Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||||
| SIB-63-02-01 | 08/01/2010 | 10037025 | Bmw: procedure for determining and replacing incandescent and halogen light bulbs under warranty. *rm | 04/27/2011 | |
| SIB-63-02-01 | 08/01/2010 | 10037025 | Ready | 04/27/2011 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||||
| SIB-63-03-11 | 04/01/2011 | 10040057 | Bmw: wiring on the headlights may have deteriorated due to environmental conditions and the cover not being secured properly. e60/e92. *rm | 08/15/2011 | |
| SIB-63-03-11 | 04/01/2011 | 10040057 | Ready | 08/15/2011 | |
| SI B63-04-08 | 06/01/2008 | 10025983 | Bmw: headlamp moisture: fault diagnostics. water or condensation in one or both headlamps. models 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, x5, x6, 1 series, and 3 series. model years 2000-20008. *pe | 09/22/2008 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | |||||
| B63-03-12 | 04/01/2012 | 10044032 | Bmw: the left or right rear light in the side panel has condensation concerning vehicles produced up to february 27,2012. *js | 05/08/2012 | |
| SIB-63-02-08 | 10/01/2010 | 10035224 | Bmw vehicle: rear bulb failure. the bulb out warning shows in the instrument cluster. diagnosis shows a fault for the rear lamp. the bulb out can be displayed for 2 possible causes: poor fit between the bulb and bulb holder; bulb failur | 02/11/2011 | |
| SI B63 02 08 | 05/01/2008 | 10025585 | Rear bulb failure. model e92 (3 series coupe) vehicles produced up to january 21, 2008 are affected. the bulb out warning shows in the instrument cluster. *pe | 08/22/2008 | |
| 630306 | 02/01/2007 | SI B63-03-06 | 10020856 | Poor connection at rear lamp connector. bmw. model e46. *kb model e46 (3 series). update 8/8/2008. *pe | 01/24/2007 |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||
| EA09019 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 12/18/2009 | 09/28/2011 | Rear Lamp Illumination | 11V438000 | |
| In a letter submitted to the office of defects investigation (odi) dated august25, 2011, bmwindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.the issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.this can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.the recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.an 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.bmw will complete dealer notification in september 2011 and will begin owner notification in october 2011.all 3 series sedans (except for the m3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between september 1, 2001 and march 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.the action taken by bmw is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
| EA09019 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 12/18/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | |||
| The outboard rear light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.failure of the light assembly ground circuit results in loss of all three lamps.bmw submitted complaint and warranty information showing a significant number of rear lamp assembly failures due to an open ground connection at the eight pin connector of the light assembly.this results in the loss of the rear turn signal.overheating of the ground circuit electrical pin, possibly due to increased resistance and or high current flow, is indicated in some failures.additionally bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 in february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.the additional ground wire added by the procedure reduces the current flow at the eight pin connector.odi is opening this ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| DP09002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 04/08/2009 | 08/06/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 bmw 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to bmw in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by bmw in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating bmw complaints and related warranty data. | ||||||
| PE09036 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 08/07/2009 | 12/22/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the system.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 on february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.odi is upgrading to an ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BACK UP LIGHTS | ||||||
| DP09002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 04/08/2009 | 08/06/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 bmw 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to bmw in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by bmw in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating bmw complaints and related warranty data. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | ||||||
| EA09019 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 12/18/2009 | 09/28/2011 | Rear Lamp Illumination | 11V438000 | |
| In a letter submitted to the office of defects investigation (odi) dated august25, 2011, bmwindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.the issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.this can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.the recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.an 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.bmw will complete dealer notification in september 2011 and will begin owner notification in october 2011.all 3 series sedans (except for the m3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between september 1, 2001 and march 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.the action taken by bmw is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
| EA09019 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 12/18/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | |||
