOORS. THE LOCK/UNLOCK SWITCH ON THE DASH WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS NOR WOULD THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE KEY REMOTE. THE ONLY DOOR THAT CAN BE UNLOCKED IS THE DRIVER?S DOOR AND ONLY WHEN USING THE INTEGRATED KEY DIRECTLY WITH THE EXTERIOR OF THE DOOR OR USING THE ?DOUBLE JERK? MECHANISM (MECHANICAL OVERRIDE) OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. NONE OF THE PASSENGERS DOORS HAVE THE ?DOUBLE JERK? MECHANISM (MECHANICAL OVERRIDE) AND ANYBODY RIDING AS A PASSENGER WOULD BE STUCK IN THE CAR WITH A MEANS OF EXIT OTHER THAN THE DRIVER?S DOOR OR THE WINDOWS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS FAILURE, THE GAS COMPARTMENT AND THE ELECTRICAL REARVIEW MIRRORS STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER ATTRIBUTED THE FAILURE TO DAMAGED BATTERY, BATTERY CABLES AND THE DOOR ACTUATORS, BUT REFUSED TO COVER THE COSTS FOR FIXING THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS TURNED INTO A DEATH TRAP. AN EX-MECHANIC OF THE DEALER HAS SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM HE HAS SEEN. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW BEFORE SOME GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN DIES AS A RESULT OF THIS DESIGN DEFECT. *TR

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

CAN'T RECALL THE EXACT SEQUENCE OF BUTTON PUSHING THAT RESULTED IN MY BEING LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. NOT EVEN THE DOUBLE HANDLE PULL THAT USUALLY RELEASES THE LOCK FROM THE INSIDE WORKED. HAD TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND USE MANUAL KEY FROM THE OUTSIDE TO UNLOCK. DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN FUSE. FUSE WAS REPLACED. NOW LOCKS ARE INTERMITTENT AGAIN AFTER 2 MONTHS OF WORKING OK. THE CAR HAS HAD THE ACTUATOR REPLACED BEFORE, NOW IT APPEARS TO BE BROKEN AGAIN. WILL NOT ELECTRICALLY LOCK OR UNLOCK NOW. THIS SEAMS LIKE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2006 BMW 3 SERIES, Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC
Incident: Jun 2009

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2006 BMW 3 Series has 59 Latches/Locks complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.