Bmw 325ci 2004
Model 325ci made in 2004 by Bmw got 37 consumer complains, 1 investigation there is 1 recall as well as 6 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags, electrical system and engine and engine cooling. Technical service bulletines regarding exterior lighting, steering. The car had one investigation (power train). There was one recall concerning service brakes, hydraulic . The car has one 2.5 engine.
Model 2004
| Engine [L] | Cylinders | Transmission | Drive | Estimate MPG (city/highway/combined) | Unadjusted MPG (city/highway/combined) | Fuel | Fuel cost | Class | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | 6 | Manual, 5 gears | R | 20/29/24 | 22.6/37.8/27.593 | Premium | 1001 | SUBCOMPACT CARS | |
| 2.5 | 6 | Semiautomatic, 5 gears | R | 19/27/22 | 21.5624/34.9976/26.0651 | Premium | 1092 | SUBCOMPACT CARS | |
| 2.5 | 6 | Semiautomatic, 6 gears | R | 21/30/24 | 23.3162/38.8644/28.4354 | Premium | 1001 | SUBCOMPACT CARS |
Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | ||||||||||||||||
| 07E023000 | CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC. | E (Equipment) | 13128 | 04/02/2007 | MFR | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 03/29/2007 | 03/29/2007 | ||||||||
| Defect Summary | Certain cardone master cylinders with date codes lower than dca7078 sold as replacement equipment for use on the vehicles listed above. the seal on master cylinder can fail and leak brake fluid. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | Loss of brake fluid can result in poor braking performance, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Cardone will notify owners and offer to repurchase any defective master cylinders. the recall began during april 2007. owners can contact cardone at 1-800-777-4780. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | This recall only pertains to aftermarket cardone master cylinders and has no relation to any original equipment installed on the vehicles listed above.customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||||
| SIB-63-02-01 | 08/01/2010 | 10037025 | Ready | 04/27/2011 | |
| 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 | |
| STEERING - ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| SIB-32-04-07 | 06/01/2010 | 10036979 | Ready | 04/25/2011 | |
| SIB-32-04-07 | 06/01/2010 | 10036979 | Bmw: a new technical process has been created for bmw to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models. *rm | 04/25/2011 | |
| STEERING - HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | |||||
| SIB-32-04-07 | 06/01/2010 | 10036979 | Ready | 04/25/2011 | |
| SIB-32-04-07 | 06/01/2010 | 10036979 | Bmw: a new technical process has been created for bmw to identify causes of steering complaints with a wide range of models. *rm | 04/25/2011 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | ||||||
| DP04001 | BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE | 02/03/2004 | 05/27/2004 | DELAYED TRANSMISSION ENGAGEMENT | ||
| Ms. claire m. tieder of reston, va, submitted a defect petition to the national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa) by letter dated january 11, 2004, requesting a defect investigation be conducted into delayed transmission engagement on model year 2004 bmw xi vehicles.bmw's response to nhtsa's information request indicated that certain bmw 3-series vehicles equipped with the gm5 transmission may exhibited a forward 'park' to 'drive' engagement delay from2 to 30 seconds.however, the condition can occur only during a vehicle cold start, after the vehicle has been at rest for more than eight hours.drivers experiencing the delay have learned to take precautionary and compensatory measures.bwm will replace affected transmissions exhibiting the delay, after the condition has been verified, with an improved unit.no alleged crashes, injuries, or fatalities have been reported to either bmw or nhtsa relating to this issue.based on analysis of nhtsa's consumer complaints and bmw's data, the petition is denied.for details, see federal register, vol. 69, no. 91 (may 11, 2004). | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 09/30/2008 | 72000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated that when an occupant is seated in the passenger seat, the air bag indicator illuminates. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer to determine the cause of the failure. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 72,000. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 11/09/2012 | 63000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated that she noticed there was a leak from under the front of the vehicle. the contact then attempted to start the vehicle but to no avail. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they advised her that the battery failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 63,000. | |||