| The outboard rear light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.failure of the light assembly ground circuit results in loss of all three lamps.bmw submitted complaint and warranty information showing a significant number of rear lamp assembly failures due to an open ground connection at the eight pin connector of the light assembly.this results in the loss of the rear turn signal.overheating of the ground circuit electrical pin, possibly due to increased resistance and or high current flow, is indicated in some failures.additionally bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 in february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.the additional ground wire added by the procedure reduces the current flow at the eight pin connector.odi is opening this ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| DP09002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 04/08/2009 | 08/06/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 bmw 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to bmw in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by bmw in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating bmw complaints and related warranty data. | ||||||
| PE09036 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 08/07/2009 | 12/22/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the system.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 on february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.odi is upgrading to an ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | ||||||
| EA09019 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 12/18/2009 | 09/28/2011 | Rear Lamp Illumination | 11V438000 | |
| In a letter submitted to the office of defects investigation (odi) dated august25, 2011, bmwindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.the issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.this can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.the recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.an 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.bmw will complete dealer notification in september 2011 and will begin owner notification in october 2011.all 3 series sedans (except for the m3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between september 1, 2001 and march 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.the action taken by bmw is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
| PE09036 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 08/07/2009 | 12/22/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the system.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 on february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.odi is upgrading to an ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| DP09002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 04/08/2009 | 08/06/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 bmw 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to bmw in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by bmw in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating bmw complaints and related warranty data. | ||||||
| EA09019 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 12/18/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | |||
| The outboard rear light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.failure of the light assembly ground circuit results in loss of all three lamps.bmw submitted complaint and warranty information showing a significant number of rear lamp assembly failures due to an open ground connection at the eight pin connector of the light assembly.this results in the loss of the rear turn signal.overheating of the ground circuit electrical pin, possibly due to increased resistance and or high current flow, is indicated in some failures.additionally bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 in february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.the additional ground wire added by the procedure reduces the current flow at the eight pin connector.odi is opening this ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL | ||||||
| EA09019 | BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC | 12/18/2009 | 09/28/2011 | Rear Lamp Illumination | 11V438000 | |
| In a letter submitted to the office of defects investigation (odi) dated august25, 2011, bmwindicated that it will conduct a voluntary recall campaign to remedy the subject vehicles.the issue involves the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel.through normal vehicle use over time, the rear lamps ground wiring and associated 8-pin connector can experience an increase of the resistance at the electrical contact points.this can lead to intermittent or permanent loss of the rear lamp functions which include tail, brake, and turn signal operation.the recall consists of modifying the rear lamps in the vehicles body panel by adding a secondary ground connection in parallel to the existing primary ground connection.an 8-pin connector that attaches the primary ground wiring to the rear lamp assembly will also be inspected and replaced if necessary.bmw will complete dealer notification in september 2011 and will begin owner notification in october 2011.all 3 series sedans (except for the m3 sedan which utilized a different rear lamp assembly) that were built between september 1, 2001 and march 1, 2005 are included in this recall, totalling approximately 241,000 vehicles.the action taken by bmw is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation.accordingly, this investigation is closed. | ||||||
| DP09002 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 04/08/2009 | 08/06/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| In march 2009, the office of defects investigation (odi) received a petition from mr. mark peters requesting an investigation of rear lamp failure in model year 2002-2005 bmw 3-series vehicles.an information request letter was sent to bmw in april 2009, and odi received bmw's response in june 2009.the tail lamp assembly contains lighting for the brake lamps, tail lamps, and turn signals.a technical service bulletin (tsb) was issued by bmw in january of 2007 instructing service technicians to examine an 8 pin electrical connector for heat-related damage and to incorporate additional ground wiring to the connector.complainants have alleged that significant thermal damage to the connector and associated ground wiring has occurred.this condition can result in intermittent or total loss of all lighting (brake, tail, and turn signal) for the effected rear lamp assembly.odi will open a preliminary evaluation to further examine this issue including further evaluating bmw complaints and related warranty data. | ||||||
