2004 BMW 3 Series lighting problems
43 complaints about lighting have been filed for the 2004 BMW 3 Series, which is 46% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the most reported problem area for this model year.
At a glance
- Complaints
- 43 46% of this year's complaints
- Typical mileage
- 89,000 miles 27 complaints with mileage
- Crashes and fires
- 0 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 0 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
When lighting problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 0 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 3 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 5 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 27 lighting complaints that report mileage, the median is about 89,000 miles, and 22% were reported before 60,000 miles.
These complaints mention 1 fire.
What owners wrote
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 BMW 330. The contact stated that the plastic reflector bowl used for the headlights were burned and scorched by the heat of the bulbs used on the vehicle. The contact replaced the covering before and within a year, it burned through again. The contact stated that the brand covering that was failing was the zkw brand. The vehicle was not inspected by the dealer or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 71,000.
The vehicle came equipped from the factory with bi-xenon auto leveling headlights manufactured by zkw. The past couple months, the light output has steadily decreased. Brown scorch marks are visible in the projector when the headlight is on. On the driver's side, the xenon bulb burned off all the reflective material in the projector bowl. The light output from the projectors has been reduced to a thin beam of light. It is becoming very difficult to see while driving at night.
Other problems reported for the 2004 BMW 3 Series
- Air bags 15 complaints
Lighting problems in other years
- 2023
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999