2006 BMW 3 Series Body & Structure Problems

DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK, SERIOUS HAZARD IN EMERGENCY SITUATION IF DOORS WON'T UNLOCK. DOORS LOCK/UNLOCK PROBLEM, I'VE HAD TO EXIT THRU WINDOWS. NO MANUAL UNLOCK FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. MECHANISM IS OPERATIONAL, MUST BE COMPUTER PROBLEM. FUSE REPLACED,CKD MANY THREADS WITH SAME ISSUE. WWW.BIMMERFEST.COM / 3 + TIMES HAPPENED TO ME.

DOOR ACTUATOR FAILURE. DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE UNLESS YOU USE THE PHYSICAL KEY, WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE ONCE IT LOCKS AND YOU MUST CLIMB OVER SEAT TO EXIT BACK OR PASSENGER DOORS. SOMETIMES DOOR WILL UNLOCK IF YOU ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND USE THE KEY ON THE OUTSIDE LOCK BUT USUALLY THAT DOES NOT WORK. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, YOU COULD BE TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY. DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY AT 5 MPH OR SO AND YOU ARE LOCKED INSIDE WITH A HANDLE THAT DOES NOT WORK.

THERE IS A CLEAR MANUFACTURING DEFECT CONCERNING THE ALUMINUM SCREWS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND THE ALUMINUM HEAD BOLTS ON 2006 BMW 325I'S. THE NHTSA HAS RECEIVED MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS DEFECT. THE ALUMINUM SCREWS/BOLTS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED SINCE DISCOVERING THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. BMWNA HAVE HAD NUMEROUS SERVICE ISSUES RELATED TO THESE DEFECTIVE ALUMINUM SCREWS/BOLTS. THEY HAVE OPENLY ADMITTED THAT THE SCREWS/BOLTS IN QUESTION WERE DEFECTIVE IN NATURE AND PRODUCTION, AND THAT THE SCREWS/BOLTS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED TO AVOID FUTURE FAILURES. SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS INCLUDED, AND RESULTED IN, VEHICLES LEAKING OIL IN THE ENGINE AREA, POTENTIALLY CAUSING FIRES IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEFECTIVE SCREWS/BOLTS POSE A SERIOUS POTENTIAL RISK TO THE SAFETY OF THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES, AS WELL AS TO OTHER DRIVERS WHO SHARE THE ROADWAY WITH THEM. IT IS MY STRONG BELIEF THAT THIS PUBLIC SAFETY RISK CANNOT GO ON ANY FURTHER WITHOUT PROPER INTERVENTION FROM THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES WE EMPLOY AS TAXPAYERS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT BMWNA ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL OF THE BMW 2006 325I'S AFFECTED BY THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT. IF BMWNA DECLINES TO ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. I HAVE LEARNED THAT BMW OF NORTH AMERICA IS AWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE ALUMINUM SCREWS/BOLTS, AND HAS ISSUED AN INTERNAL "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" (TSB) TO FOREWARN DEALERSHIPS OF THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AND THE STEPS TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. I HAVE DILIGENTLY MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE SERVICE MANUALS, AS WELL AS THE ON BOARD COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE. MY CONTENTION IS EXTREMELY CLEAR; THE ALUMINUM BOLTS ARE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER! *TR

AS I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TRIED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I PULLED THE HANDLE AND TRIED THE KEY FOB AND NOTHING WOULD MAKE IT UNLOCK. I HAD TO CRAWL TO THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT IS A KNOWN FUSE PROBLEM THAT IS FAULTY AND VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEED TO ESCAPE YOUR VEHICLE QUICKLY. HAVING A DRIVER DOOR THAT ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT OPEN IS A COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR COMMON SENSE AND PUBLIC SAFETY. *TR

REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WOULD NOT ALLOW REAR DOOR TO OPEN. HAD FIXED AND THEN DRIVERS DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED AND WOULD NOT OPEN. COULD NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS PARKING AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. USUALLY I JUST NEED TO PULL THE HANDLE TWICE AND IT OPENS BUT THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED THE ELECTRIC REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND IT DID NOT AFFECT THE LOCKS. I TRIED THE PASSENGER DOOR AND IT DID NOT OPEN EITHER. I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE BACK DOORS. I DETERMINED A FUSE WAS BLOWN AND REPLACED THE 15A FUSE WITH A 20A FUSE AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BMW FORUM AND IT NOW WORKS FINE. THE CONCERN IS IF I HAD TO EXIT THE CAR FROM THE FRONT DOORS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. *TR

WINDSHIELD MOLDING DISINTEGRATING INTO PIECES , DEFECTIVE MATERIAL - CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD TO BREAK OR COME LOOSE. *TR