| 11/09/2012 | 63000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated that she noticed there was a leak from under the front of the vehicle. the contact then attempted to start the vehicle but to no avail. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they advised her that the battery failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 63,000. kmj | |||
| 11/09/2012 | 63000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated she noticed that there was a leak under the front of the vehicle. the contact then tried to get into the vehicle and start it but the vehicle would not start. the vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the battery was dead and it needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 63,000. ap | |||
| 10/02/2012 | 91500 | 1 | |
| Driver side brake lamp has gone out. in researching, found that this is a common problem with this model in the led tail light and can cause a crash due to other drivers not being able to tell that you are stopping. found recall information on nhtsa site and contacted bmw. i was informed that my specific vin was not included in this campaign, yet the problem is the same problem that affects 241,000 other cars. i would like to ask that my situation (and vin) be evaluated and included in the recall since this is a known issue with this model. thank you for your assistance! *tr | |||
| 10/02/2012 | 91500 | ||
| Driver side brake lamp has gone out. in researching, found that this is a common problem with this model in the led tail light and can cause a crash due to other drivers not being able to tell that you are stopping. found recall information on nhtsa site and contacted bmw. i was informed that my specific vin was not included in this campaign, yet the problem is the same problem that affects 241,000 other cars. i would like to ask that my situation (and vin) be evaluated and included in the recall since this is a known issue with this model. thank you for your assistance! | |||
| 11/30/2009 | 83000 | 1 | |
| At around 20k miles, the smg (sequential manual gearbox w/ paddle shifters) on my '04 325ci began experiencing many of the same problems that i've read about regarding the automatic transmission. after a cold night, the smg would not shift into reverse or drive. it would keep clunking over and over, continually louder, until i shifted back into neutral. i had the car towed to bmw, where they had to replace the tranny. at 83k miles, i'm starting to notice some of the same problems again. additionally, with both trannys, the car delays its acceleration for about a second or two when starting from a stop. this has always been a problem. on top of that, my alternator just went out after a cold night. in my opinion, bmw's (at least mine) do not like the cold! *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 08/06/2005 | 9850 | 1 | 01/06/2005 |
| No sing of malfunction prior to or since incident. engine cut off while cruising on highway. cruise control turned off, all lights in dash lit up, engine came back on and everything operational in less than 5 seconds. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 04/08/2004 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Engine needs to be replaced on 2004 bmw 325ic. *mr the check coolant light had come on, then the oil indicator light and then the engine stopped. this all occurred within seconds. the consumer was informed that a water pump was needed and that there was a serious oil leak. the left and right windows did not move into the lock position. *sc *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 10/02/2012 | 91500 | 1 | |
| Driver side brake lamp has gone out. in researching, found that this is a common problem with this model in the led tail light and can cause a crash due to other drivers not being able to tell that you are stopping. found recall information on nhtsa site and contacted bmw. i was informed that my specific vin was not included in this campaign, yet the problem is the same problem that affects 241,000 other cars. i would like to ask that my situation (and vin) be evaluated and included in the recall since this is a known issue with this model. thank you for your assistance! *tr | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | |||
| 05/17/2010 | 58248 | ||
| 2004 bmw 325 ci -- constant fuel leak. vehicle has been repaired twice but the problem persists. | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - STORAGE - TANK ASSEMBLY | |||
| 12/31/2005 | 17000 | 1 | |
| Dt*: the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. while pumping gas into the vehicle the gas tank caught fire. it was determined by the dealership this could have occurred because of static electricity. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 11/30/2009 | 83000 | 1 | |
| At around 20k miles, the smg (sequential manual gearbox w/ paddle shifters) on my '04 325ci began experiencing many of the same problems that i've read about regarding the automatic transmission. after a cold night, the smg would not shift into reverse or drive. it would keep clunking over and over, continually louder, until i shifted back into neutral. i had the car towed to bmw, where they had to replace the tranny. at 83k miles, i'm starting to notice some of the same problems again. additionally, with both trannys, the car delays its acceleration for about a second or two when starting from a stop. this has always been a problem. on top of that, my alternator just went out after a cold night. in my opinion, bmw's (at least mine) do not like the cold! *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 05/10/2011 | 100000 | ||
| I owned the car for a year before it started giving me problems. it first gave me a problem changing from reverse to drive. it slips and wont go into gear. the most dangerous is when im turning a corner and the car puts itself into nuetral. at this time it is not driveable and i've researched it and it is common for this vehicle but i don't understand why there isn't a recall. its dangerous! ive taken it to a mechanic and for a second opinion at bmw. the cost to repair my car is over $5,000, if i would have known that i would have bought the newer bmw. now im without a car waiting to get approved for another loan just to pay for repairs. | |||
| 04/12/2004 | 4900 | 10 | 12/02/2004 |
| Bought the car new in dec. transmission failed almost immediately. dealer talked us into having a clutch pack replacement after software upgrade attempts failed.*ak now the car has a noxious stinking smell emminating from the transmission. independent transmission expert says the clutch is slipping and burning insulation. while attempting to merge onto highway with three passengers downshifted for more torque the engine revved as if it were in neutral. terrifying experience. bmw dealer and bmwna are unwilling to address this problem. they say car is performing normally. please help. | |||
| 02/15/2004 | 150 | 5 | 01/09/2004 |
| My new car will not accelerate when i give it gas. contacted my dealer and they said it was normal for a break in period. the car hit 2 - 3,000 rpms without moving. very scary. this has happened several times usually after not driving the car for several hours. the car has less than 2k miles and was purchased in december. the bmw message boards are filled with other victims of this known defect. dealer said i have nothing to worry about and that the car is under warranty. this is ridiculous for a $45,000+ car to be unsafe. will you please do something to alert other drivers before someone is killed. thank you. *nm | |||
| 03/03/2004 | 1000 | 2 | 11/11/2003 |
| On cold starts vehicle does not move when transmission put in drive. it delays for 10 to 15 seconds to one minute. i was told by dealer that it has a defective part and they are currently replacing the transmission. vehicle has 2000 miles on it. also had problem with the steptronic transmission. vehicle will not allow you to manually shift the gear when you select manual for the clutchless shift. it simply gets stuck and then shifts on its own. dealer had not heard of this problem. now i am driving 1 2004 x5 as a loaner from the dealer and it too has the same problem with the steptronic transmission when you select manual. i can shorten the delay by increasing the engine speed. the vehicle will then creeps forward until the transmission is fully engaged. | |||
| 11/20/2003 | 80 | 5 | 08/05/2003 |
| Cold morning start the vehicle revs to 2 -3k rpms with little or no forward motion. drive is not engaging. pulling out in traffic was terrifying. dealer offered several reasons: 1) needed to be broken in 2) needs a software upgrade 3) needs a clutch pack part and finally 4) needs a new transmission. *ak | |||
| 01/27/2004 | 1108 | 2 | 06/21/2003 |
| The steptronic transmission will not engauge in d for several minutes after sitting overnight. bmw replaced the transmission at 1100 miles and at 300 miles the new transmission is doing the same thing. the car goes in r and potentially could leave you in traffic without the ability to move out of the way.*ak | |||
| 01/16/2004 | 12/15/2003 | ||
| Petition for defect investigation of the 2004 bmw 325xi due to hesitation in shifting of the automatic transmission when vehicle is in motion especially when accelerating after a full stop. *mr when the consumer shifted from reverse to drive it experienced delays of from one half minute to two minutes before the transmission shifted into drive then the vehicle would move forward. *sc | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 09/21/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at low sped on low traffic stopped and moved forward, the clutch didn't engage properly and smelled burning . dealership inspected the vehicle several times and could not duplicate or correct the problem . *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 11/30/2009 | 83000 | 1 | |