| PE09036 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 08/07/2009 | 12/22/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | ||
| Odi has received complaints from consumers stating that their tail light assembly is not properly illuminating.the tail light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.the complainants have indicated that the issue is with an 8 pin connector and associated ground wiring.these components are allegedly overheating and melting due to excessive electrical current that runs through the system.bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 on february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.odi is upgrading to an ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
| EA09019 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 12/18/2009 | REAR LAMP ILLUMINATION | |||
| The outboard rear light assembly consists of a turn signal lamp, a tail lamp and a brake lamp.failure of the light assembly ground circuit results in loss of all three lamps.bmw submitted complaint and warranty information showing a significant number of rear lamp assembly failures due to an open ground connection at the eight pin connector of the light assembly.this results in the loss of the rear turn signal.overheating of the ground circuit electrical pin, possibly due to increased resistance and or high current flow, is indicated in some failures.additionally bmw issued a technical service bulletin (tsb) sib-630306 in february 2007 to address the condition by adding supplementary ground wiring to the tail lamp assembly.the additional ground wire added by the procedure reduces the current flow at the eight pin connector.odi is opening this ea to further investigate the issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 57000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2004 bmw 3 series sedan with optional bi-xenon headlights. about 10,000 miles into my purchase (or 57,000) i began to notice my headlight output deteriorating significantly. my girlfriend owns a 2004 bmw 3 series coupe/convertible also with the optional bi-zenon and 60,000 miles. i compared our vehicles headlights side by side. my bi-xenon headlights in both low and high beam form were significantly dimmer and had a yellow tint when compared to her bi-xenon headlights. this is a common issue on bmw 3 series sedans with the optional bi-xenon headlamps. the problem is that the bi-xenon reflector housing bowl in bmw e46 3 series sedans is made from a different manufacturer than the coupes and convertibles. the headlights in my vehicle are made and classified under the title (zkw). the coupes and convertibles are made and classified under the name (al). the difference is that oem zkw headlights reflector housing bowls are made from a type of plastic. while the oem al headlights are made out of metal. the metal housing in al style headlights in coupes and convertibles are able to stand up to the heat of the xenon bulb, the plastic housings in my sedan are not. due to this it literally gets too hot and burns the plastic reflective housing to a brown crisp, which is not a reflective surface and deteriorated my headlight output to an extremely unsafe level. the output level has dimmed so that when there is any oncoming traffic my lights get drowned out and i must put on my fog lamps to maintain any type of visibility. the output level is below any halogen lamp i have seen. this is extremely unsafe at any speed and is a known issue on all bi-xenon equipped bmw e46 3 series sedans. bmw is aware of this issue and has done nothing to address this design flaw, which compromises the safety of myself and others. pictures of the issue are available upon request. thank you. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2011 | 57000 | ||
| I own a 2004 bmw 3 series sedan with optional bi-xenon headlights. about 10,000 miles into my purchase (or 57,000) i began to notice my headlight output deteriorating significantly. my girlfriend owns a 2004 bmw 3 series coupe/convertible also with the optional bi-zenon and 60,000 miles. i compared our vehicles headlights side by side. my bi-xenon headlights in both low and high beam form were significantly dimmer and had a yellow tint when compared to her bi-xenon headlights. this is a common issue on bmw 3 series sedans with the optional bi-xenon headlamps. the problem is that the bi-xenon reflector housing bowl in bmw e46 3 series sedans is made from a different manufacturer than the coupes and convertibles. the headlights in my vehicle are made and classified under the title (zkw). the coupes and convertibles are made and classified under the name (al). the difference is that oem zkw headlights reflector housing bowls are made from a type of plastic. while the oem al headlights are made out of metal. the metal housing in al style headlights in coupes and convertibles are able to stand up to the heat of the xenon bulb, the plastic housings in my sedan are not. due to this it literally gets too hot and burns the plastic reflective housing to a brown crisp, which is not a reflective surface and deteriorated my headlight output to an extremely unsafe level. the output level has dimmed so that when there is any oncoming traffic my lights get drowned out and i must put on my fog lamps to maintain any type of visibility. the output level is below any halogen lamp i have seen. this is extremely unsafe at any speed and is a known issue on all bi-xenon equipped bmw e46 3 series sedans. bmw is aware of this issue and has done nothing to address this design flaw, which compromises the safety of myself and others. pictures of the issue are available upon request. thank you. | |||
