There are no safety recalls for the 2005 BMW 3 Series, but owners have filed 25 complaints with NHTSA.
2005 BMW 3 Series problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|
| Air Bags | 16 | |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | |
| Electrical System | 2 | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 2 | |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | |
| Structure | 1 | |
| Service Brakes | 1 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | |
Most reported parts
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 70,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2005 BMW 3 Series complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Electrical System · reported Dec 29, 2018
I was going down the road doing about 45 MPH, at night on a back road when my front headlight on the drive side without. On the dishboard of the car the check bulb light came on. I got home the next day when tk the part place to get a bulb to find out the wires where bare there was only metal no plastic. Theg told me you had to replace the hole thing witch cost over 1000 dollars for. I went home research it online, and found out it happens a lot on bmw, and they never recall them. That they have even been on fire due to this. I called bmw and they told me they know of the issue, and they have…
Service Brakes · at 150,000 miles · reported Jun 6, 2017
The incident occurred 6-5-2017. The vehicle was parked and on ignition start, the car's engine was unusually loud and revved up. Upon shifting the automatic gear to reverse, the car self-accelerated in reverse without pressing the gas. Attempts to repeatedly break did not work, so gear was shifted to drive to move forward and avoid a collision into a neighborhood home that was behind the parked car. Upon changing gear to drive, the car continued to self-accelerate forward, and again brakes did not work. In forward motion, at high speed the car went over the curb and hilly ground. Attempt to…
Exterior Lighting · at 90,000 miles · reported Apr 8, 2017
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.
Air Bags · reported Nov 27, 2016
Takata recall parts not available. Original appointment attempted for 10/27/16. Peter pan bmw canceled appointment and notified me the parts were not in stock and there was no estimate for delivery. 30 days have passed with no updates from the dealership. Both driver and passenger airbags are affected by the recall.
Air Bags · reported Nov 14, 2016
Takata recall I received a notice about the recall back on july 2015 and still have not been notified that I can have this fixed! I had a toyota vehicle that was remedied very quickly! This recall should not take over a year to have it fixed. I AM driving this car and want this documented!
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2005 BMW 3 Series have any recalls?
No. NHTSA has no safety recalls for the 2005 BMW 3 Series as of this update. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the latest status.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 BMW 3 Series?
Owners report air bags problems most often (16 reports), followed by exterior lighting (4). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 70,000 miles.
Are BMW recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized BMW dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.