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2005 BMW 3 Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 BMW 3 Series do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 13 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

4 reports
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90,000 miles · Apr 8, 2017
Exterior Lighting

PASSENGER HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM REFLECTOR IS BURNT OUT DUE TO FAULTY MATERIAL BEING USED. REFLECTOR IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND NORMAL HEAT FROM BULB MELTS THE PLASTIC. THIS MAKES IT VERY UNSAFE AND DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. THIS SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON ON THE INTERNET. THE SOLUTION IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND DUE TO THIS COST,MO…

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

NHTSA ODI #10971468

31,000 miles · Mar 4, 2016
Exterior LightingVisibility/wiper

SIDE MIRRORS FADING INTO A BROWN COLOR. MAKING THE VISIBILITY THROUGH THEM IMPOSSIBLE. MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST SIDE SWIPED CARS THAT ARE ON THE SIDE OF ME DUE TO MY NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUR OF MY SIDE MIRRORS. ALSO FRONT LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAVE CHANGED IT 3 TIMES IN TWO MONTHS AND IT KEEPS EITHER GOING OUT OR FALLING OUT…

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SIDE MIRRORS FADING INTO A BROWN COLOR. MAKING THE VISIBILITY THROUGH THEM IMPOSSIBLE. MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST SIDE SWIPED CARS THAT ARE ON THE SIDE OF ME DUE TO MY NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUR OF MY SIDE MIRRORS. ALSO FRONT LIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I HAVE CHANGED IT 3 TIMES IN TWO MONTHS AND IT KEEPS EITHER GOING OUT OR FALLING OUT OF THE HOLE MAKING THE INDICATOR LIGHT COME ON.

NHTSA ODI #10839998

52,300 miles · Feb 23, 2013
Exterior Lighting

I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FROM BMW FOR THE PROBLEM WITH REAR LAMPS. AT THAT TIME,ALL REAL LAMPS WERE WORKING ON MY CAR. HOWEVER FOR SAFETY CONCERN, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO BE CHECKED; FEW MONTHS LATER, ONE OF THE TAIL LIGHT NOT WORKING. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY WERE DONE FOR THE RECALL . I NEED TO PAY I…

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

NHTSA ODI #10499776

126,000 miles · Nov 11, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

2005 BMW 320I . TAIL LIGHT INDICATOR WARNING CAME ON. TURNS OUT THE WIRE WAS MELTED AROUND THE METAL WHERE THE WIRE PLUGS INTO TAIL LIGHT!! VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10365397

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE09036 · Rear Lamp Illumination

Opened Aug 7, 2009 · Closed Dec 22, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:tail Lights; Exterior Lighting:turn Signal

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.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Exterior Lighting

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:brake Lights

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

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:turn Signal

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.