| 02/18/2013 | 1 | ||
| My bi-xenon headlights have been slowly fading resulting in extremely poor visibility during normal nightime driving. this degradation has been occurring without my knowledge until it became obvious after driving another vehicle. as it turns out, my mechanic has advised there is a common issue with certain bmw assemblies that the projector lenses literally burn due to heat resulting in the need to replace the entire assembly. this loss of headlight intensity resulting in poor visibility is a significant safety situation and request someone look into why no recall has occurred as this is obviously a safety concern. i have entered today's date as incident date as i am not sure when degradation of the projectors began. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2013 | 124250 | 1 | |
| The vehicle came equipped from the factory with bi-xenon auto leveling headlights manufactured by zkw. the past couple months, the light output has steadily decreased. brown scorch marks are visible in the projector when the headlight is on. on the driver's side, the xenon bulb burned off all the reflective material in the projector bowl. the light output from the projectors has been reduced to a thin beam of light. it is becoming very difficult to see while driving at night. this problem is getting progressively worse. *tr | |||
| 02/04/2013 | 124250 | ||
| The vehicle came equipped from the factory with bi-xenon auto leveling headlights manufactured by zkw. the past couple months, the light output has steadily decreased. brown scorch marks are visible in the projector when the headlight is on. on the driver's side, the xenon bulb burned off all the relective material in the projector bowl. the light output from the projectors has been reduced to a thin beam of light. it is becoming very difficult to see while driving at night. this problem is getting progressively worse. | |||
| 02/01/2012 | 98000 | ||
| Front optional hid (xenon) headlamps were noticed a being extremely dim. the headlight has a replaceable plastic lens. lens was first polished and then when no light improvement was observed, both lenses were replaced. light output remain very poor. bulb were ordered to replace original however when beginning to replace the bulbs it was noticed that the bowl had an observed scorch or burned spot on the projector bowl and i ceased changing the bowl. after reading forums it appears this is a common manufacturing defect involving a safety items that reduces viability and may possibly burn through on this model year with this option. a photo is available if necessary. | |||
| 04/30/2010 | |||
| Xenon healights are terrible. very low visibility and impossible to see at night. | |||
| 02/01/2012 | |||
| Bi-xenon headlamp projector back-bowls are made out of plastic and have had their reflective coating burnt off of them from normal headlight usage. due to the lack of reflectivity on the projector bowls my headlights have become significantly more dim over time as more of the reflective coating is burning off. it has become harder and more dangerous to drive at night due to the severe lack of light my headlights now produce. | |||
| 05/27/2009 | |||
| Bought my vehicle brand new from bmw dealership & after about 5 years of having my car, i noticed that my xenon headlights were not shining as bright as they usually did. over time i eventually had to use the high beams at night in order to see while driving. i had the passenger side headlight replaced after an accident in nov 2010 & recently went to have the driver side headlight checked to see why it wasn't illuminating as it should be. it was found that the proctective sheath covering the wires in the headlight had dry rotted/desenegrated & there was hardly any sheath covering the wires, due to the heat generated by the xenon light. in additon, it was found that the projector bulb reflector had melted & burned out, also due to the heat generated by the xenon light & is why the light no longer illuminates as it should. i contacted bmw due to my findings & because many other bmw owners with the same year and model vehicle have experienced similar issues & bmw has been unwilling to address the issue. there is clearly a defect in the light design given the number of owners who have had this same issue and the fact that zkw & bmw has since changed the design of the xenon headlight in newer models & the newer design doesn't have this issue. bmw need to be accountable for this design defect & replace the headlight with the newer design because replacing the headlight costs over $1200 dollars each light & being that the replacement lights have the same design defect you will find yourself having to replace the headlights every 4 to 5 years because it to will burn out and the projector bulb reflector is not sold seperately & the entire lights has to be replaced. i can visibly see areas on the replaced headlight where the projector bulb reflector has already started to melt & burn & i have only had that light a little over a year. | |||
| 02/01/2012 | |||
| Bi-xenon headlamp projector back-bowls are made out of plastic and have had their reflective coating burnt off of them from normal headlight usage. due to the lack of reflectivity on the projector bowls my headlights have become significantly more dim over time as more of the reflective coating is burning off. it has become harder and more dangerous to drive at night due to the severe lack of light my headlights now produce. | |||
| 05/27/2009 | |||