| At around 20k miles, the smg (sequential manual gearbox w/ paddle shifters) on my '04 325ci began experiencing many of the same problems that i've read about regarding the automatic transmission. after a cold night, the smg would not shift into reverse or drive. it would keep clunking over and over, continually louder, until i shifted back into neutral. i had the car towed to bmw, where they had to replace the tranny. at 83k miles, i'm starting to notice some of the same problems again. additionally, with both trannys, the car delays its acceleration for about a second or two when starting from a stop. this has always been a problem. on top of that, my alternator just went out after a cold night. in my opinion, bmw's (at least mine) do not like the cold! *tr | |||
| SEATS | |||
| 03/14/2010 | 48000 | ||
| While driviing my 2004 bmw 325ci sport down the road smelled something burning, looked down my heated seat caught fire, burnt my leg, almost wrecked trying to get off the highway. now my seat has a huge burnt hole in it and cant use seat heaters. both passenger and drivers seat are doing the same thing!!!! my car only has 45000 miles on it. this neeeds to be a recalllll!!!!! | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES | |||
| 10/11/2012 | 125000 | 1 | |
| While driving at highway speeds, the car began to pull/swerve. a metal on metal grinding noise also began. i was able to get off the highway and have the car towed. a mechanic found that the rear passenger side parking brake had engaged and disintegrated into several pieces of metal. all other wheels were unaffected. the parking brake lever was down, and had not been used in several months. *tr | |||
| 10/11/2012 | 125000 | ||
| While driving at highway speeds, the car began to pull/swerve. a metal on metal grinding noise also began. i was able to get off the highway and have the car towed. a mechanic found that the rear passenger side parking brake had engaged and disintegrated into several pieces of metal. all other wheels were unaffected. the parking brake lever was down, and had not been used in several months. | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 06/27/2004 | 76 | 3 | 06/26/2004 |
| Brake failure ( delayed brake engagement) once upon leaving the dealer ship. again 24 hours later( resulting in a crash) and one week later with 600 miles. mw claims nothing wrong with vehicle. i traded car in refusing to endanger my live and the lives of others.*ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 05/13/2012 | 34000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated that the rear view mirror became distorted and began to leak. the liquid burned the gear shift console plastic. the dealer stated the rear view mirrors automatic dimmer consist of a liquid. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 34,000. rvk | |||
| 05/13/2012 | 34000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the constated stated that the vehicle rear view mirror became distorted and caused liquid to leak. the liquid burnt the gear shifter console plastic. the dealer advised that the rear view mirrors automatic dimmer consist of a liquid. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 34,000. li | |||
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | |||
| 02/27/2004 | 1 | 01/05/2004 | |
| Bmw 525i 2004: dealer says they can not set speedometer to show miles actually traveling: instead the speedometers on all cars are set using the following formula: speed shown on speedometer x .10 (the result) add 2.4 miles. then take this result and subtract it from the miles shown on the speedometer to find the actual miles i am traveling! in other words if the speedometer shows i am traveling 70 mph x .10 = 7 + 2.4 = 9.4 i am actually going 60.6 miles! bmw refuses to adjust this. what can i do short of trading in car?*jb | |||
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 05/13/2012 | 34000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 bmw 325ci. the contact stated that the rear view mirror became distorted and began to leak. the liquid burned the gear shift console plastic. the dealer stated the rear view mirrors automatic dimmer consist of a liquid. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 34,000. | |||
| 04/08/2004 | 80000 | 1 | |
| Engine needs to be replaced on 2004 bmw 325ic. *mr the check coolant light had come on, then the oil indicator light and then the engine stopped. this all occurred within seconds. the consumer was informed that a water pump was needed and that there was a serious oil leak. the left and right windows did not move into the lock position. *sc *jb | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL | WINTER PARK | 32789 | FIELDS BMW | 407-628-2100 |
| LA | METAIRIE | PEAKE BMW | ||
| MO | MANCHESTER | 63011 | SUNTRUP WEST COUNTY | 636-227-5454 |
| NC | CHAPEL HILL | 27514 | PERFORMANCE | 888-502-8860 |
| NJ | WAYNE | 07470 | PAUL MILLER BMW | 201 696 6060 |
| NV | RENO | 89502 | BILL PEARCE RENO BMW | 7758262100 |
| VA | STERLING | 20166 | BMW OF STERLING | 571 434 1944 |