2003 BMW 3 Series
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 489 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 21 3 Series model years with reports.
Of the 2003 reports, 17 involved a crash and 21 involved a fire. 26 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints
489 reports, newest first.
Power train, Jul 19, 2004
PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2003 BMW 325I.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION LAGGED FOLLOWED BY SURGING WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK, NEUTRAL, REVERSE THEN DRIVE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. INITIALLY THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THREE MONTHS LATER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE DEALER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE CONSUMER IN ALMOST 2 WEEKS TO PERFORM THIS SERVICE. *NM
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 15, 2004
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
Power train, Jun 29, 2004
VEHICLE THRUSTS FORWARD DESPITE THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. *MR CONSUMER HAD TO PRESS BOTH FEET TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM JUMPING INTO THE INTERSECTION. ALSO, CONSUMER HAD TO SHIFT GEAR FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. *LA
Power train, Jun 23, 2004
VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGAGING WHEN STARTING FROM A STATIONARY POSITION. *MR THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP TO 3-4000, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD CREEP, LURCH FORWARD AND SPEED UP NORMALLY. THIS WOULD USUALLY OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE SAT OVERNIGHT. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WHEN BACKING UP. *SC *JB
Tires, Jun 23, 2004
COMPLAINT REGARDING DEFECTIVE GOODYEAR TIRES. *MR THERE WAS A BUBBLE ON THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. *SC THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *JB
Engine and engine cooling, Jun 21, 2004
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 11, 2004
ENGINE STALLED IN TRAFFIC; HAD TO COAST TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. WOULD NOT RE-START, DESPITE STRONG CRANKING. COMPUTER READ "38 MILES TO EMPTY" AND GAUGE READ APPROXIMATELY 1/4 TO 1/8 TANK OF FUEL REMAINING. CAR WAS TOWED IN AND SEVERAL FAULTS WERE FOUND: 240, 243. DEALER TECH (VISTA BMW, FL) STATED IN SERVICE RECEIPT: FUEL SENDING UNITS. CHECKED FUEL PRESSURE . . . PRESSURE WAS 3.5 BAR. CHECKED RETURN FUEL PRESSURE AT FUEL TANK . . . PRESSURE WAS 1.0 BAR. REMOVED BOTH FUEL SENDING UNITS & PERFORMED RESISTANCE SWEEP OF BOTH RESISTANCE CARS . . . BOTH LEFT & RIGHT SENDING UNITS HAD AN OPEN. REPLACED LEFT & RIGHT FUEL SENDING UNITS. PARTS REPLACED: FUEL SENSOR, SUCTION UNIT. SAFETY CONSIDERATION: SUDDEN ENGINE STOPAGE CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, YET THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED EVENT. INTERNET WEB SITES RELATE OTHER BMW'S WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME IS THE COMPLETE LACK OF WARNING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MARK PETERS BEDFORD, TX PYLT@COMCAST.NET
Visibility, May 11, 2004
WINDSHIELD WIPERS "AUTO" POSITION CAUSES WIPERS TO FAIL TO SUDDENLY FAIL TO OPERATE DURING RAIN CONDITIONS. ALSO, CAN CAUSE DISTRACTING SWEEPS OF THE WIPERS WITH NO RAIN OR WATER, ANYWHERE NEAR THE CAR OR WINDSHIELD SENSOR. ODDLY, DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR; SERVICE WRITERS REFUSED TO WRITE IT UP AS "NORMAL" OPERATION. BMW FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER NOTED THE WINDSHIELD SENSOR (WHICH ALSO CONTAINS CONTROLS FOR AUTOMATIC LIGHTS) WAS MASSIVELY DELAMINATED FROM THE WINDSHIELD, THUS REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD FOR THIS SMALL PART. ISSUES: 1. NORMAL "ERRATIC" OPERATION OF WIPERS (AND AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS) IS ACCEPTABLE TO BMW SERVICE WRITERS. 