| Bought my vehicle brand new from bmw dealership & after about 5 years of having my car, i noticed that my xenon headlights were not shining as bright as they usually did. over time i eventually had to use the high beams at night in order to see while driving. i had the passenger side headlight replaced after an accident in nov 2010 & recently went to have the driver side headlight checked to see why it wasn't illuminating as it should be. it was found that the proctective sheath covering the wires in the headlight had dry rotted/desenegrated & there was hardly any sheath covering the wires, due to the heat generated by the xenon light. in additon, it was found that the projector bulb reflector had melted & burned out, also due to the heat generated by the xenon light & is why the light no longer illuminates as it should. i contacted bmw due to my findings & because many other bmw owners with the same year and model vehicle have experienced similar issues & bmw has been unwilling to address the issue. there is clearly a defect in the light design given the number of owners who have had this same issue and the fact that zkw & bmw has since changed the design of the xenon headlight in newer models & the newer design doesn't have this issue. bmw need to be accountable for this design defect & replace the headlight with the newer design because replacing the headlight costs over $1200 dollars each light & being that the replacement lights have the same design defect you will find yourself having to replace the headlights every 4 to 5 years because it to will burn out and the projector bulb reflector is not sold seperately & the entire lights has to be replaced. i can visibly see areas on the replaced headlight where the projector bulb reflector has already started to melt & burn & i have only had that light a little over a year. | |||
| 01/16/2012 | 140000 | ||
| The bi-xenon projector headlights on my car do not produce the focused light that they did when the car was purchased. investigation has produced evidence that the plastic xenon reflector bowls have lost their reflective material and that the plastic reflector bowl is now deteriorated and brown. the pattern of where the reflective material has disappeared indicates that the vapor deposited reflective material has failed due to the heat generated by the headlight bulb. other headlights in the bmw 3 series line have metal bowls and do not display the same problem. i've spoken to my bmw dealer and bmw of america and registered a complaint but recieved no assistance. if the projector bowls were available as replacement items i wouldn't be as un-happy unfortunately that's not the case and to rectify the problem it requires the customer to purchase headlight assemblies at around $1200.00 per side. as i am an engineer by profession i would consider this a design defect due to a poor choice of material capabilities and/or material compatibilities. i consider this to be a safety issue due to the fact that this occurs over time leaving the owner operator with slow deterioration of light quality. i would appreciate your assistance in holding bmw responsible for the safety of their customers and others on the our highways. i had notice the reduced light quality but was blaming it on the condition of my headlight lenses. but after having my headlight lenses reconditioned the lighting condition continued. leaving me to investigate and find that this is a common issue with other bmw 3 series automobiles. | |||
| 02/01/2012 | |||
| Bi-xenon headlamp projector back-bowls are made out of plastic and have had their reflective coating burnt off of them from normal headlight usage. due to the lack of reflectivity on the projector bowls my headlights have become significantly more dim over time as more of the reflective coating is burning off. it has become harder and more dangerous to drive at night due to the severe lack of light my headlights now produce. | |||
| 05/27/2009 | |||
| Bought my vehicle brand new from bmw dealership & after about 5 years of having my car, i noticed that my xenon headlights were not shining as bright as they usually did. over time i eventually had to use the high beams at night in order to see while driving. i had the passenger side headlight replaced after an accident in nov 2010 & recently went to have the driver side headlight checked to see why it wasn't illuminating as it should be. it was found that the proctective sheath covering the wires in the headlight had dry rotted/desenegrated & there was hardly any sheath covering the wires, due to the heat generated by the xenon light. in additon, it was found that the projector bulb reflector had melted & burned out, also due to the heat generated by the xenon light & is why the light no longer illuminates as it should. i contacted bmw due to my findings & because many other bmw owners with the same year and model vehicle have experienced similar issues & bmw has been unwilling to address the issue. there is clearly a defect in the light design given the number of owners who have had this same issue and the fact that zkw & bmw has since changed the design of the xenon headlight in newer models & the newer design doesn't have this issue. bmw need to be accountable for this design defect & replace the headlight with the newer design because replacing the headlight costs over $1200 dollars each light & being that the replacement lights have the same design defect you will find yourself having to replace the headlights every 4 to 5 years because it to will burn out and the projector bulb reflector is not sold seperately & the entire lights has to be replaced. i can visibly see areas on the replaced headlight where the projector bulb reflector has already started to melt & burn & i have only had that light a little over a year. | |||
| 01/16/2012 | 140000 | ||
