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2003 BMW 325 problems

The most common problem on the 2003 BMW 325 is airbags. Its complaint count is close to a typical 325 model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Owner complaints
9
Recalls
0
Service bulletins
1
Worst area
Airbags

The worst 2003 BMW 325 problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

  • Airbags
    4
  • Electrical
    3
  • Body
    1
  • Engine
    1
  • Locks
    1

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

  • Airbags
    4
  • Electrical
    3
  • Body
    1
  • Engine
    1
  • Locks
    1
  • Steering
    1

Recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Technical service bulletins for the 2003 BMW 325 1

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

What 2003 BMW 325 owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Apr 25, 2019 · Body, Electrical · 68,000 miles · OR

Drivers window is stuck in up position. When raise/lower switch is activated, I hear the motor running but window does not move down. The local bmw repair center said it will be $150 to inspect the problem and then $$$ to repair. The malfunction of the window happened while I was driving

Filed Nov 1, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 158,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw 325. The contact stated that the vehicle's electrical system was malfunctioning. The contact stated that certain lights were illuminating on the dashboard while other lights were not. The vehicle also failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was awaiting diagnosis and repairs. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 158,000.

Filed May 12, 2018 · Electrical · 125,000 miles · CA · 1 injury

Dangerous death trap!!! I got stuck in my car because the door locks do not work. You are unable to get out of the car if the unlock mechanism fails. There are many compaints of the same for the e46 bmw models. We had to crawl of windows and luckily those worked. As designed, you cannot open the doors if ithe module fails and there is not mechanical override to unlock. There is not door key for passenger doors as well. This has happened multiple times, I am looking to get it fixed but it works sometimes.

Filed Dec 12, 2017 · Airbags · 601,000 miles · NC

I have had both air bags replaced ad the airbag man does not go off I was told that the mrs control unit needs to be replaced, because none of my airbags will work until the mrs control unit is replaced. I want to know is bmw going to replace the unit I was told that the air bag mishap caused the mrs control unit to go bad.

Filed Feb 5, 2017 · Airbags · CA

Takata recall. After contacting bmw nearest dealer they have not taken any action to take care of the recall. They took my car information and said when the parts arrive they would call me back.

Filed Jan 11, 2016 · Airbags · CO

I am concerned I got a letter about the recall in july and it is now january and I am driving an unsafe car. I am afraid to drive it. Why has it taken more than 6 months to fix it. Nothing has happened but there is nothing I can do about it.

Filed Dec 29, 2014 · Airbags · SC

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 bmw 325. The contact received a notification for the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v428000 (air bags) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Filed Mar 22, 2013 · Steering · 60,000 miles · DC

High pressure steering pump line burst leading to loss of steering power assistance

Filed Sep 5, 2012 · Locks · 70,000 miles · CA

The central locking system intermittently fails to operate; problem is influenced by temperature extremes (hot and cold); symptoms vary from requiring the driver to lock and unlock the vehicle several times before the doors will unlock to a complete failure of all doors to unlock. When the problem manifests itself, the central electric door lock button (mounted in the center console beside the hazard light switch) is inoperable. Bmw crash safety features include mechanical disconnect of door latches when locked; when this particular problem manifests, sometimes the passenger side doors will remain mechanically disconnected, meaning that the doors cannot be opened at all. In a worst case scenario, if the driver's side of the vehicle unusable for escape due to damage or being blocked, the only way to escape from the vehicle is by smashing windows. Bmws are not equipped with a glass break device. The problem seems to be a body module called the gm5, which is mounted above/in front of the glove box; all lock power circuits run through this module; the problem seems to be a voltage drop in the module, resulting in insufficient voltage to the lock mechanisms, as you can hear the locks attempting to cycle when and can see the lock buttons moving when the key fob is used in an attempt to unlock the doors. A google search of the terms "bmw","doors won't unlock" gets at least 10 pages of results on the issue, including several that identify the gm5 module as the cause of the problem and ways to fix it. Repair requires a new gm5 module that needs to be programmed prior to install.

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Questions about the 2003 BMW 325

Is the 2003 BMW 325 reliable?

Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2003 BMW 325, close to a typical 325 model year.

What is the most common problem with the 2003 BMW 325?

Airbags, with 4 complaints. Next is electrical (3).

How many recalls does the 2003 BMW 325 have?

No recalls on record.

Share your experience with the 2003 BMW 325

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