2003 BMW 3 Series problems
The 2003 BMW 3 Series has 95 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (26%) concerns lighting. Next are air bags (22%) and electrical system (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 95 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Lighting 26% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 5 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 5 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 86,000 miles 69 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 6 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 9 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 11 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 14 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 10 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 8 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 69 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 86,000 miles. For lighting specifically, the median reported mileage is about 80,000 miles (21 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 5 complaints mention a crash; 5 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the BMW 3 Series with enough data (13 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was traveling n/b on route 1 in elkridge maryland @ intersection ducketts lane on 10/9/14 @ 4:47 pm. I was involved in a 4 car pile up crash, I was stopped - the vehicle behind me was struck by a speeding motorist which caused a chain reaction & struck my BMW and knocking me into the vehicle in front of me. Both front airbags exploded with caused a severe burn to my right hand. My vehicle was a total loss and the at-fault driver's insurance has possession of the vehicle.
It's not enough to file a complaint but now it is worse. One of the tires from cooper that I filed a complaint about blew out forcing my car up on two wheels. I manage to control the car without flipping. Do I have to wait until I am killed or someone is hurt before something is done about the defective tires.
Traveling south on 75,driver door bag deployed for no reason. Applied brakes and ran off side off road to keep from having a car rear end me and then right tire blew out due to drop off. Car shut down by itself. Air bags did not completely deploy. Over head strap hit head and neck area causing soreness and headache. Door air bag caused fragments to hit hand and tore off skin.I thought car was on fire due to smoke smell of wires burning,removed strap off neck and got out of car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 BMW 3-series. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, indicating that the front passenger side air bag was not functioning. The contact noticed NHTSA campaign I.d. Number 08v384000 (air bags:frontal) and took the vehicle to an authorized dealer. The contact was informed that the front passenger air bag detection matt needed to be replaced, but the vehicle was not included in the recall.
Zkw xenon headlight reflector bowl is burned resulting in very dim light output. I am often afraid of driving at night because I feel it is a danger to my safety.