| The bi-xenon projector headlights on my car do not produce the focused light that they did when the car was purchased. investigation has produced evidence that the plastic xenon reflector bowls have lost their reflective material and that the plastic reflector bowl is now deteriorated and brown. the pattern of where the reflective material has disappeared indicates that the vapor deposited reflective material has failed due to the heat generated by the headlight bulb. other headlights in the bmw 3 series line have metal bowls and do not display the same problem. i've spoken to my bmw dealer and bmw of america and registered a complaint but recieved no assistance. if the projector bowls were available as replacement items i wouldn't be as un-happy unfortunately that's not the case and to rectify the problem it requires the customer to purchase headlight assemblies at around $1200.00 per side. as i am an engineer by profession i would consider this a design defect due to a poor choice of material capabilities and/or material compatibilities. i consider this to be a safety issue due to the fact that this occurs over time leaving the owner operator with slow deterioration of light quality. i would appreciate your assistance in holding bmw responsible for the safety of their customers and others on the our highways. i had notice the reduced light quality but was blaming it on the condition of my headlight lenses. but after having my headlight lenses reconditioned the lighting condition continued. leaving me to investigate and find that this is a common issue with other bmw 3 series automobiles. | |||
| 05/27/2009 | |||
| Bought my vehicle brand new from bmw dealership & after about 5 years of having my car, i noticed that my xenon headlights were not shining as bright as they usually did. over time i eventually had to use the high beams at night in order to see while driving. i had the passenger side headlight replaced after an accident in nov 2010 & recently went to have the driver side headlight checked to see why it wasn't illuminating as it should be. it was found that the proctective sheath covering the wires in the headlight had dry rotted/desenegrated & there was hardly any sheath covering the wires, due to the heat generated by the xenon light. in additon, it was found that the projector bulb reflector had melted & burned out, also due to the heat generated by the xenon light & is why the light no longer illuminates as it should. i contacted bmw due to my findings & because many other bmw owners with the same year and model vehicle have experienced similar issues & bmw has been unwilling to address the issue. there is clearly a defect in the light design given the number of owners who have had this same issue and the fact that zkw & bmw has since changed the design of the xenon headlight in newer models & the newer design doesn't have this issue. bmw need to be accountable for this design defect & replace the headlight with the newer design because replacing the headlight costs over $1200 dollars each light & being that the replacement lights have the same design defect you will find yourself having to replace the headlights every 4 to 5 years because it to will burn out and the projector bulb reflector is not sold seperately & the entire lights has to be replaced. i can visibly see areas on the replaced headlight where the projector bulb reflector has already started to melt & burn & i have only had that light a little over a year. | |||
| 01/16/2012 | 140000 | ||
| The bi-xenon projector headlights on my car do not produce the focused light that they did when the car was purchased. investigation has produced evidence that the plastic xenon reflector bowls have lost their reflective material and that the plastic reflector bowl is now deteriorated and brown. the pattern of where the reflective material has disappeared indicates that the vapor deposited reflective material has failed due to the heat generated by the headlight bulb. other headlights in the bmw 3 series line have metal bowls and do not display the same problem. i've spoken to my bmw dealer and bmw of america and registered a complaint but recieved no assistance. if the projector bowls were available as replacement items i wouldn't be as un-happy unfortunately that's not the case and to rectify the problem it requires the customer to purchase headlight assemblies at around $1200.00 per side. as i am an engineer by profession i would consider this a design defect due to a poor choice of material capabilities and/or material compatibilities. i consider this to be a safety issue due to the fact that this occurs over time leaving the owner operator with slow deterioration of light quality. i would appreciate your assistance in holding bmw responsible for the safety of their customers and others on the our highways. i had notice the reduced light quality but was blaming it on the condition of my headlight lenses. but after having my headlight lenses reconditioned the lighting condition continued. leaving me to investigate and find that this is a common issue with other bmw 3 series automobiles. | |||
| 01/07/2012 | 140000 | ||
| Headlights have gradually lowered light output to the point that the vehicle is unsafe to operate in dark conditions. this condition has apparently happened to many other vehicles of the same make and model, and may have something to do with the low beam reflectors on 2003-2004 zkw hid headlights were made of some material that degraded when subjected to the heat produced by oem xenon bulbs. | |||
| 12/23/2008 | 35000 | ||
| Extremely low output. very dim. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | |||
| My 2004 bmw 330i, with zkw produced headlight components, suffers from what appears to be a known issue with the projector bulb reflectors burning after approximately 50,000 miles of driving time. this results in a diminished light output, and is a definite safety concern. please address this issue as i believe bmw is aware of the issue, yet will do nothing to remedy the issue with it's owners. | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 38520 | ||
