There are 13 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2004 BMW 3 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
HEADLIGHT REFLECTORS ON HID BEING BURNT THEREFORE NOT GIVING ENOUGH LIGHT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OWNERS OF THIS MODEL THAT HAS THE ZKW BRAND.
THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR WILL NOT MAINTAIN IT'S SET POSITION. ON MY CAR THE MIRROR WOULD CHANGE POSITION EVERY MINUTE. THIS CONTINUED ALL DAY AND NIGHT FOR THREE DAYS. THIS MADE LANE CHANGES, ENTERING A LANE, OR TURNING. VERY DANGEROUS AND DIFFICULT. I IMMEDIATELY ACCOUNTED FOR MY MIRROR NOT BEING USABLE AND PLOTTED MY LANES CHANGES AND DRIVING LANES AHEAD OF TIME. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAN HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT WARNING. I COULD ENDANGER A DRIVER NEEDING TO CHANGE LANES, WHEN THEY LOOK OVER AND HAVE NO MIRROR, OR IS FACED WITH A MIRROR THAT WILL NOT HOLD POSITION. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. ===================EXAMPLES BMW BULLETIN ==LINK PROVIDED UPON REQUEST===== SI B51 36 08 BODY EQUIPMENT APRIL 2009 TECHNICAL SERVICE THIS SERVICE INFORMATION BULLETIN SUPERSEDES SI B51 36 08 DATED FEBRUARY 2009. DESIGNATES CHANGES TO THIS REVISION SUBJECT OUTSIDE MIRROR MOVES WHEN UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE MODEL E90, E91 (3 SERIES SEDAN AND SPORTS WAGON) PRODUCED UP TO 9/2008 AND EQUIPPED WITH POWER FRONT SEATS, OPTION CODE SA459 S TO A RANDOM POSITION. PRESSING THE SEAT MEMORY BUTTON TYPICALLY WILL RETURN THE MIRROR TO THE STORED POSITION. CAUSE WHEN THE UNLOCK SIGNAL IS SENT TO THE CAR, A MIRROR POSITION SELF-CHECK IS PERFORMED. ONE OF THE FACTORS IN DETERMINING THE MIRROR'S PRESENT POSITION IS AN EXPECTED RESISTANCE VALUE IN THE CIRCUIT. DUE TO A HIGHER THAN EXPECTED RESISTANCE, THE FOOTWELL MODULE (FRM) CALCULATES THE MIRROR POSITION INCORRECTLY. THE MIRROR IS THEN MOVED TO WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE CORRECT POSITION. THE UNEXPECTED RESISTANCE VALUE IS CAUSED BY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: * CORROSION ON THE LIN-BUS CONNECTION AT THE MIRROR, SWITCH BLOCK, OR FRM * POOR CONNECTION AT THE MIRROR, SWITCH BLOCK, OR FRM * DAMAGED MIRROR ELECTRONICS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REARVIEW MIRRORS WERE DISTORTED. WHILE DRIVING DURING NIGHT, THE MIRROR WOULD DISPLAY DOUBLE OBJECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MIRRORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BECAME DISTORTED AND BEGAN TO LEAK. THE LIQUID BURNED THE GEAR SHIFT CONSOLE PLASTIC. THE DEALER STATED THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS AUTOMATIC DIMMER CONSIST OF A LIQUID. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,000. ....UPDATED 06/18/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. UPDATED 06/21/12
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT GIVE ENOUGH LIGHT. THE DEALER WAS CONTACT AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTIVE PLASTIC HOLDER MELTED AND CAUSES THE LIGHT TO BE LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. LI
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 325I. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS LEAKING INSIDE OF THE GLASS, DISTORTING THE CONTACTS VIEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING GAS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 72,000.
