2007 BMW 3 Series Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER (SEWELL BMW OF GRAPEVINE, 1111 E STATE HWY 111, GRAPEVINE, TX 76051, 817-912-4500) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE PARTS IN A FEW MONTHS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335I. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. THE DEALER (TOM BUSH BMW ORANGE PARK, 6914 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32244) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 335. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I HAVE A RECALL FOR MY BMW 07 328XI SINCE NOVEMBER 2017. THE RECALLS ARE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING AND PCV VALVE HEATER. PROBLEM NOT RESOLVE
DESPITE REPEATED PHONE CALLS TO BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND STOPPING AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY BMW FOR A RECALL REGARDING A SPONTANEOUS FIRE THAT CAN OCCUR WITH MY VEHICLE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS GARAGED AND NOT IN USE. CUSTOMER SERVICE REPEATEDLY TELLS ME THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS TO FIX THE ISSUE. I LEARNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FROM THE NEWS. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM BMW, ALTHOUGH I VERIFIED WITH THEM THEY HAVE MY VIN NUMBER AND MY CAR IS PART OF THE RECALL. I HESITATE TO EVEN DRIVE MY CAR AND HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT A SPONTANEOUS FIRE SPARKED BY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. IT SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE AS A CONSUMER NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO REMEDY WHAT COULD BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE (MY HOUSE BURNING DOWN FOR ONE). I AM GETTING NOWHERE WHEN I CONTACT BMW.
RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 75 MPH AND THE HEATER AT 70 DEGREES, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE AND A FLASH OF LIGHT UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTED THE GEAR TO THE PARK POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UPON EXITING AND RE-ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CABIN FILLED UP WITH SMOKE AND SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW FACILITY. THE CONTACT CALLED BMW OF CONCORD (1967 MARKET ST, CONCORD, CA 94520), BUT NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SMOKE APPEARED THROUGH THE VENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THE THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED ORLAND PARK BMW AT (866) 460-4545 (LOCATED AT 11030 W 159TH ST, ORLAND PARK, IL 60467) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. - (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V676000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER TWO MONTHS AGO. THE DEALER (REEVES BMW TAMPA, 109 E FOWLER AVE, TAMPA, FL 33612) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED RECALL LETTERS FOR THREE OTHER RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS
WHEN DRIVING, THE SMELL OF BURNING OR MELTING PLASTIC IS SO STRONG, I HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS. THE SMELL OCCURS ABOUT 5 TIMES A WEEK AND CAN BE SMELLED BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. IT OCCURS AT VARIOUS TIMES...ON THE FREEWAY, ON SURFACE STREETS, STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT ETC. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL, FOR POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION(PCV) VALVE HEATER, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A PLAN OR METHOD OF FIXING THIS. SINCE IT CAN LEAD TO A FIRE, IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP HAS NO INFORMATION ABOUT EVEN HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE WEBSITE AND LETTER TELLS YOU TO CALL THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY TELL YOU TO CONTACT BMW NORTH AMERICA, HOWEVER THEY DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE. THE SERVICE SUPERVISOR AT THE LOCAL BMW DEALER SHIP IN GLENDALE CA HAS NOT RETURNED MY MESSAGES AND THE NUMBER THEY REFER ME TO, BMW NORTH AMERICA AT 800.831.1117 JUST KEEPS RINGING...NO ANSWER. I DON'T FEEL SAFE INHALING THE PLASTIC FUMES AND IT COULD LEAD TO MY CAR CATCHING ON FIRE. BMW NEEDS TOANSWER QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE RATHER THAN REFERRING ME TO ADVERTISEMENTS TO PURCHASE A NEW BMW. (THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS ON THEIR "RECALL" WEBSITE). I WOULD LIKE THEM TO PROVIDE A CAR AND KEEP MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL THEY FIGURE THIS OUT. I THINK THEY WOULD FIND A SOLUTION VERY QUICKLY IF THEY HAD TO PROVIDE ALTERNATOR TRANSPORTATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
THE BLOWER ON MY BMW 328I STOPPED WORKED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I RECEIVED TWO INITIAL SAFETY RECALL NOTICES 17V-683 (PCV VALVE HEATER) AND 17V-676 (BLOWER MOTOR WIRING). I TOOK MY CAR TO BMW OF STERLING ON 01/13/2018. I BROUGHT COPIES OF THE TWO SAFETY NOTICES WITH ME AND I PROVIDED THEM TO THE SERVICE AGENT. THE SERVICE AGENT SAID THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE BLOWER AND CHARGE ME $505 FOR PARTS/LABOR. I SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SERVICE MANAGER. THE SERVICE MANAGER REITERATED WHAT THE AGENT SAID. IF IN THE FUTURE IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE RELATED, I WOULD GET MY MONEY REFUNDED. I SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND I LEFT. BMW KNOWINGLY LET ME LEAVE WITH A SAFETY ISSUE. IN MY OPINION THIS IS DETRIMENTAL RELIANCE.
