2005 BMW 330I — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

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.

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 .

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 .

"TAKATA RECALL"- WE RECEIVED A LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 2016 ABOUT THE RECALL OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND OUR CAR WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IT SAYS " YOUR VEHICLE IS ALSO AFFECTED BY A PASSENGER AIRBAG RECALL" AND " WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS TO COMPLETE THIS RECALL". PRIOR TO THE LETTER ( AUGUST 26, 2016), THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAD CHANGED OIL AT PACIFIC BMW AND CHECKED THE AIRBAG AND NOTED " RECALL: PERFORMS RECALLS/ REPLACE DRIVER'S AIRBAG/ PARTS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME/ UNABLE TO PERFORM RECALL". THEY ADVISED ME TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP ON THIS MATTER, WE CONTACTED ON THE FOLLOWING MONTH BUT THEY SAID " THERE WAS NO AVAILABLE PARTS" AND THEY WOULD CALL US ONCE IT'S AVAILABLE. IT'S BEEN 6 MONTHS NOW AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVE ANY CALL OR ADVICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP ( PACIFIC BMW ) ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SAID AIRBAG RECALL AND WHEN TO REPLACE IT. OUR CAR JUST SITTING IN THE GARAGE OR WE BARELY USE IT BECAUSE OF THIS AIRBAG RECALL AND AFRAID TO PUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER. I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [XXX] TEL NO [XXX] EMAIL: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR