2006 BMW 325I Complaints and Recall Information

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 3 Series Sedan (324i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi), 2006-2012 3 Series Sportswagon (325xi, 328i, 328xi), and 2009-2011 3 Series Sedan (335d) vehicles. The original steering wheel may have been replaced with a sport or M-sport steering wheel equipped with an inflator that can explode during deployment.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2008-2013 128i and 135i Convertibles, 128i, 135i, and M Coupes, 2007-2010 X3 30si and X3 xDrive30i, 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i, 2007-2013 328i, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335is, 335i xDrive and M3 Coupes, 2006-2011 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive and M3, 2009-2011 335D, 2006-2012 325xi, 328i, 328xi and 328i xDrive, 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid, 2007-2013 328i, 335i, 335is, M3 Coupes, X5 30si, X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 48i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, 2009-2013 X5 xDrive35d and 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M vehicles equipped with non-desiccated driver frontal air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 530xi Sports Wagon, 325i, 325xi, 325xi Sports Wagon, 330i, 330xi, Z4 3.0i and Z4 3.0si vehicles. The heater for the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve may short circuit.

Risk: An electrical short can cause the parts within the PCV valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is not in use.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2006-2011 323i, 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi and M3, 2007-2011 328i xDrive, 335i xDrive and 335is and 2009-2011 335d vehicles. The wiring and electrical connectors for the system that controls air flow for the heating and air conditioning system may overheat.

Risk: Wiring that overheats could cause the electrical connectors to melt, and increase the risk of a fire, even when the vehicle is unattended.

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

BMW of North America, Inc. (BMW) is recalling certain 2006 325i, 325xi, 330i, 330xi, 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, and 550i vehicles equipped with the Sport Seat option and certain 2006 525i, 525xi, 530i, 530xi, 550i vehicles with standard seats. The front passenger seat occupant detection mat that determines if, and how, the passenger frontal air bag should deploy in a crash may fatigue and develop cracks which could lead to a system failure.

Risk: Should the system fail, in the event of a crash, the front passenger air bag would be deactivated, increasing the risk of personal injury.

AIR BAGS

BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2000 323i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sports Wagons; 2000 328i sedans and coupes; 2001-2005 325i sedans, coupes, convertibles, and Sport Wagons; 2001-2005 325xi sedans and Sports Wagons; 2006 325i coupes and convertibles; 2001-2006 330i sedans, coupes, and convertibles; 2001-2005 330xi sedans; and 2001-2006 M3 coupes and convertibles to address a safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag which may produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the air bag inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure could cause rupturing of the inflator resulting in metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants.

AIR BAGS

The passenger seat occupancy sensor (OC3 mat) on my 2006 BMW 3 Series (VIN: [XXX] ) has failed. As a result, the front passenger airbag is disabled, which poses a serious safety risk. BMW issued a 15-year warranty extension for this issue, acknowledging it as a common failure, but my vehicle is now slightly outside the coverage period. This part is vital for detecting front-seat occupants and enabling the airbag during a crash. I believe BMW should still be required to fix this safety-critical defect, especially in vehicles where the issue was never repaired while under the extended coverage window. This should be reclassified as a full safety recall, not just an expired service campaign. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SEATS

The passenger seat occupancy sensor (OC3 mat) on my 2006 BMW 3 Series (VIN: [XXX] ) has failed. As a result, the front passenger airbag is disabled, which poses a serious safety risk. BMW issued a 15-year warranty extension for this issue, acknowledging it as a common failure, but my vehicle is now slightly outside the coverage period. This part is vital for detecting front-seat occupants and enabling the airbag during a crash. I believe BMW should still be required to fix this safety-critical defect, especially in vehicles where the issue was never repaired while under the extended coverage window. This should be reclassified as a full safety recall, not just an expired service campaign. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owned a 2006 BMW 325i. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the A/C became inoperable and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact then noticed an abnormal burning wiring odor, and there was smoke coming out of the A/C vents. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she attempted to pull to the side of the road, but could not safely do so. The contact continued driving and came to a complete stop at the traffic light, where the cabin became engulfed in smoke. The contact then pulled into a business parking lot and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated upon opening the hood, the contact noticed a reflection of the flame inside the hood. The contact ran into the business and asked for assistance. The contact stated that upon returning to the vehicle, the contact noticed that the fire had started from the middle of the hood to the cabin of the vehicle. The contact and the business employee attempted to extinguish the fire with two fire extinguishers but were unable to do so. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact stated that the vehicle burned to the ground from the middle of the hood to the trunk, where the gas tank was located, and the hood was fractured in half. The contact stated that there were burned particles around the parking lot, but there was no property damage. The fire department report was filed. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the information available. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owned a 2006 BMW 325i. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the A/C became inoperable and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact then noticed an abnormal burning wiring odor, and there was smoke coming out of the A/C vents. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she attempted to pull to the side of the road, but could not safely do so. The contact continued driving and came to a complete stop at the traffic light, where the cabin became engulfed in smoke. The contact then pulled into a business parking lot and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated upon opening the hood, the contact noticed a reflection of the flame inside the hood. The contact ran into the business and asked for assistance. The contact stated that upon returning to the vehicle, the contact noticed that the fire had started from the middle of the hood to the cabin of the vehicle. The contact and the business employee attempted to extinguish the fire with two fire extinguishers but were unable to do so. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact stated that the vehicle burned to the ground from the middle of the hood to the trunk, where the gas tank was located, and the hood was fractured in half. The contact stated that there were burned particles around the parking lot, but there was no property damage. The fire department report was filed. A police report was filed, but the contact did not have the information available. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.