I TRIED TO GET OUT OF MY CAR BUT THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. TRIED USING THE KEY, BUT IT STILL WON'T UNLOCK. I HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE PASSENGER DOOR! DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE VEHICLE DOORS, OTHER THAN THE DRIVER SIDE, BY USING THE KEY FOB OR MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT ONE OF THE LOCK MECHANISMS WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SENSOR WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH AS A RESULT BOTH THE LOCK MECHANISM AND SENSOR 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 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 06/06/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED TO THE FUEL DOOR, RENDERING HIM UNABLE TO FUEL THE CAR. UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330XI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NONE OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK EXCEPT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WAS THROUGH THAT DOOR. IN ADDITION, ON ONE OCCASION THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE USING THE KEY FOB AND HE WAS FORCED MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DOOR ACTUATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR DOORS LOCKS FAILED BY USE OF THE KEY AND THE REMOTE. THE FRONT DOORS WERE STUCK IN THE LOCK POSITION AND THE REAR DOORS WERE STUCK IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT EVERY DOOR ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

DOOR LOCKS ON 2006 BMW 330XI SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING PROPERLY MIDWAY THROUGH THE DAY AND WERE UNABLE TO BE UNLOCKED. I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE EMBEDDED PHYSICAL KEY IN THE FOB BUT WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR AND TRIED OPERATING THE DOORS THEY AGAIN LOCKED BUT WERE UNABLE TO BE UNLOCKED NEITHER BY THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE CONSOLE, THE FOB OR THE DOOR HANDLE. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR WAS TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW, AND USE THE EMERGENCY MECHANICAL KEY TO UNLOCK IT BY EXTENDING MY HAND OUT THE WINDOW. SINCE THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS THE ONLY DOOR WITH A PHYSICAL KEYLOCK, IT WAS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WAS ABLE TO OPEN. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY, ALL 3 PASSENGERS HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THEIR WINDOWS TO EXIT. *TR

WHEN THERE IS A POWER FAILURE IN THE 2006 BMW 330I, IN THIS CASE CAUSED BY A BLOWN FUSE, THE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN EITHER BY ATTEMPTING TO ELECTRONICALLY UNLOCK THEM OR BY USING THE DOOR HANDLES. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR WAS TO ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW AND USE A MANUAL KEY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF A TOTAL POWER FAILURE AND THE POWER WINDOWS FAILED AS WELL, IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN BY BREAKING THE WINDOWS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A WAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

3 DOORS ON THE CAR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. LUCKILY THE DRIVER DOOR STILL WORKED. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE THIS IS A SEVERE HAZARD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330XI (NA). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PAINT ON THE LEATHER WAS PEELING ON THE DOOR HANDLES, GEAR SHIFTER, CENTER CONSOLE AND THE RADIO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO TOLD HIM TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER; THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER TO TAKE PICTURES AND THEY WOULD HAVE A REGIONAL MANAGER CONTACT HIM. THE MANAGER STATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS BUT NOT THE LABOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,200.

I HAVE A 2006 BMW 325 I WITH ONLY 34K ON IT,ALL ITS DOORS EXCEPT THE DRIVER DOOR CANT BE OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE,ONLY DRIVER DOOR OPEN. IT IS A GREAT DANGER IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR FIRE PEOPLE FROM PASSENGER SIDE OR FROM REAR SEATS CAN GET STUCK . *TR

THE CAR DOOR CAN'T BE OPENED FROM BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, AND THE ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR IS USING THE MANUAL KEY FROM OUTSIDE. THIS IS A BIG ISSUE IF THE DRIVER IS LOCKED INSIDE DURING A HAZARD. THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON PROBLEM AS MANY OF CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING. PLEASE REFER TO THIS FORUM. HTTP://WWW.E90POST.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=160062. *TR

FUSE BLOWN AND DEFECTIVE FRONT DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY LED TO DOOR LOCKS REMAINING ENGAGED. OPENED THE DRIVER DOOR WITH THE METAL KEY. DOORS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE OPENED BY USING THE INSIDE HANDLES. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED IN A CRASH, THE OCCUPANTS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAPPED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330CI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS, SUCH AS RAIN OR SNOW, WATER ENTERS THROUGH THE DOOR SILLS AND CAUSES THE DOORS TO FREEZE SHUT. HE STATED THAT ICE ALSO ACCUMULATES IN THE DOOR SILLS, MAKING IT VERY EASY TO SLIP AND FALL. THE FAILURE WAS FIRST NOTICED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. HE HAS ALSO CONTACTED BMW'S CORPORATE OFFICE AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900. *UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR