There are 9 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2005 BMW 3 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW MOTOR/WINDOW REGULATOR WITH 3/4 WINDOWS IN THIS CAR! THEY ARE ALL ORIGINAL TO THE CAR. I NEED THEM FIXED BECAUSE IT IS A VISIBILITY/SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY I NEED TO OPEN MY WINDOWS AND THEY DON'T WORK? I CHECKED ONLINE AND MANY MANY OWNERS OF THIS MODEL HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUE THUS I KNOW FOR A FACT IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE CAR. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT, I JUST FOUND OUT I CAN REPORT IT TO NHTSA. I READ ONLINE ABOUT A GUY WITH THE SAME CAR WHO WAS GRANTED A REPAIR FOR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS DEEMED A DEFECT AND I WOULD LIKE THE SAME.
THE OVERHEAD SUNROOF CONTROLS SUDDENLY FELL OUT OF THE CEILING WHILE ACCELERATING, CREATING A DISTRACTION AND LOSS OF VISIBILITY FROM THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR. THE CONTROLS/PANEL REMAINED ATTACHED BY WIRING, COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE PLASTIC CLIPS ATTACHING THE PANEL TO THE CEILING APPEAR TO HAVE BECOME BRITTLE AND THEN FAILED. *TR
REAR VIEW MIRROR HAS "BUBBLES" AND IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO USE NOW. *TR
WINDOW MOTOR BURNS OUT. HAVE HAD TWO REPLACED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 325CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS DEFECTIVE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO VIEW WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE VEHICLES REAR. THE DEALER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000.
ON THIS DATE MY WIFE COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT A "BUBBLE" IN HER INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I LOOKED AT IT AND IT IS INDEED A BUBBLE OF AIR IN HER MIRROR. THE VEHICLE IS A 2005 BMW 330XI WITH AN AUTO-DIMMING INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR. TODAY I CALLED BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-831-1117 AND SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE WHO TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEREFORE BMW FELT NO RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR, REPLACE, OR HELP IN ANY WAY WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE PART COST FROM MY LOCAL BMW DEALER IS OVER $500.00 NOT INCLUDING LABOR FOR INSTALLATION. THIS COST IS FOR THE ENTIRE MIRROR ASSEMBLY, WHICH INCLUDES THE HOUSING THE ELECTRONICS MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING AND OF COURSE THE MIRROR ITSELF. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT HE HAS SEEN MORE THAN A FEW MIRRORS COME IN LIKE THAT, AND THAT ONE WAS EVEN LEAKING THE FLUID INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SEAL IN THE MIRROR THAT HAS RUPTURED AND IS NOW LEAKING AIR INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE GLASS PLATE AND THE MIRROR SURFACE ITSELF. THE RESULT OF THE "BUBBLE" IS THAT NOW THE MIRROR REFRACT AND REFLECTS BRIGHT LIGHT POINTS (HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT OR SUN GLARE FROM WINDSHIELDS FOR EXAMPLE) INTO MULTIPLE SPOTS SO AS TO MAKE THE MIRROR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO USE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. I FEEL THAT BMW KNOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR MIRRORS AND THAT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY WIFE'S CAR NOW. I BELIEVE THAT IF JUST THE GLASS PORTION OF THE MIRROR WERE REPLACEABLE THIS WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THE COST OF REPAIR TO THE CONSUMER. *TR
REAR VIEW MIRROR FAILED. CORROSIVE FLUID LEAKED OUT MELTING PLASTIC SHIFT CONSOLE AND STAINING PASSENGER SEAT. REAR VIEW MIRROR NOW DISTORTED AND UNUSABLE. AUTO NIGHT DIMMING NOT OPERATIONAL.
THE BOTTOM PART OF THE REARVIEW MIRROR HAS BECOME UNUSABLE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO SEE THE VEHICLES BEHIND US ONLY THROUGH THE TOP PART OF THE MIRROR. IT IS A AUTO DIMMING REARVIEW MIRROR, AND, JUDGING BY THE POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET, IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF MIRROR IN BMWS. REPLACING IT OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD COSTS $425 PLUS TAX FOR THE PART, NOT INCLUDING LABOR CHARGES. WE HAVE HAD MANY CARS OVER THE YEARS AND WE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH A REARVIEW MIRROR; WE EXPECTED BETTER FROM BMW. WE CONTACTED BMW AND THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT UNLESS BMW IS FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
WINDOW REGULATOR ON PASSENGER SIDE BROKEN 4X IN 4 YEARS ALWAYS IN THE SUMMER. *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