2004 BMW 330CI: headlights failing or too dim

6 of the 77 complaints about the 2004 BMW 330CI describe headlights failing or too dim.

owner complaints: 6
of this car's complaints: 8%
typical mileage: 135,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 1 service bulletin covers this area of the car. See below

Headlights failing or too dim by model year

2006
1
2005
5
2004
6
2001
5

What owners say

Filed Feb 17, 2019 · Lights · 215,000 miles · CA

The adaptive bixenon headlights use biodegradable wiring. This wiring cannot withstand the headlights adaptive headlight movement. These wires can tear or worse the insulation can crumble off. This leads to a huge fire risk. Furthermore, bmw does not have any form of fixing the problem. They only sell new headlight units that have the same issue. To be clear, no incident occurred to cause this issue other than standard use of the car. It is a ticking time bomb on all cars using this wiring, which also includes the e60 m5 platform. The result is headlights that can turn off at any time or worse they can short and cause a fire.

Filed Oct 7, 2018 · Electrical · 135,000 miles · OH

The adaptive headlights are flickering (stationary or in motion). This points to a faulty wiring issue, according to many other owners reporting this on internet forums for this vehicle.

Filed Mar 10, 2017 · Electrical · 121,127 miles · TX · fire

Vehicle had been sitting parked for several weeks, low battery 9.8 volts. Spontaneously headlights came on smoke filled car, doors would not unlock manually or by remote. Shattered door glass with fire extinguisher . Close inspection appears faulty headlight switch started fire had 8 to 10" flames coming out of left dashboard. Damage to hdlt switch,vents,dash,cluster,a pillar cover. Put out fire myself so no fire dept. Reports.

Filed Nov 16, 2016 · Lights · 114,000 miles · FL

Headlight wiring on my 2004 bmw 330ci degraded prematurely accelerated by heat and high voltage until it caused my headlight to fail while driving on the interstate in the early evening. The symptom was caused by the supply wires to the igniter losing there insulation at stressed harness attachment point, arced over, and caused the copper conductors to become brittle. This symptom was seen on the projector assembly wiring as well as the daylight running light which did not exhibit the copper breakdown. Insulation of both assemblies crumbled to flakes when touched and rendered the headlight assembly unusable. This fault could just as easily cause a fire in the headlight assembly during which the specified headlight fuses may not provide protection to the associated vehicle systems. The only provided solution from the manufacturer is to buy a new assembly for a component which should only require periodic replacement of the lamps when they burn out. Fortunately my car also flood lights which helped to light the way when the headlamp failed.

Filed Jul 19, 2016 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · WA

Headlight wiring jackets flaked off. Had the ballast and bulb replaced in passenger side headlight, because the headlight no longer worked. Noticed that the wiring was bare & looked like someone had clipped 2 of the wires. After replacing both the ballast & headlight it still did not work. But a couple of days after, turned on the headlights and now it works again. I know this is not safe, I see where others have had the same issue. Not sure how to get the new wiring for the headlight or does the whole thing need replaced? It should be a recall with this many cars having the same issue.

Filed Jul 19, 2016 · Lights · MN

The left tail light is intermittently off. Each time I step on the brakes, the tail light randomly turns on or off. My right headlight is off, too. I switched the bulbs from left to right and they still work. I can't check my fuses because my glovebox doesn't open anymore.