I'VE NOTICED SOME DARK TO LIGHT BROWN SMEARS OR SQUIGGLY LINES ON MY REARVIEW MIRROR. I TRIED TO CLEAN IT WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE FAULT IS ACTUALLY A PROBLEM WITH THE MIRROR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND BECAUSE THE CAR ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY IT ISN'T COVERED YET THE PART CAN COST UP TO $700.00 WITHOUT LABOR. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE AUTO DIMMING FLUID LEAKING/FAILING IN THE MIRROR. I CALLED BMW USA AND THEY CURRENTLY HAVE NO PLANS TO RECALL THE PART. I'M DISMAYED BECAUSE I HAVE A CHEVY TRUCK WITH AN AUTO-DIMMING MIRROR THAT IS MUCH OLDER THAN THE CAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME AS THE ABILITY TO SEE WITH THE REARVIEW MIRROR IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE. I'VE READ ON FORUMS THAT OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE ONLY THEIRS IS WORSE BECAUSE THE FLUID HAS LEAKED OUT OF THE MIRROR AND PROCEEDED TO EAT THROUGH ANY PART OF THE INTERIOR THAT IT DRIPS ON. DOESN'T THAT MAKE THIS A POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARD AS WELL SINCE THE AUTO DIMMING FLUID IS OBVIOUSLY SOME TYPE OF ACID WHICH COULD ALSO CAUSE A FIRE IF IT HITS ANY WIRING? I HOPE THAT SOMEONE LOOKS INTO THIS AS I'VE GOTTEN NO WHERE WITH BMW. THANKS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 3 SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MONOCHROMATIC COATING ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS DEFECTIVE. AS A RESULT, THE SELF DIMMING FUNCTION HAD BECOME INOPERABLE AND THE REFLECTION OF THE LIGHTS FROM OTHER VEHICLES WAS EXTREMELY BRIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT IT WAS A COMMON FAILURE AND THE MIRROR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. ..UPDATED 08/01/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT FAILURE OF COATING CAN CAUSE NIGHTTIME HEADLIGHT GLARE FROM FOLLOWING CARS. THE DEALER CLAIMS THIS FAILURE IS COMMON AFTER 7-8 YEARS ON CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE DEFECTIVE MIRROR. UPDATED 08/02/2012 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN LIQUID LEAKING FROM THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,345. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 330XI(N/A). WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE HE NOTICED A LOUD POPPING SOUND, AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRRIOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD LIQUID MISSING INSIDE OF IT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84000.
A LIQUID FORMS IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHICH HINDERS THE ABILITY TO SEE WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE. THEN SOME OF THE LIQUID DRAINS FROM THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND ALL OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE' RUINING THE LEATHER. BMW REFUSES TO REPLACE. *TR
I OWN A 2004 BMW 325I AND MY REARVIEW MIRROR WITH AN AUTODIMMING FEATURE LEAKED ONTO MY CENTER CONSOLE AND FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION OF MIRROR FAILURE BEFORE I NOTICED THE BROKEN MIRROR AND SPOTS ON THE SEAT AND CONSOLE. THE FLUID ACTUALLY BUBBLED UP AND ATE THROUGH MY CONSOLE AND CUP HOLDERS AND LEFT PERMANENT STAINS ON THE SEAT. THE DEALER IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND SO IS MAGNA DONNELLY AS IT HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS CARS AS CAN BE SEEN MY TALKING TO BMW, ACURA, MAGNA DONNELLY AND INTERNET FORUMS. WE SPOKE BOTH TO THE LOCAL BMW DEALER AND BMW CORPORATE AND MAGNA DONNELLY AND WHILE THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY MIRROR LEAKED AND THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO FIX IT. I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE MIRROR BECAUSE MY CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE WITHOUT IT, HOWEVER, THEY ALSO INDICATED I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE IT WITH AN IDENTICAL MIRROR WHICH MAY LEAK IN THE FUTURE. *TR
SIDE VIEW MIRRORS BEGIN TO RUST FROM THE BOTTOM UP. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO THE HEATED MIRRORS BUT HAPPENS TO MOST 3 SERIES BMW'S, DESPITE THE CLIMATE. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026