2. WIPERS ARE A CRITICAL SAFETY FUNCTION, YET WITH BMW'S SYSTEM THEY CAN APPARENTLY OPERATE ERRATICALLY DUE TO A BAD SENSOR "BOND" WITH THE WINDSHIELD. 3. THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD IS HIGH--OUT OF WARRANTY MANY DRIVERS MAY NOT BOTHER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE GIVEN THE MASSIVE COST (AND ABSURDITY) OF REPLACING AN OTHERWISE PERFECT WINDSHIELD. THIS COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IF THE DRIVER WERE TO BE IN THE "AUTO" WIPER FUNCTION WITH A FAILED SYSTEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. MARK PETERS PYLT@COMCAST.NET
Electrical system, May 11, 2004
INTERMITTENT SEVERE ENGINE MISS. ENGINE HESITATION/FAILURE TO ACCELERATE. ENGINE SURGES AND HAS VERY ROUGH IDLE. TRANSMISSION FAILURE TO UP SHIFT (MAXIMUM SPEED IS APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH). SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATES, BUT NOT ALWAYS (INTERMITTENT). WITH LESS THAN 9,000 MILES THIS CAR HAS BEEN TOWED IN THREE TIMES FOR THIS AND OTHER FAILURES WHICH HAVE LEFT THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE. BMW DEALERSHIP SERVICE PERSONNEL HAVE REPLACED MANY PARTS, WITHOUT SUCCESS, AS FAR AS WE KNOW (MORE LATER). THESE ENGINE EVENTS CAN OCCUR SPONTANEOUSLY, AND ARE NOT ALWAYS INDICATED BY A "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE MOST DANGEROUS SITUATIONS ARE WHEN IT OCCURS AS ONE COMES TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC OR WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR SPONTANEOUSLY, IF THE ENGINE WERE TO STALL OR BEGIN TO RUN ON LESS THAN ITS FULL COMPLEMENT OF CYLINDERS, IT COULD LEAVE ONE EXPOSED TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH NO WAY TO ACCELERATE. VERY DANGEROUS. INTERNET SEACHING AFTER THE LATEST "REPAIR" ATTEMPT HAS EXPOSED A "SECRET" BMW BULLETIN REGARDING BREMI IGNITION COILS. (APPARENTLY, THIS IS THE SAME COIL BRAND USED IN THE VW/AUDI CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS TWO YEARS AGO.) ALL SIX IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS, AND A HOST OF OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THUS FAR. UNKNOWN IF THESE ATTEMPTS WERE SUCCESSFUL AS THIS CAR IS NO LONGER BEING DRIVEN--IT'S FATE AWAITS A POSSIBLE LAW SUIT AGAINST BMW. I STRONGLY URGE THE NHTSA TO RECALL EVERY BMW WITH THESE COILS, IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING BMW'S EFFORTS TO NOT PUBLICIZE THIS INFORMATION MORE READILY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. MARK PETERS PYLT@COMCAST.NET
Fuel system, Gasoline, May 6, 2004
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH. CONDITION FORCED CONSUMER TO PULL VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. UNABLE TO RESTART UNTIL 30-60 SECONDS LATER. DEALER INSPECTED AND FIXED THE FUEL INJECTION. BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 29, 2004
NO EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE CAR WILL RANDOMLY STALL WHEN STOPPED. PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. BMW CLAIMS THERE IS NO PROBLEM
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 29, 2004
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BMW 3.0L ENGINE WHERE IDLING ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARMED-UP IS USUALLY VERY ROUGH IN THE RANGE OF 500-700 RPM. THERE IS ALSO A TENDENCY TO DIP BELOW 500 RPM AND STALL OUT. THIS STARTED HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 700 MILES ON IT. I CONSIDER THE STALL A FAILURE.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 29, 2004
CAR HAS STALLED TWICE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. CAR HAS CONSISTENT ROUGH IDLE AND VERGES ON STALLING AT TIMES.
