There are 14 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2006 BMW 3 Seriesin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Since the airbag was not fixed, it has caused PVC meltings as well as leakage
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS BRAKE MODULE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 525XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS WHEN HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OIL WAS LEAKING INSIDE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND RENDERING THE BRAKES USELESS. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. THE CURRENT VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. *TR
BRAKES FAILED TODAY WITH 19 YEAR OLD SON DRIVING MY BMW. THANKFULLY, HE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT AND CRUISE TO A STOP. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT BMW SAYS THE OIL SUPPLY FOR THE VACUUM PUMP THAT OPERATES THE BRAKE BOOSTER USED FOR POWER ASSIST CAN BE INTERRUPTED, AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO PRESS MUCH HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A STOP. BMW HAS RECALLED OVER 300,000 CARS SINCE 2010 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM - EXCEPT THE 3-SERIES. ALTHOUGH THEY DID ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE 2012-2014 3-SERIES SEDANS IN SEPTEMBER 2013. THANKFUL HE WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT -- WE DO REALIZE, HOWEVER, THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. BMW SHOULD RECALL ALL VEHICLES (SINCE, ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC THIS IS A COMMON AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE TRAVELED ONTO A CURB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON RESTARTING IT, THE VEHICLE RESPONDED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE ABS, DSC AND AWD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
AFTER ALMOST FOUR YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THE BRAKE BECAME HARD AND DIDN'T WANT TO DEPRESS UPON STARTING. SINCE YOU HAVE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE TO START THE CAR, THIS CREATED HARD STARTING PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS TO BE LINKED TO COLD WEATHER AND A COLD CAR (WHEN THE CAR HASN'T BEEN OPERATED FOR A WHILE). THE DEALER PERFORMED A REPAIR PER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND IMPLIED THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. WHEN IT DIDN'T THEY FIRST CONTACTED BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, THEN TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATION FOR THE CAR. INCREDIBLY INSULTING. THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION ON VARIOUS INTERNET SITES ABOUT THIS ISSUE, SO BMW DOES KNOW ABOUT IT. SINCE THE BRAKE IS INVOLVED IT IS WORRISOME, EVEN THOUGH AT THE MOMENT IT IS ONLY A STARTING ISSUE. *TR
VEHICLES BRAKES FAIL UPON INITIAL STARTUP ONCE GEAR SELECTOR IS PUT IN DRIVE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL BECOMES STUCK AT LOW SPEEDS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURS WHEN STOPPING OR PARKING. THE PEDAL RELEASES SUDDENLY INSTEAD OF GRADUALLY AND OCCURS EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,522. THE CONSUMER STATED HE SENT DOCUMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS ALONG WITH THE QUESTIONNAIRE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THEM ON THE WEBSITE. UPDATED 10/10/07. *JB
INCREASED ROAD NOISE AND VIBRATION EFFECTING THE STEERING. *TR
REGARDING HIS DEFECTIVE 2006 BMW 325I CUSTOMER IS SEEKING FULL REIMBURSEMENT, REPLACEMENT OF THE CAR OR UPGRADE**CC THE SUNROOF AND DOOR LOCKS MALFUNCTIONED, THE BRAKE PADS WERE FAULTY. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE HOOD WAS VIBRATING. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND DISCOVERED THE HOOD WASN'T LEVELED. THE DRIVER SIDE DIDN'T SEEM TO FULLY ADHERE TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. *JB
2006 BMW 325I, APPROX. 2400 MILES. RETURNING TO OFFICE FROM LUNCH, SLOWED TO APPROACH SPEED BUMPS THAT ALIGN PARKING STALL THAT I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO. AS I WAS TURNING INTO THE STALL (APPROX. 5-10 MPH), I STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE AND THE PEDAL WAS SOFT (NORMALLY VERY STIFF). I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DID NOT STOP. IT FELT LIKE IT INCREASED IN SPEED SLIGHTLY BEFORE CRASHING INTO THE WALL AND A 4" STEEL DOWNSPOUT. AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND I RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. TESTED BRAKES AFTERWARDS AND THEY FELT NORMAL. APPROX. $13,000.00 DAMAGE. *JB
2006 BMW 325I MILES: 5K ON JULY 19TH, 2006 APPROX 9:00 AM, WHILE I WAS PARKING AT MY OFFICE PARKING LOT GOING ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH, AFTER I ENTERED THE PARKING STALL, I STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT (NORMALLY THE PEDAL IS STIFF), AND IT WASN'T STOPPING, SO I PRESSED IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT SPED UP A BIT AND HIT THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR AND THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE, BOTH TO MINE AND THE OTHER VEHICLE. AFTER I HIT OTHER VEHICLE, I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO PULL AWAY, THEN MY BRAKE PEDAL FELT NORMAL AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. *JB
THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK SMOOTHLY, VERY OFTEN STOPPING IS JUMPY, AND WHEN STARTING AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED, IT WILL JUMP FORWARD, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO EASE OFF THE BRAKE, MOST TIMES IT SEEMS ALL OR NOTHING. THIS PROBLEM IS MOST PREVALENT WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 80 FAHRENHEIT, WHICH IS MOST OF THE TIME IN DALLAS. THE DEALER HAS SEEN THE VEHICLE 4 TIMES ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE FOLLOWING REASONS: A- YOU NEED TO GET ABOUT 500 MILES ON THE CAR, B- THE ROTORS ARE SOFT, C- THE DISCS ARE SOFT, THE ROTORS ARE HARD AND THE DISCS ARE SOFT, AND E- THIS IS THE WAY THE BRAKES ON THIS MODEL OPERATE. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE ON A CAR OF THIS PRICE THEY HAVE BRAKES LIKE THIS. TODAY I RETURNED A LOANER CAR , A 2007 528I TO THE DEALER AND THE BRAKES WORKED PERFECTLY. IF MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM, AND I SURE THAT OTHER VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO TOTAL FAILURES OR DAMAGE, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. BUT THE DEALER ASSURED ME THE VEHICLE IS FREE FROM DEFECTS AND IS SAFE TO DRIVE.*AK
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