| Zkw xenon headlights equipped on the car have a plastic reflector bowl for the low beam. the oem light bulb burns hot and melted the plastic reflector bowl. this causes a severe loss of projected light to the road. many times i have to drive with high beams on to see more than 10-15 ft in front of the car cause me to blind other drivers. bmw nor zkw recognize this as an issue and my dealer suggested i buy a whole new headlight assembly for 1.5k (each side) to fix the issue. this should be recalled because it is a design failure. the later versions on the zkw headlights use metal reflector bowls (not interchangeable with earlier version) so the issue is know to them. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | |||
| My 2004 bmw 330i, with zkw produced headlight components, suffers from what appears to be a known issue with the projector bulb reflectors burning after approximately 50,000 miles of driving time. this results in a diminished light output, and is a definite safety concern. please address this issue as i believe bmw is aware of the issue, yet will do nothing to remedy the issue with it's owners. | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 38520 | ||
| Zkw xenon headlights equipped on the car have a plastic reflector bowl for the low beam. the oem light bulb burns hot and melted the plastic reflector bowl. this causes a severe loss of projected light to the road. many times i have to drive with high beams on to see more than 10-15 ft in front of the car cause me to blind other drivers. bmw nor zkw recognize this as an issue and my dealer suggested i buy a whole new headlight assembly for 1.5k (each side) to fix the issue. this should be recalled because it is a design failure. the later versions on the zkw headlights use metal reflector bowls (not interchangeable with earlier version) so the issue is know to them. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | |||
| My 2004 bmw 330i, with zkw produced headlight components, suffers from what appears to be a known issue with the projector bulb reflectors burning after approximately 50,000 miles of driving time. this results in a diminished light output, and is a definite safety concern. please address this issue as i believe bmw is aware of the issue, yet will do nothing to remedy the issue with it's owners. | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 38520 | ||
| Zkw xenon headlights equipped on the car have a plastic reflector bowl for the low beam. the oem light bulb burns hot and melted the plastic reflector bowl. this causes a severe loss of projected light to the road. many times i have to drive with high beams on to see more than 10-15 ft in front of the car cause me to blind other drivers. bmw nor zkw recognize this as an issue and my dealer suggested i buy a whole new headlight assembly for 1.5k (each side) to fix the issue. this should be recalled because it is a design failure. the later versions on the zkw headlights use metal reflector bowls (not interchangeable with earlier version) so the issue is know to them. | |||
| 08/01/2008 | |||
| My 2004 bmw 330i, with zkw produced headlight components, suffers from what appears to be a known issue with the projector bulb reflectors burning after approximately 50,000 miles of driving time. this results in a diminished light output, and is a definite safety concern. please address this issue as i believe bmw is aware of the issue, yet will do nothing to remedy the issue with it's owners. | |||
| 05/01/2008 | 38520 | ||
| Zkw xenon headlights equipped on the car have a plastic reflector bowl for the low beam. the oem light bulb burns hot and melted the plastic reflector bowl. this causes a severe loss of projected light to the road. many times i have to drive with high beams on to see more than 10-15 ft in front of the car cause me to blind other drivers. bmw nor zkw recognize this as an issue and my dealer suggested i buy a whole new headlight assembly for 1.5k (each side) to fix the issue. this should be recalled because it is a design failure. the later versions on the zkw headlights use metal reflector bowls (not interchangeable with earlier version) so the issue is know to them. | |||
| 08/16/2010 | |||
| Problem began with rear right tail light working intermittently. now the problem is occuring with the left tail light and front right signal. problem prevents other drivers from knowing when i am braking or making a right turn. i have tried replacing bulbs but problem still presist and appears to be a problem with the wiring. i have called bmw north america to inquire about recall and i have not received any solid information on how to have my vehicle repaired. | |||
| 11/18/2009 | |||
| The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. the wiring is melted. while this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. the recall should be expanded to include more cars. i called bmw customer service. they are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing. thanks, | |||
| 08/16/2010 | |||
| Problem began with rear right tail light working intermittently. now the problem is occuring with the left tail light and front right signal. problem prevents other drivers from knowing when i am braking or making a right turn. i have tried replacing bulbs but problem still presist and appears to be a problem with the wiring. i have called bmw north america to inquire about recall and i have not received any solid information on how to have my vehicle repaired. | |||
| 11/18/2009 | |||
| The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. the wiring is melted. while this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. the recall should be expanded to include more cars. i called bmw customer service. they are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing. thanks, | |||
| 08/16/2010 | |||
| Problem began with rear right tail light working intermittently. now the problem is occuring with the left tail light and front right signal. problem prevents other drivers from knowing when i am braking or making a right turn. i have tried replacing bulbs but problem still presist and appears to be a problem with the wiring. i have called bmw north america to inquire about recall and i have not received any solid information on how to have my vehicle repaired. | |||
| 11/18/2009 | |||
