2005 BMW 330I Exterior Lighting Problems

THE OEM FACTORY ZKW HEADLIGHT REFLECTOR BOWL IS CHEAPLY MADE AND IS KNOWN TO BURN OUT. THE CHEAP PLASTIC USED CANNOT HANDLE THE HEAT OF THE BULB AND THE METALLIC REFLECTOR FILM EVENTUALLY STARTS TO GO BAD CAUSING VERY POOR HEADLIGHT VISIBILITY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND CONCERN. BMW NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOULD FIND A REPLACEMENT OPTION WITHOUT USING THE POORLY MADE OEM ZKW REFLECTOR BOWL.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE LIGHT INTENSITY HAS STEADILY DECLINED IN BOTH HEADLIGHTS OF MY CAR, TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NO LONGER FUNCTION. MY MECHANIC HAS LOOKED INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOUND THAT THE PROJECTOR BOWL REFLECTOR HAS PREMATURELY WORN OUT -- IT HAS LOST ITS REFLECTIVE ABILITY. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AND BASED ON MULTIPLE REPORTS IN ONLINE GROUP DISCUSSIONS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE ZKW XENON HEADLIGHTS. THIS DEFECT IN THE HEADLIGHTS COMPROMISES SAFE OPERABILITY AND INCREASES THE RISK OF A NIGHT-TIME ACCIDENT. THIS IS A PART OF THE HEADLIGHT THAT SHOULD NOT WEAR OUT OR NEED REPLACEMENT UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, AS HAS BEEN THE CASE WITH MY VEHICLE. I HAVE RESORTED TO USING MY FOG LIGHTS OR HIGH BEAMS FOR DRIVING AT NIGHT. BMW AND ZKW ARE DEFLECTING THE ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING A POTENTIAL WIDESPREAD DEFECT IN THESE XENON ZKW HEADLIGHTS. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 130,000

I PRESENTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER A FEW YEARS AGO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT KEPT TELLING ME A BULB WAS OUT AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ALL THE BULBS WERE WORKING. I HAVE REPLACE THE REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY DUE TO THE PRONG WHERE STARTING TO MELT. SO I CALL BMWNA AND THEY TOO IGNORED MY FIRST REQUEST FOR THE RECALL ON THE 2005 BMW REAR TAIL LIGHT HAZARD, I HAVE SINCE TRIED TO CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT WITHIN THE RECALL TIME FRAME BUT IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT MY CAR IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ALL THE OTHERS ONES HAVE HAD AND WISH TO GET THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD FIXED BECAUSE IF THE LIGHT ON THE DASH WILL READ ONE THING BUT THE TAIL LIGHT IS SHOWING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THOSE TRAVELING BEHIND ME. I HAVE ENCLOSED THE TWO PHOTOS OF THE BURNT CASING AND HARNESS. I FEEL THIS HAZARD IS PUTTING ME AND MY FAMILY IN GREAT DANGER BECAUSE THERE ARE NO DEFINITE SIGN WHEN OR WHERE THESE LIGHTS MALFUNCTION THE BLINKER, BRAKE, ETC .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), 14V428000 (AIR BAGS), AND 15V318000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

I BROUGHT MY CAR TO BMW FREEPORT WAS A TAIL LIGHT RECALL & THEY REFUSED TO FIX MY VEHICLE. SAID THE HARNESS & WIRES WERE MELTED TOO MUCH & IT WOULD COST $1400 TO FIX. NOW I HAVE A SAFETY HAZARD AS I'M DRIVING WITH NO TAIL LIGHT OR MY WIRES COULD CATCH ON FIRE. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED FOR FREE UNDER A RECALL FROM 2011.

Mileage: 138,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED EXTREMELY DIMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REFLECTOR INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING MELTED AND CAUSED THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE DIMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000...UPDATED 01/21/15 *BF UPDATED 9/11/2017*CN

Mileage: 90,000

THE PROJECTOR BOWLS ON MY 2005 E46 330I SHOW SIGNS OF BURNING. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO AFFECT ALL E46 MODELS WITH ZKW XENON HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN BOWLS EFFECT THE LIGHT OUTPUT OFTEN RESULTING IN A POORLY LIT VIEW OF THE ROAD AHEAD. *TR

Mileage: 123,000

PURCHASED THE CAR IN APRIL 2012. NOTICED THAT THE XENON HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT OUTPUTTING AS MUCH LIGHT AS I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD. INSPECTED THE AREA BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS (THE REFLECTIVE BOWLS) AND DISCOVERED THAT THEY WERE BURNED. UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE ZKW XENON EQUIPPED BMW 3 SERIES (E46) VEHICLES, AND THE NHTSA HAS MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ALREADY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT IN MY MIND. HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS SHOULD NOT BURN FROM THEIR DESIGNED USAGE. THIS WILL COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. BMW SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM . *TR

Mileage: 87,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED BUT APPEARED VERY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

ZKW BRAND XENON HEADLIGHTS - THE BACK OF THE PROJECTOR BOWL IS MADE OF PLASTIC (VS. METAL IN THE AL/BOSCH BRAND, ALSO USED BY BMW), WHICH OVER TIME BURNS FROM THE HEAT PUT OUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN TURNS THE PLASTIC FROM WHITE TO BROWN/ORANGE, WHICH SEVERELY REDUCES LIGHT OUTPUT, MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. THE HEADLIGHT FROM MY CAR IS SO POOR THAT AT NIGHT I CAN SEE THE SHADOW OF MY CAR PRODUCED FROM CARS BEHIND ME. SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE HAS BEEN CAUSED DUE TO POOR LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

DASH MOUNTED WARNING LIGHT INDICATED TAIL LIGHT ISSUES. CHECKED THE LIGHT AND ALL THE BULBS WERE FINE BUT THE ENTIRE TAIL LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING. I THEN NOTICED THE THE BROWN WIRE IN THE CONNECTOR HAD MELTED THROUGH THE CASE AND WAS TOUCHING OTHER WIRES IN THE CONNECTOR WHICH CAUSED IT TO SHORT OUT THE ENTIRE LIGHT. THE BROWN WIRE HAS VISIBLE SIGNS OF MELTING. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY TYPE BMW AND A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. RIGHT NOW MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE NOTICE BUT I HAVE NO TAIL LIGHTS. *KB

Mileage: 69,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE EXTERIOR LIGHT WARNING GAUGE WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING BULBS BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY AND BECAME MORE CONSTANT OVER TIME. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 11/28/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH REAR LAMPS STOPPED FUNCTIONING, INCLUDING THE TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. UPDATED 11/30/11

Mileage: 65,000

REAR TAILLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY WORK. NOTICED THAT THE REAR CONNECTORS, SPECIFICALLY THE GROUNDING WIRE WAS MELTED. THE TURN SIGNALS WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT TURN ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 330I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHT CONNECTING WIRES WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11V438000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

Mileage: 85,000

ZKW BRAND XENON HEADLIGHTS - THE BACK OF THE PROJECTOR BOWL IS MADE OF PLASTIC (VS. METAL IN THE AL/BOSCH BRAND, ALSO USED BY BMW), WHICH OVER TIME BURNS FROM THE HEAT PUT OUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN TURNS THE PLASTIC FROM WHITE TO BROWN/ORANGE, WHICH SEVERELY REDUCES LIGHT OUTPUT, MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AT NIGHT UNLESS MY HI-BEAMS ARE ON, WHICH IS HARD TO PULL OFF UNLESS I'M THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE IS MOST PREVALENT IN 2002-2005 3 SERIES SEDANS, AND THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE BMW COMMUNITY. *KB

Mileage: 51,800

ZKW BRAND XENON HEADLIGHTS - THE BACK OF THE PROJECTOR BOWL IS MADE OF PLASTIC (VS. METAL IN THE AL/BOSCH BRAND, ALSO USED BY BMW), WHICH OVER TIME BURNS FROM THE HEAT PUT OUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN TURNS THE PLASTIC FROM WHITE TO BROWN/ORANGE, WHICH SEVERELY REDUCES LIGHT OUTPUT, MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AT NIGHT UNLESS MY HI-BEAMS ARE ON, WHICH IS HARD TO PULL OFF UNLESS I'M THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE IS MOST PREVALENT IN 2002-2005 3 SERIES SEDANS, AND THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE BMW COMMUNITY. *KB

Mileage: 51,800

ZKW BRAND XENON HEADLIGHTS - THE BACK OF THE PROJECTOR BOWL IS MADE OF PLASTIC (VS. METAL IN THE AL/BOSCH BRAND, ALSO USED BY BMW), WHICH OVER TIME BURNS FROM THE HEAT PUT OUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS. THE BURN TURNS THE PLASTIC FROM WHITE TO BROWN/ORANGE, WHICH SEVERELY REDUCES LIGHT OUTPUT, MAKING NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING AT NIGHT UNLESS MY HI-BEAMS ARE ON, WHICH IS HARD TO PULL OFF UNLESS I'M THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD. THIS ISSUE IS MOST PREVALENT IN 2002-2005 3 SERIES SEDANS, AND THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE BMW COMMUNITY. *KB

Mileage: 51,800

ZKW REFLECTORS ON HID HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DEGRADE, GREATLY REDUCING THE HEADLIGHT EFFICIENCY AT NIGHT. THE PLASTIC OF WHICH THE REFLECTOR BOWLS ARE MADE DEGRADES FROM HEADLIGHT HEAT, AND THE REFLECTIVE COATING BURNS. *TT

Mileage: 65,000

IN 2002-2005 BMW 330I SEDANS WITH THE XENON HEADLIGHT FEATURE, BMW OPTED TO USE ZKW BRAND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES INSTEAD OF AL/BOSCH BRAND ASSEMBLIES. THE ZKW BRAND ASSEMBLIES HAVE PLASTIC PROJECTOR REFLECTOR BOWLS WHEREAS THE AL/BOSCH ASSEMBIES HAVE METAL PROJECTOR REFLECTOR BOWLS. AS A RESULT OF CONSTANT HEAT AND CONCENTRATION OF THE XENON BULB ON THE PLASTIC PROJECTOR BOWL, THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE BEGINS TO DETERIORATE. SOON ENOUGH (AFTER A FEW YEARS OF USE) THE BOWLS RECEIVE BROWN/BLACKISH BURN MARKS FROM THE CONCENTRATION OF LIGHT. THE BURN MARKS NO LONGER REFLECT THE XENON LIGHT AND CAUSE THE OUTPUT FROM THE XENON ZKW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY TO BE FAINTER THAN ORIGINAL STATE. NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS ON THE BMW CAR FORUMS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HAVE MADE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE. NOTE: SOME 2002-2005 330I SEDANS DID COME WITH AL/BOSCH BRAND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. *KB

IN 2002-2005 BMW 330I SEDANS WITH THE XENON HEADLIGHT FEATURE, BMW OPTED TO USE ZKW BRAND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES INSTEAD OF AL/BOSCH BRAND ASSEMBLIES. THE ZKW BRAND ASSEMBLIES HAVE PLASTIC PROJECTOR REFLECTOR BOWLS WHEREAS THE AL/BOSCH ASSEMBIES HAVE METAL PROJECTOR REFLECTOR BOWLS. AS A RESULT OF CONSTANT HEAT AND CONCENTRATION OF THE XENON BULB ON THE PLASTIC PROJECTOR BOWL, THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE BEGINS TO DETERIORATE. SOON ENOUGH (AFTER A FEW YEARS OF USE) THE BOWLS RECEIVE BROWN/BLACKISH BURN MARKS FROM THE CONCENTRATION OF LIGHT. THE BURN MARKS NO LONGER REFLECT THE XENON LIGHT AND CAUSE THE OUTPUT FROM THE XENON ZKW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY TO BE FAINTER THAN ORIGINAL STATE. NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS ON THE BMW CAR FORUMS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HAVE MADE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE. NOTE: SOME 2002-2005 330I SEDANS DID COME WITH AL/BOSCH BRAND HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. *KB