2004 BMW 3 Series Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other 3 Series years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- None on file
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 BMW 3 Series. That ranks 4th out of 20 3 Series model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (42 complaints, 55%), typically at around 89,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 3 fires, 3 injuries. There are no safety recalls on file for this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 77owner complaints
- 0safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 BMW 3 Series problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 42 | 55% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 19% | 111,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 12 | 16% | 93,750 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 4% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% | 115,850 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | 92,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 30 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 BMW 3 Series recalls (0)
No safety recalls are on file for the 2004 BMW 3 Series.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear Lamp Illumination (EA09019) — opened Dec 18, 2009, closed Sep 28, 2011, led to recall 11V438000.
- Rear lamp illumination (PE09036) — opened Aug 7, 2009, closed Dec 22, 2009, led to recall 11V438000.
- Rear lamp illumination (DP09002) — opened Apr 8, 2009, closed Aug 6, 2009.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Headlamp bulb out and upon replacement it was noted the coated wiring to the xenon system to right and left headlight is brittle (the wires plastic coating is falling off)and in some places exposed wiring was found. Electrical tape need to wrap the wiring to avoid potential fire. Late notice to…
New defective brake pads caused a traffic accident with total loss of the vehicles involved. Brake pads are contaminated and embedded with a slippery substance. Pads are from prime choice auto parts 42832 state route 12, alexandria bay, ny, 13607-2216 can you investigate and analyze the brake pads…
Vehicle adaptive xenon headlight wiring is faulty . Wire insulation is cracking/deteriorating and entire wires are breaking apart. Symptoms start with flickering xenon headlight eventually (about a week later) stops working at all. Vehicle is moving or stationary, engine on. The faulty wires are in…
My vehicle unexpectedly started on fire as my daughter was driving to school. It was determined that it was an electrical fire, and resulted in the car being totaled. The 2004 models need to be included in the recall (not that it will help with the loss of my car).
Takata recall nhtsa recall number:15v318 nhtsa recall number: 14v428
Other BMW 3 Series years
← 2003 3 Series · 2005 3 Series →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 3 Series | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 3 Series | 21 | 0 |
| 2012 3 Series | 7 | 3 |
| 2011 3 Series | 1 | 2 |
| 2010 3 Series | 30 | 2 |
| 2009 3 Series | 53 | 1 |
| 2008 3 Series | 68 | 2 |
| 2007 3 Series | 115 | 1 |
| 2006 3 Series | 202 | 3 |
| 2005 3 Series | 25 | 0 |
| 2004 | 77 | 0 |
| 2003 3 Series | 73 | 0 |
| 2002 3 Series | 26 | 0 |
| 2001 3 Series | 36 | 1 |
| 2000 3 Series | 88 | 1 |
| 1999 3 Series | 6 | 1 |
| 1998 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
| 1997 3 Series | 5 | 0 |
| 1996 3 Series | 2 | 0 |
| 1995 3 Series | 3 | 0 |
See all BMW 3 Series problems by year, every BMW model, or the BMW VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 BMW 3 Series?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 42 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 BMW 3 Series?
No safety recalls are on file for this model year.
Was the 2004 BMW 3 Series a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other 3 Series model years, the 2004 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.