NHTSA Complaint #10806495 — 2003 BMW 325IT

CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM NEAR TOTAL FAILURE WITH POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. ALSO, ON A MINOR NOTE, WINDSHIELD WASHER DOESN'T WORK. THE LOCK, WINDOW, WIPER, AND MAYBE OTHER RELAYS ARE LOCATED ON A CIRCUIT BOARD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE SWAPPED OUT BY THE AVERAGE PERSON. THIS MEANS A HIGH REPAIR COST WHICH MEANS THAT AS THESE VEHICLES COME ONTO THE USED MARKET AND BEING THE AMAZING VALUE THAT THEY ARE, CURRENT OWNERS MAY BE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO HAVE THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY AND SIMPLY NOT USE THE LOCKS OR WHATEVER ELSE HAS A RELAY FAILURE. DUE TO THE SECURITY FEATURES AND SUCH ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CAR, IT BECOMES EASY FOR THE LOCKS TO BE ENGAGED AND IMPOSSIBLE TO UNLOCK AS THE PROBLEM IN THE RELAYS GETS WORSE. THE RELAYS NEED TO BE RELOCATED TO SOCKETS THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE INDIVIDUALLY REPLACED LIKE FUSES THE WAY MOST CARS HAVE THEM SO THAT THE PROBLEM DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GET WORSE AND RENDER CAR NEARLY UNUSABLE OR TRAP SOMEBODY INSIDE BEFORE A REPAIR IS POSSIBLE. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND THE LOCKS WERE IMPERFECT AT THAT TIME, IT IS ALSO KNOWN TO BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IN MOST VEHICLES' CASES. IN MY TIME WITH THE CAR IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, BUT SINCE I STILL HAVE LIFE LEFT IN MY BATTERY AND RECENTLY PURCHASED A WORKING REMOTE KEY, AND AM AN ABLE BODIED YOUNG PERSON, I WAS ABLE TO GET CREATIVE USING THE WINDOWS AND CARGO DOOR FOR ENTRY AND EXIT AND PLAN ON ATTEMPTING A TEMPORARY FIX, MAYBE JUST DISABLING LOCK SYSTEM, UNTIL I CAN AFFORD THE REPAIR WHICH I'VE HEARD CAN COST HALF THE BOOK VALUE OF THIS VEHICLE!!! INSANITY!!! A TYPICAL RELAY REPLACEMENT IS AS SIMPLE AS BUYING A NEW ONE FOR WHAT MAYBE $5 AND PUTTING IT IN? JUST ADD A RELAY PANEL ON TOP OF THE FUSE PANEL. I DO LOVE THIS CAR YOU'VE MADE, BUT RELAYS FAIL, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE THEM LIKE FUSES, JUST LIKE OTHER CARS.