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 22, 2004
MY 2003 BMW 330I ZHP HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND OCCASIONALLY STALLS. I'VE HAD IT SERVICED 3 TIMES, BUT ISSUE STILL NOT RESOLVED.*AK
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 7, 2004
WHEN PULLING OUT THE DIP STICK AFTER VEHICLE WAS SITTING FOR A WHILE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO READ THE DIP STICK. OIL SPREAD IN VARIOUS PLACES ON THE DIP STICK. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 7, 2004
I AM EXPERIENCING A STALLING PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 BMW 330I. AT A STOP LIGHT THE CAR HAS A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND HAS STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING ON ALMOST EVERY 330I, AS EVIDENCED ON NUMEROUS INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS (INCLUDING BIMMERFEST.COM AND BIMMERFORUMS.COM) BUT BMW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD, AS THE STALLING AS LEFT ME STRANDED AT AN INTERSECTION IN THE PAST WITH TRAFFIC FLOWING AROUND ME AS I ATTEMPT TO RESTART. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Apr 3, 2004
2003 330I ZHP (PERFORMANCE PACKAGE) : 6K MILES... CAR IDLE'S ROUGH AND STALLS OCCASIONALLY. DEALER / SERVICE HAD NO ERROR REPORTS IN THE COMPUTER, SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. PROBLEM CONTINUES... *NM
Vehicle speed control, Apr 1, 2004
ENGINE STALLS/ ROUGH IDLE WHEN RPMS ARE LOW. FIX NOT AVAILABLE. *AK
Electrical system, Mar 23, 2004
CAR STALLS. CAR DISPLAYS ERRATIC IDLE. CAR ENGINE STUMLE. *AKS
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 23, 2004
2003 BMW 330I, I HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE ENGINE STALLS WHEN THE COASTING TO A STOP, OR SITTING STATIONARY, AND WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED. ENGINE ALSO EXHIBITS UNEVEN/ODD ACCELERATION BEHAVIOR, OFTEN LAGGING NOTICEABLY AT SPEED. I'VE HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ON 4 OCCASIONS IN THE PAST YEAR (19K MILES) WITH ZERO RESOLUTION. BECAUSE THE CAR ISN'T THROWING AN ERROR CODES, I GUESS THAT I HAVE TO JUST "LIVE WITH IT". NOT ACCEPTABLE. THIS CAN BE A DANGEROUS ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN COASTING TO A STOP. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BMW FINALLY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. I JUST SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IN THIS DAY IN AGE, AND WITH A MASS-PRODUCED CAR. *AK
Electrical system, Mar 17, 2004
I HAVE A BMW 325I WHICH I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN NOV. '02. IN MARCH '03, WHILE DRIVING ON THE NJTPK AT 60-65MPH IN THE LEFT LANE, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ITS ACCELERATION. THE CLOCKS ALSO WENT OFF AND THEN RESET ITSELF TO 12:00. BEING THAT I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE NJ TURNPIKE, I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO CROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND COME TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER (THERE WAS NO LEFT SHOULDER). I WAITED FOR A WHILE, RESTARTED THE CAR, RESET THE CLOCK AND HIT THE ROAD AGAIN. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE CAR STARTING ACTING UP... AT ONE OCCASION, I WAS NOT ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR USING THE REMOTE. AT ANOTHER, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP UPON PULLING ON THE KNOB. THE LIGHT BELOW THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WOULD NOT COME ON. MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS WOULD GO AWAY AFTER I WOULD SHUT DOWN THE CAR AND RESTART IT. I TOOK THE CAR INTO PRINCETON BMW WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT. THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A FULL DAY AND DID EXTENSIVE TESTING ON IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I DID NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATION ALTHOUGH THE LIGHT BEHIND THE REAR VIEW MIRROR STILL DOES NOT WORK FINE. IF I TURN THE RIGHT LIGHT ON, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHT COMES ON. WELL, THIS PAST WEAKENED (MARCH 14TH '04) I HAD AN ANOTHER EXPERIENCE, ON RT. 1, WHERE THE CAR TOTALLY LOST ITS ACCELERATION AGAIN. I AM GOING TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH PRINCETON BMW AGAIN. I ALSO CALLED BMW OF NA AND INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE. *NM
Power train, Mar 11, 2004
ON COLD DAYS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE FOR APPROX. 5-10 SECONDS BEFORE DRIVING. *PH ON VERY COLD DAYS, LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR ONLY 4 HOURS WAS ENOUGH TO CAUSE IT TO SLIP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER ORDERED AND REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AT NO COST. *NM
Electrical system, Mar 11, 2004
CAR STALLS. *AK
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Mar 11, 2004
ERRATIC ENGINE IDLE AND STALL.AT IDLE ENGINE RPMS WILL DROP CAUSING A STALL/STUTTER. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. THIS EFFECTS ALL 330I ZHP (PERFORMANCE PKG) MODEL.*AK
Tires, Mar 8, 2004
REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE RIPPED COMPLETELY APART WHILE TRAVELING 20-25 MPH. *PH *MR