IN DECEMBER OF 2016, MY CAR STARTED BLOWING A BURNING SMELL THROUGH THE AIR VENTS, WHILE I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD. I PARKED MY CAR AND TURNED IT OFF IN A MEDIAN AREA AND THEN I TURNED OFF THE AC AND WHITE SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. IT WAS ELECTRICAL WIRES CATCHING FIRE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT WAS THE BLOWER MOTOR AND BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR THAT NEEDING REPLACING. THE WIRE CONNECTIONS DETERIORATED, MELTED, AND OVERHEATED, CATCHING FIRE. THE COST OF THIS REPLACEMENT WAS $573.60 OUT OF POCKET. I CHECKED A RECALL WEBSITE AND NOTICED THAT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THESE PARTS WERE LISTED IN OCTOBER OF 2017, WITH EXACT DESCRIPTION OF MY PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED IN DECEMBER 2016. I WOULD APPRECIATE A REIMBURSEMENT ON THIS REPAIR AS THIS RECALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND MUCH SOONER.
I RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS IN MY CAR. I USED THE WEBSITE GIVEN TO CHECK FOR ANY RECALLS. IT SAID THE BLOWER MOTOR ON MY CAR HAS A RECALL NOTICE AND I NEEDED TO CALL MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I CALLED AND THEY CHECKED THEIR DATA BASE AND VERIFIED MY CAR INDEED DOES HAVE A RECALL THAT COULD POTINTIALLY CAUSE FIRE. HOWEVER BMW USA HAS NOT PROVIDED REPLACEMENT PARTS. SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
WHEN I TRIED TO CLOSE MY SUNROOF, IT WOULD NOT CLOSE DESPITE TRYING TO RESET IT, SO I TOOK IT IN TO A MECHANIC. THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG UNTIL THEY LOOKED AND THE SUNROOF MOTOR BLEW A FUSE. THEY REPLACED THE FUSE, TRIED IT AGAIN, AND THE MOTOR BLEW THE FUSE AGAIN. SO THE SUNROOF MOTOR HAS A FAULT. I HEARD RECENTLY THAT BMWS ARE SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING AND THAT WE SHOULD REPORT ANY UNUSUAL THINGS, SO I'M REPORTING THIS. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE MECHANIC (BAY BRIDGE BIMMERS AND MINIS IN OAKLAND) UNDER REPAIR. THEIR WEBSITE IS: HTTP://WWW.BAYBRIDGE-BIMMERS-MINIS.COM/. OCCURRED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, IN MOTION, ETC.
FUSE # 56 AND #57 BLEW LEADING TO THE INABILITY TO OPEN ANY DOORS USING THE FOB. THE EMERGENCY KEY ONLY UNLOCKS THE DRIVER DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE OTHER DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED UNLESS THE FUSE IS REPLACED. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, HAD THE FUSES BEEN DAMAGED FOR SOME REASON, AND THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE VEHICLE OR SOME OTHER REASON NECESSITATED AN EMERGENCY EGRESS, THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND LIKELY THE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN THE DOORS IN A POWER FAILURE. BMW HAS NO EMERGENCY DOOR LATCH TO BYPASS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS OTHER CARS DO.
THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE RIGHT BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX. THE FIREFIGHTERS SAID IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE CAR WAS OFF AND PARKED IN A RESTAURANT PARKING LOT. THIS HAPPENED ON 9/22/17. SOMEONE SAW THE CAR ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 6:00PM. SEVEN HOURS LATER, THERE WERE STILL BUZZING SOUNDS COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. WE WERE TOLD NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR!
MY CAR SHUTS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WITH TOTAL LOSS OF POWER CAN NOT USE REMOTE TO UNLOCK CAR DOORS WHILE STUCK INSIDE THE REMOTE KEY WILL NOT RELEASE FROM CAR THE CAR WAS RUNNING WENT A FEW MILES CAME HOME AND CAR JUST SHUT DOWN ELECTRICALLY WITH ME INSIDE ...HAD TO CALL FROM MY CELL PHONE THAT I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR REPORTS STATE THIS CAN BE FROM A RECALL ON CERTAIN MODELS DUE TO THE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTOR AND FUSE BOX DEGRADE OVER TIME I AM HEARING IMPAIRED SO EMAIL COMMUNICATION IS BEST
GAS GAUGE DOESN'T REGISTER FULL VS. EMPTY TANK. MY GAS GAUGE ALWAYS SAYS EMPTY EVEN RIGHT AFTER I FILL IT UP. SEEMS TO BE A BIGGER ISSUE, PER MY GOOGLE SEARCH AND THINK IT NEEDS A RECALL.
THE ELECTRICAL IS THE MAIN ISSUE. NOTHING STARS. THE CAR DON'T TURN ON, WON'T EVEN LOCK AND IT RANDOM HAPPENED. I WENT TO WORK AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING WAS FINE BUT WHEN I CLOCKED OUT .. MY CAR WOULDN'T EVEN START. I CHECK MY BATTERY & IT WAS FINE. THEN I CHECKED ONLINE & I NOTICED THAT I WASN'T EVEN THE ONLY PERSON DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE.
I OPENED THE DOOR AND PUT KEY IN, EVERY THING LOOKSED GOOD. BUT I PUSHED START BUTTON, IT COULD NOT START. THEN ALL POWER WENT DOWN: NO LOCK/UNLOCK, NO RADIO, NO LIGHT. YET AFTER SOME TIME, THE POWER WENT BACK AND I COULD START. THIS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. I FOUND MANY 2007 BMW 328I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT'S RELATED TO THE B+ WIRE CONTACT ISSUE. BMW HAS A RECALL FOR THAT ISSUE: THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS E90 WONT START - SI B61 08 11
AFTER A SHORT DRIVE I PARKED THE CAR. I STARTED TO NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS. I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD BUT COULD NOT SEE ANY SOURCE. AFTER CLOSING THE HOOD I GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND THEN NOTED FLAMES COMING FROM JUST FORWARD OF THE DASH BOARD. WITHIN SECONDS THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I AM REPORTING THIS NOW BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY RECALL THAT I JUST HEARD ABOUT ON THIS CAR.
THE REAR DOORS WON'T LOCK AND THE FRONT DOORS WON'T UNLOCK AND THE GAS LID WON'T OPEN! THIS JUST HAPPENED OUT OF NOWHERE. READ ONLINE BY LOTS OF FOLKS THAT'S IT'S AN DOOR ACTUATOR AND WRONG FUSE. DEALER IS VERY AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND LOTS OF FOLKS HAVING THE SAME DEFECT - IT REALLY SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DEALER!
THE CAR WONT START. IT WAS WORKING JUST FINE IN THE MORNING AND A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER IT DIDN'T START. ALL POWER TURNS ON DASH LIGHTS AND EVEN HEAD LIGHTS TURN ON AND MY BATTERY BOOSTER INDICATES THAT THE BATTERY IS FINE. I TRY TO START IT BUT IT WONT TURN OVER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO START AND THE KEY FOB REMAINED IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED SHIFTING A RED B.PLUS CABLE IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V044000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
BACK WINDOWS(2) ROLLED DOWN WILL NOT COME UP. MOTOR BUZZES AND NOTHING HAPPENS.
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Quick Summary
The 2007 BMW 3 Series has 90 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.