| The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. the wiring is melted. while this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. the recall should be expanded to include more cars. i called bmw customer service. they are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing. thanks, | |||
| 08/16/2010 | |||
| Problem began with rear right tail light working intermittently. now the problem is occuring with the left tail light and front right signal. problem prevents other drivers from knowing when i am braking or making a right turn. i have tried replacing bulbs but problem still presist and appears to be a problem with the wiring. i have called bmw north america to inquire about recall and i have not received any solid information on how to have my vehicle repaired. | |||
| 11/18/2009 | |||
| The rear turn signals repeatedly fail. the wiring is melted. while this issue is addressed in nhtsa campaign id number: 11v438000, my car is not included in the recall. the recall should be expanded to include more cars. i called bmw customer service. they are indifferent to this issue and completely unconcerned about the safety issues created by their negligent manufacturing. thanks, | |||
| 06/14/2010 | 71000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw 330. the contact stated the plastic reflector bowl used for the headlights have burned and scorched by the heat of the bulbs used on the vehicle. the contact has replaced the covering before and within a year, it burned through again. the contact stated it is the zkw brand covering that fails. the vehicle had not been inspected by the dealer. the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 71,000.rl | |||
| 06/19/2011 | |||
| On 2003-2004 bmw 3 series e46 sedans with oem zkw manufactured xenon (hid) headlights, the reflective bowl for the headlights will become discolored and non-reflective after normal use with oem bulbs. over time, the heat from the oem bulb will scorch the reflective bowl and dramatically reduce light output to unsafe levels for night time driving. bmw has not notified owners of the design flaw, and no replacement parts are available other than the entire expensive, new headlight assemblies that will suffer from the same problem in time. though bmw refuses to acknowledge that an issue exists, bmw changed the xenon headlight reflector design for later model years to a metal reflector assembly that does not degrade when exposed to the normal operating temperatures of the oem xenon bulbs. these newer designed headlight assemblies to not suffer from any reduction in light output with use. | |||
| 04/04/2011 | 58000 | ||
| 2004 bmw 325xi sedan; tailight fails intermittently according to dashboard indicator, then failed solid. the wires melted inside the connector to the light housing and melted housing post - no easy way for home repair as this is not just a bad lightbulb. bmw has service bulletin on repair, but is a pure design defect from the factory. there is no owner-induced problem here. they will not accept responsibility for repairs or recalls. a google reveals that this is a widespread issue with bmw 3-series and some 5-series cars. they should be forced to recall these cars for repairs. | |||
| 09/15/2010 | 75000 | ||
| 2004 bmw 325i with the factory bi-xenon headlights manufactured by zkw. the lights have extensive damage to the reflective bowls such that the light output is quite dim. this is apparently a weel documented problem with these lights by this manufacturer. no replacement is available other than complete replacement at $1000 per light or retrofitting another type of projector in its place. bmw refuses to recognize this very common problem. | |||
| 10/23/2010 | |||
| 2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall. *tr | |||
| 09/17/2010 | 96000 | ||
| Bmw tail light ground is inadequate for applicable current load. hundreds if not thousands of bmw owners have reported this situation, where the brown ground wire connected to the male pin of the tail light module becomes oxidized, eventually causing a short, melting of the connector plug, and causing brake and turn signal failure. bmw sells a fix package for the problem, so they certainly know it exists. again, this is being reported by hundreds if not thousands of bmw owners. | |||
| 04/01/2010 | 100000 | ||
| 2004 bmw 330xi sedan (e46) rear tail light indicator light consistently comes on, even though there is no tail lamp failure. online community forums report that this is likely due to ground wire short in the tail lamp assembly. cost of repair at dealership estimated at $700. currently being investigated by nhtsa as ea09-019, but i'm wary of being overcharged by dealership for what should be a recall. | |||
| 03/25/2009 | 1 | ||
| 1. over the lifetime of the vehicle the xenon bulbs are hot enough to burn the plastic reflector that shines the light on the road. as this reflector bowl burns inside the headlight assemble light output is severely diminished by at least 60-70% this posed a major safety issue to myself and others. 2. the headlights made by zkw were installed on bmw sedan's model years 2003-2004 only. it is a constant occurrence and is very dangerous. i cannot see the road in front of me without my fog lights. 3. i was forced to purchase two new headlight assemblies that were priced at $1,000 per side. there is no alternative which is very troublesome for thousands of owners of this model year car. *tr | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 11/13/2004 | 1 | ||
| I find the halogen headlights on many cars very distracting. i am not sure but i think they are on german cars. i am told they are well liked by the drivers of the owners of these cars but i find them hazardous for the cars which are facing them. these headlights seem to me as dangerous as someone using there high lights against oncoming traffic. have you heard this complaint before? is there anything to be done? thank you for a response. edith r. marks i found you on google. *jb | |||